ترجمة قصة رجولة ووفاء للأديبة نجاة كلش

 

لميس وجمعه

بقلم محمود عبد الفضيل

ترجمها إلى الإنجليزية عبد اللطيف غسري

 

تجمعت كل المتناقضات في المقارنة بين لميس  وجمعة ولم يجمع بينهما شئ قط غير أنهما يدرسان في جامعة واحدة هي إحدى الجامعات الخاصة التي لا يتحمل تكاليف مصاريفها غير الطبقة الراقية في مجتمع يئن معظم من فيه من الفقر و الجهل و المرض.

هي بنت أحد رجال الصناعة والاعمال ومن أثرياء بلده. درست في المدراس الخاصة الامريكية و حصلت على الثانوية العامة الامريكية دون أن تمر على الثانوية العامة التي يجتازها كل أبناء الوطن الفقراء، و ما في تلك المرحلىدة من جهد و تعب ومشقة.

كانت من أجمل بنات للكلية و حديث الطلبة و الزملاء عن جمالها الأخاذ و أناقتها في الملبس الذي يتم استيراده من الخارج على أحدث صيحات الموضة و نفوذ والدها لدى المسؤلين.

كان يأتيها الدكاترة في المنزل لشرح الكورسات، و كثير منهم كان يعمل في شركات والدها المتعددة و التي تعطي رواتب خيالية.

رغم كل هذا، كانت محدودة التفوق و تنجح كل عام بمساعدة الكورسات و توصيات اللجان.

اما جمعة فهو شاب من أسرة عاديهة لمع في مجال الرياضه

ومثل بلده في بطولات متعدده في الملاكمه و حصل على ميداليات عالميه في معظم مراحل عمره و كذلك يلعب بأحد الانديه الشهيره و منتخب الجامعه و له أنشطه اجتماعيه رياضيه كثيره.

دخل الجامعه بعد أن حصل على مجموع كبير في الثانويه العامه و حصوله على بطولات عالميه في الملاكمه، فقررت الجامعه إعطاءه منحه مجانيه للدراسه بها تشحيعا له على دوره في خدمة المجتمع وتفوفه العلمي و الرياضي.

في السنه الاخيره قررت لميس وجمعه الدخول في انتخابات رئاسة مجلس الطلاب للجامعه.

كل فريق كان له مؤيدوه، وكل منهما له أصدقاؤه و أحبابه في جميع السنوات الدراسيه.

جمعه لانه متفوق ورياضي و لميس لانها رمز للجمال و الانوثه و الغنى الفاحش للطبقه المخملية وزبده المجتمع التي بمثلها معظم طلاب الجامعه.

علق كل منهما لافتاته و ألف شعارات و حشد مؤيديه.

وتم عقد الندوات لكل طرف على حدة.

ولكن اللافت للنظر ان ندوات و مؤتمرات لميس كانت حاشدة.

ياتيها الطلاب من جميع الفرق و الصفوف و الكليات لحضورها و كذلك تكون تحت رعايه احد الاساتذه او المعيدين و تصرف عليها الأموال الطائلة.

أما جمعه فمعظم ندواته تكون قليله العدد. معظم الخاضرين من أصحابه وزملائه في الكليه ونفس الصف و بعض الزملاء ممن يتدربون معه في الملاكمه

أيقن وقتها جمعه ان المواجهه محسومه وان لميس سوف تكسب من الجوله الأولى بالضربه القاضيه او لعدم التكافؤ

 

فكر جمعه كثيرا في هذا الأمر َ كيف سبكسب وكل الامكانيات و الدعم يصب لصالح لميس.

جمعه كشخصيه  هو الأفضل لانه الأكثر علما وذكاء وذو تفوق  رياضي دولي منذ نعومة اظافره.

كل ما تملكه لميس هو جمالها وأناقتها التي تجذب إليها الشباب من الطلاب وأموال أبيها التي تنفقها على الدعايه و الهدايا، ونفوذ والدها الذي جعل الجميع يدعمها ويذلل لها كل العقبات.

لم يتدخل احد للضغط على جمعه للانسحاب لان كل المؤشرات من الندوات و للمؤتمرات تؤكد اكتساح لميس، فهي في وسط معظم طلابه من نفس طبقتها فهي تمثلهم.

 

وهي ليست غريبة عنهم.

هو الذي جاء من خارج الوسط بتفوقه العلمي و الرياضي.

وهم من أرادوا ضمه إليهم و لكن في نفس الوقت هم يعرفون وهو أيضا انه ليس منهم.

تحدد موعد لانعقاد مناظرة بين لميس وجمعه.

تفضل جمعه بالسماح للميس بالكلام أولا لانها سيدة على مبدأ ladies first, وبمجرد أن ظهرت بجمالها الاخاذ و اناقتها طال التصفيق و التصفير و التشجيع وهي تبتسم و تلوح بيديها لهم. قالت كلمه صغيره أعربت بها عن سعادتها بالتجربه.

و استمر التصفيق و التصفير لمدة كبيره في مدرج كبير حضره معظم طلبه الجامعه.

ثم تحدث جمعه وعرف نفسه و بطولاته و تفوقه وبرنامجه الانتخابي، ولكنه لم يجد اي تشجيع إلا من القليل

وجاء يوم الانتخاب، وكما توقع الجميع فازت لميس باغلبيه ساحقه و أصبحت اول فتاه ترأس مجلس طلاب الجامعه.

وقتها أيقن جمعه ان هذا المكان لأصحابه و ليس للكفاءات و حزن حزنا شديدا على خسارته في الانتخابات وهو الذي لم يتعود على الهزيمه قط قي مضمار الرياضه، حيث المنافسة المباشرة التي لا يحسمها الا المهاره و الاجتهاد.

وخرج جمعه بعد اسبوع في بطوله عالميه في إحدى الدول الاوربيه، و كما اعتاد فاز بالمركز الأول و الميداليه الذهبيه و بعد الاحتفال بدلا من أن يذهب مع الفريق إلى الفندق استعدادا للرجوع الى الوطن، ذهب إلى أحد النوادي هناك و عقد اتفاقا معهم على اللعب باسم النادي الأوروبي على أن يساعده النادي في إكمال دراسته في احدى الجامعات بتلك الدولة. عندها ابتسم جمعه و هو يجد من يقدره لمهارته و اجتهاد منه، بعيدا عن أي مؤثرات اخرى، فالبقاء هنا للاصلح.

بعد فتره حصد جمعه الكثير من البطولات الاوربيه والعالميه وأصبح حديث الصحف و المجلات و كون ثروه كبيره جدا من الإعلانات و المكافأت و أصبح نجما لامعا في سماء رياضة الملاكمه و في الوقت نفسه حصل على شهاده إتمام دراسته من الجامعه الاوروبيه.

عاد جمعه الي وطنه يستقبله المسؤلون بكل حفاوة و أسند اليه الكثير من المناصب لتطوير لعبه الملاكمه.

 وتم تعيينه بدون انتخاب في الكثير من المجالس المتخصصه و مجلس الشيوخ.

وساهم في تطوير اللعبه.

وقتها  أحس جمعه  انه في الماضي لم يكن يفهم اصول اللعبه..

فعندما تريد ان تمثل مجموعه ما أولا لابد أن تكون منهم.

طلب والد لميس مقابله جمعه و فؤجئ جمعه بوجود لميس في المقابلة، حيث إنها تعمل مع والدها، وانها لم تتزوج حتى الآن لأنها لم تجد الشخص الذي يستطيع احتواءها و يكون اغنى و اشهر و أقوى سلطهة و نفوذا وشهره منها و من والدها.

طلب والد لميس من جمعه ان يدير نادي الشركات التي يمتلكها.  رفض هذا الأخير وأخبره ان مكانته الان أعلى من ذلك الكلام الذي يقوله.

عرض عليه مرتبا خرافيا، و لكن جمعه اخبره انه لايحتاج الى المال.

كل ذلك و لميس تقف مبهوره بشخصيه جمعه و قوته و وقوفه على قدم المساواة مع والدها بكل سلطانه و أمواله و نفوذه.

طلبت من والدها ان يتركها مع جمعه لمحاولة اقناعه.

ولكن كانت تريد أن تنفرد بجمعه و تتحدث معه.

وقتها أخبرت جمعه انها تريد أن تتزوجه لانها كانت معجبة به منذ فترة الانتخابات..

لم يفاجأ جمعه بالطلب لان له نفس الشعور منذ تلك الفتره، و لكن منعته نفس الأسباب التي منعتها من هذا الاعتراف بذلك الشعور  وهو فرق الامكانيات.

وقتها أخبرها جمعه انه الان سعيد لانه خسر الانتخاب.

ولكنه كسب قلبها.

خرجا الي والدها و هما مبتسمان وأخبر الوالد بأنه وافق على العرض و لكنه أيضا يريد أن يتزوج لميس.

ضحك الاب و بارك الزواج.

و كانت دعوة الفرح مكتوبا في اسفلها:

يحيا اتحاد الطلبه

م محمود عبد الفضيل

مصر

 

Lamees and Gomaa

 Short story by Mahmoud Abdelfadeel

Translated from Arabic by ABDELLATIF RHESRI

 

All the odds were brought in when comparing Lamees to Gomaa. Nothing brought them together except the fact that they were students in the same university.

It was one of those private universities whose fees could be afforded only by high class people in a society where everybody moaned of poverty, ignorance and diseases.

She was a daughter of a man oif industry and business and one of the wealthiest people in his country. She studied at the American private schools and got the American Baccalaureate without passing through the national baccalaureate which most students in the country got, so she was spared all the hardship and effort it implied

She was one of the prettiest girls in the faculty, and was the main subject the students talked about thanks to her stunning beauty and her gracefulness shown in the kind of clothes she wore most of which were imported from abroad as the latest fashion, and also thanks to her father's sway among the officials.

Doctors would come to her house to explain courses for her. Most of them worked in the numerous companies owned by her father and earned fabulous salaries.

Despite all that, her performance at school was limited. Hence, she would pass every year only thanks to the courses she had taken or special recommendations from the school committees

 As to Gomaa, he was a young man from an ordinary family. He excelled in sports and represented his country in many world championships in boxing; hence, he won international medals in almost all his different ages. He also played in one of the famous clubs and also in the university team. Besides, he was involved in various social and athletic activities.

He was admitted to the university after he had obtained a high grade in the baccalaureate examinations,. Due to all the championships he had won in boxing, the university board decided to grant him a free scholarship to study on it, encouraging him for the role he played in serving the university and for his scientific and athletic excellence.

In the last university year, Lamees and Gomaa decided to run for the student council presidential elections.

Every team had their supporters, and both of them had friends and fans in all the university levels. That was because Gomaa was excellent and a sportsman, and because Lamees was a symbol of beauty, femininity and extravagant richness of the velvet class of society which was represented by most university students. Each one of the two individuals raised his or her signboards and slogans, and gathered his or her supporters.

Debates were held for each one. But the most remarkable thing was that Lamees's debates and seminars were attended by lots of people. Students attended them from all factions, classes and faculties. They were supervised by one of the teachers or their assistants, and large amounts of money were spent on them.

As for Gomaa, most his debates were attended by just few people most of whom were his friends and classmates, along with some colleagues in the boxing trainings.

Gomaa was sure, then, that the race was already settled, and that Lamees would win since the first round with a knockout, for their chances were not equal.

Gomaa pondered so much about ways to win, though all the potentialities and support were in favour of Lamees.

He was favourable for his personality, knowledge, intelligence and international athletic superiority since his teenage.

All that Lamees had was her beauty and elegance which attracted young students, and her father's money which she spent on propaganda and presents., In addition to her father's sway which made everybody support her and paved her pathways.

Nobody interfered to put the pressure on Gomaa to convince him to retreat since all the indicators such as debates and seminars confirmed Lamees's sweeping victory. She belonged to the social class to which most his fellow students belonged. Hence, she was their representative.

Besides, she was not a stranger to them. It was he who had brought her into his medium because of his scientific and athletic excellence. They wanted to make him join them, but at the same time, they as well as he knew he did not belong to them.

A debate between Lamees and Gomaa was planned on a certain date. There, Gomaa allowed Lamees to speak first, respecting the principle "ladies first". No sooner had she appeared in her stunning

beauty and elegance, than she was received with long applauding, whistling and encouragement which she responded to with smiling and waving hands. She gave a word that expressed her happiness to undergo such an experience. Applauding and whistling continued for a long period of time in the amphitheater that was crammed with most students of the university.

Afterwards, Gomaa talked about himself, his championships, excellence and electoral program, but he only got a little encouragement.

The day of voting came, and, as expected, Lamees won with sweeping majority, and became the first girl to chair that university students council.

At that moment, Gomaa was sure that he was out of place, and that there was no room for competencies. He got extremely sad about his loss in elections, as he was never used to being defeated on the track of sports where competition was direct and was only decisively won by skill and hard work.

One week later, Gomaa went abroad to take part in a world championship in a European country. As usual, he won the first rank and obtained the gold medal. After celebrating it, instead of going with the team to the hotel to prepare for the return trip to the homeland, he headed for a club there and signed a contract to play for that European club. Which, in turn, would help him continue his studies in one of the universities in that country.

Therefore, Gomaa smiled in delight because he had found those who would appreciate his skills and hard work away from any other considerations. Only the best would flourish there.

After a period of time, he was able to win a lot of European and international championships. He became the main subject of newspapers and magazines, and earned a great wealth from commercials and rewards as a bright star in the world of boxing. At the same time, he graduated from that European university.

As Gomaa returned to his homeland, he was received warmly by officials, and was appointed in many posts to promote boxing in the country.

He was appointed without elections in plenty of specialized councils, and in the Senate.

He contributed to the promotion of the game. Thus, he felt that in the past he could not understand the principles of the game.. if you wanted to represent a certain group, you had to belong to them, first. Lamees's father asked to meet him and Gomaa was surprised to  find Lamees in the meeting place. For, she worked with her father. She had not got married yet because she had not found the right person who would contain her and who was richer, more famous, stronger and with a greater sway than her and her father.. Lamees's father asked Gomaa to direct the companies he owned.

Gomaa rejected his proposal and told him that his position now was higher than all that he was trying to tempt him with. The man offered to give him a fabulous salary, yet Gomaa toldd him he was in no need for money.

All that conversation was attended by Lamees who stood up fascinated with Gomaa's personality, strength and his standing on equal terms with her fathet despite the latter's power, money and sway.

She asked her father to let her stay with Gomaa to persuade him. In fact, she only wanted to stay with Gomaa in private and talk to him. She informed him that she wished to marry him since she had liked him from the days of the elections.

 Gomaa was not surprised with her demand, for he felt the same about her since those days,too, but he was prevented from proposing by the same reason that had prevented him from confessing that feeling, and that was the discrepancy in potentialities  between both of them.

Thus, Gomaa told her he was glad that he had lost in the elections. Howver, he won her heart

 They met her father smiling. He told the father that he approved of the proposal, but he also wished to marry Lamees. The father laughed and blessed the marriage. On the wedding invitation card, there were those words; "Long live the Students' Union"