第101部分(第6/7 頁)

the　clock　announced　the　time　to　all

Istanbul　with　a　chime　that　resembled　the　sounding　of　a　bell。

Black　and　Esther　told　me　on　different　occasions　how　the　clock；　as　well　as

being　the　focus　of　endless　astonishment　on　the　part　of　Istanbul’s　riffraff　and

dull…witted　mobs；　was　understandably　a　source　of　disfort　to　the　pious　and

to　Our　Sultan　because　it　symbolized　the　power　of　the　infidel。　In　a　time　when

rumors　of　this　sort　abounded；　Sultan　Ahmed；　the　subsequent　sovereign；　woke

up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　under　Allah’s　instigation；　seized　His　mace　and

descended　from　the　harem　to　the　Private　Garden　where　He　shattered　the　clock

and its statues to pieces。 Those who brought us the news and the rumors

explained how as Our Sultan slept； He saw the sacred face of Our Exalted

Prophet　bathed　in　holy　light　and　how　the　Apostle　of　God　warned　Him：　If　Our

Sultan　allowed　his　subjects　to　be　awed　by　pictures　and；　worse　yet；　by　objects

that mimicked Mankind and thus peted with Allah’s creations； the

sovereign would be diverging from divine will。 They also added that Our

Sultan　had　taken　up　His　mace　while　still　dreaming。　This　was　more　or　less　how

Our Sultan dictated the event to His faithful historian。 He had this book；

entitled The Quintessence of Histories； prepared by calligraphers； upon whom

He lavished purses full of gold； though He forbade its illustration by

miniaturists。

Thus　withered　the　red　rose　of　the　joy　of　painting　and　illumination　that　had

bloomed　for　a　century　in　Istanbul；　nurtured　by　inspiration　from　the　lands　of

Persia。　The　conflict　between　the　meth