第89部分(第3/7 頁)

wn　“just　as　you　are　now；”　and

how a knife was pressed against his throat； how there erupted an argument

between　his　friends　and　enemies　over　whether　they　should　kill　him　or　let　him

free and how the defeated king； his face in the dirt； listened to his captors。

Then　I　asked　him；　“Are　you　fond　of　that　illustration？　Geruy　es　up　behind

Siyavush；　as　I　have　to　you；　gets　on　top　of　him；　rests　his　sword　against　his　neck；

grabs　a　fistful　of　hair　and　cuts　his　throat。　Your　red　blood；　soon　to　flow；　makes

black　dust　rise　from　the　dry　earth；　where　later　still；　a　flower　will　bloom。”

391

I　fell　quiet　and　from　distant　streets　we　could　hear　the　Erzurumis　screaming

as　they　ran。　The　terror　outside　at　once　brought　the　two　of　us；　lying　one　on　top

of　the　other；　closer。

“But　in　all　those　pictures；”　I　added；　pulling　harder　on　Black’s　hair；　“one　can

sense　the　difficulty　of　elegantly　drawing　two　men　who　despise　each　other　yet

whose　bodies；　like　ours；　have　bee　as　one。　It’s　as　if　the　chaos　of　treachery；

envy　and　battle　that　es　just　before　the　magical　and　magnificent　moment

of　beheading　has　too　fully　permeated　those　pictures。　Even　the　greatest　masters

of　Kazvin　would　have　difficulty　drawing　two　men　on　top　of　each　other；　they’d

confuse　everything。　Whereas　you　and　I；　see　for　yourself；　we’re　much　more　tidy

and　elegant。”

“The　blade　is　cutting；”　he　whimpered。

“I’m　much　obliged　for　your　polite　words；　my　dear　man；　but　it’s　doing　no

such　thing。　I’m　being　quite　careful。　I　wouldn’t　do　anything　to　ruin　the　beauty

of　our　pose。　In　the　scenes　of　love；　death　and　war；　wherein　the　great　masters　of

old rendered intertwined bo