第75部分(第5/7 頁)

t　I　remained　where　I　was；　frozen　by　embarrassment　and　guilt。

332

WE　TWO　DERVISHES

Yea；　the　rumor　that　our　picture　was　among　the　pages　from　China；　Samarkand

and Herat prising an album hidden away in the remotest corner of the

Treasury filled with the plunder of hundreds of countries over hundreds of

years　by　the　ancestors　of　His　Excellency；　Our　Sultan；　was　most　probably　spread

to the miniaturists’ division by the dwarf Jezmi Agha。 If we might now

recount　our　own　story　in　our　own　fashion—the　will　of　God　be　with　us—we

hope　that　none　of　the　crowd　in　this　fine　coffeehouse　will　take　offense。

One hundred and ten years have passed since our deaths； forty since the

closing of our irredeemable； Persia…partisan dervish lodges； those dens of

heresy　and　nests　of　devilry；　but　see　for　yourselves；　here　we　are　before　you。　How

could　this　be？　I’ll　tell　you　how：　We　were　rendered　in　the　Veian　style！　As　this

illustration indicates； one day we two dervishes were tramping through Our

Sultan’s　domains　from　one　city　to　the　next。

We　were　barefoot；　our　heads　were　shaven；　and　we　were　half　naked；　each　of

us　was　wearing　a　vest　and　the　hide　of　a　deer；　a　belt　around　our　waists　and　we

were　holding　our　walking　sticks；　our　begging　bowls　dangling　from　our　necks

by　a　chain；　one　of　us　was　carrying　an　axe　for　cutting　wood；　and　the　other　a

spoon　to　eat　whatever　food　God　had　blessed　us　with。

At　that　moment；　standing　before　a　caravansary　beside　a　fountain；　my　dear

friend；　nay；　my　beloved；　nay；　my　brother　and　I　had　given　ourselves　over　to　the

usual　argument：　“You　first　please；　no　you　first；