第15部分(第1/7 頁)

violently　out　of　an　old　book　which　I　couldn’t　identify；　perhaps　a　collage　album。

Obviously；　Master　Osman　was　overlooking　quite　a　lot。

When　we　came　to　his　own　worktable；　Nuri　Effendi　proudly　stated　that　he

finished　a　gilded　royal　insignia　for　Our　Sultan；　which　he’d　been　working　on　for

three　weeks。　I　respectfully　admired　Nuri　Effendi’s　gold　inlay　and　the　insignia；

which　had　been　made　on　an　empty　sheet　to　ensure　that　its　recipient　and　the

reason　for　its　being　sent　would　remain　secret。　I　knew　well　enough　that　many

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impetuous pashas in the East had refrained from rebellion upon seeing the

noble　and　potent　splendor　of　the　Sultan’s　royal　insignia。

Next； we saw the last masterpieces that Jemal the Calligrapher had

transcribed； pleted and left behind； but we passed over them hastily to

avoid　giving　credence　to　opponents　of　color　and　decoration　who　maintained

that true art consisted of calligraphy alone and that decorative illumination

was　simply　a　secondary　means　of　adding　emphasis。

Nas？r　the　Limner　was　making　a　mess　of　a　plate　he　intended　to　repair　from　a

version　of　the　Quintet　of　Nizami　dating　back　to　the　era　of　Tamerlane’s　sons；

the　picture　depicted　Hüsrev　looking　at　a　naked　Shirin　as　she　bathed。

A　niy…two…year…old　former　master　who　was　half　blind　and　had　nothing

to　say　besides　claiming　that　sixty　years　ago　he　kissed　Master　Bizhad’s　hand　in

Tabriz　and　that　the　great　master　of　legend　was　blind　and　drunk　at　the　time；

showed　us　with　trembling　hands　the　ornamentation　on　the　pen　box　he　would

present　as　a　holiday　gift　to　Our　Sultan　when　it　was　pleted　three　months

hence。