第30部分(第3/7 頁)

othing　but　Allah　and

the punishment meted out in this world has no import whatsoever in my

opinion。　What　I　fear　are　the　various　torments　that　murderers　like　myself　will

have　to　endure　on　Judgment　Day；　as　is　clearly　described　in　the　Glorious　Koran；

in the “Criterion” chapter； for example。 In the ancient books； that I quite

rarely　lay　hold　of；　whenever　I　see　this　punishment　in　all　its　colors　and　violence；

recalling　the　simple；　childish；　yet　terrifying　scenes　of　Hell　illustrated　on　calfskin

by　the　old　Arab　miniaturists；　or；　for　whatever　reason；　the　torments　of　demons

depicted by Chinese and Mongol master artists； I can’t keep myself from

drawing this analogy and heeding its logic： What does “The Night Journey”

chapter state in its thirty…third verse？ Is it not written that one should not；

without　justification；　take　the　life　of　another　whose　murder　God　forbids？　All

right　then：　The　miscreant　I’ve　sent　to　Hell　was　not　a　believer；　whose　murder

God　had　forbidden；　and　besides；　I　had　excellent　justification　for　shattering　his

skull。

This　man　had　slandered　those　of　us　who’d　worked　on　that　book　Our　Sultan

had　secretly　missioned。　If　I　hadn’t　silenced　him；　he　would’ve　denounced

as unbelievers Enishte Effendi； all the miniaturists and even Master Osman；

letting　the　rabid　followers　of　the　Hoja　of　Erzurum　have　their　way　with　them。　If

someone succeeded in announcing that the miniaturists were mitting

blasphemy； these followers of Ezurumi—who are looking for any excuse to

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exercise their strength—wouldn’t just be satisfied with doing away