第69部分(第4/7 頁)

ing　on　the　beauties　of　his　harem　swimming　naked　in

his pool while listening to a lute； a young wrestler sure of victory after

learning all his mentor’s moves； only to be defeated in the presence of the

Sultan at the hands of his mentor who had yet one last trick up his sleeve；

Leyla and Mejnun as children kneeling in a schoolroom with exquisitely

decorated　walls；　falling　in　love　while　reciting　the　Glorious　Koran；　the　inability

of　lovers；　from　the　most　embarrassed　to　the　most　crass；　to　look　at　each　other；

the　stone　by　stone　construction　of　palaces；　the　punishment　by　torture　of　the

guilty；　the　flight　of　eagles；　playful　rabbits；　treacherous　tigers；　cypress　and　plane

trees that held magpies； Death； peting poets； feasts to memorate

victory；　and　men　like　you　who　see　nothing　but　the　soup　before　them。”

The　reserved　clerk　was　no　longer　afraid；　he　even　found　me　entertaining　and

was　smiling。

“Your　Hoja　Effendi　must’ve　had　you　read　this；　you’ll　know　it；”　I　continued。

“There’s a story I love from Sadi’s Garden。 You know the one； King Darius

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bees separated from the crowd during a hunt and goes off to roam the

hills。　Unexpectedly；　a　dangerous…looking　stranger　with　a　goatee　appears　before

him。 The king falls into a panic and reaches for the bow on his horse；

whereupon　the　man　begs；　”My　king；　hold　off　from　shooting　your　arrow。　How

is it that you haven’t recognized me？ Am I not the loyal groom to whom

you’ve　entrusted　a　hundred　horses　and　foals？　How　many　times　have　we　seen

each other？ I know each of your hundred