第5部分(第3/7 页)

that pitted us against each other； and as he

spoke；　he　didn’t　mince　his　words。　He　seemed　to　be　provoking　me　to　cover　up　a

mistake；　as　during　our　apprentice　years；　when　the　goal　was　to　avoid　a　beating

by Master Osman。 Back then； I found his sincerity convincing。 As an

apprentice；　his　eyes　would　widen　as　they　did　now；　but　back　then　they　hadn’t

yet　dimmed　from　the　labor　of　embellishing。　But　finally　I　hardened　my　heart；

he　was　prepared　to　confess　everything　to　everyone。

“Do　listen　to　me；”　I　said　with　forced　exasperation。　“We　make　illuminations；

create border designs； draw frames onto pages； we brightly ornament page

after page with lovely tones of gold； we make the greatest of paintings； we

adorn　armoires　and　boxes。　We’ve　done　nothing　else　for　years。　It　is　our　calling。

They　mission　paintings　from　us；　ordering　us　to　arrange　a　ship；　an　antelope

or　a　sultan　within　the　borders　of　a　particular　frame；　demanding　a　certain　style

of　bird；　a　certain　type　of　figure；　take　this　particular　scene　from　the　story；　forget

about　such…and…such。　Whatever　it　is　they　demand；　we　do　it。　”Listen；“　Enishte

Effendi　said　to　me；　”here；　draw　a　horse　of　your　own　imagining；　right　here。“　For

three　days；　like　the　great　artists　of　old；　I　sketched　hundreds　of　horses　so　I　might

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e　to　know　exactly　what　”a　horse　of　my　own　imagining‘　was。　To　accustom

my　hand；　I　drew　a　series　of　horses　on　a　coarse　sheet　of　Samarkand　paper。“

I　took　these　sketches　out　and　showed　them　to　Elegant。　He　looked　at　them

with interest and； leaning close to the paper； began to study the black and

white　horses　in　the　faint　moonlight。　“T