第94部分(第6/7 頁)

nsole　ourselves　with　twenty…five　years

of　memories　we’re　reminded　not　of　the　animosities；　but　of　the　beauties　and

the pleasures of painting。 There’s also something in our sitting here with a

sense　of　the　impending　end　of　the　world；　caressing　each　other　with　tear…filled

eyes　as　we　remember　the　beauty　of　bygone　days；　that　recalls　harem　women。

I’ve taken this parison from Abu Said of Kirman who included the

stories of the old masters of Shiraz and Herat in his History of the sons of

Tamerlane。　Thirty　years　ago；　Jihan　Shah；　ruler　of　the　Blacksheep；　came　to　the

East　where　he　routed　the　small　armies　and　ravaged　the　lands　of　the　Timurid

khans and shahs who were fighting among themselves。 With his victorious

Turkmen　hordes；　he　passed　through　the　whole　of　Persia　into　the　East；　finally；　at

Astarabad； he defeated Ibrahim； the grandson of Shah Ruh who was

Tamerlane’s　son；　he　then　took　Gorgan　and　sent　his　armies　against　the　fortress

of　Herat。　According　to　the　historian　from　Kirman；　this　devastation；　not　only　to

Persia； but to the heretofore undefeated power of the House of Tamerlane；

which　had　ruled　over　half　the　world　from　Hindustan　to　Byzantium　for　half　a

century； caused such a tempest of destruction that pandemonium reigned

over　the　men　and　women　in　the　besieged　fortress　of　Herat。　The　historian　Abu

Said reminds the reader with perverse pleasure how Jihan Shah of the

Blacksheep　mercilessly　killed　everyone　who　was　a　descendant　of　Tamerlane　in

the　fortresses　he　conquered；　how　he　selectively　culled　women　from　the　harems

of　shahs　and　princes　a