第79部分(第2/7 頁)

he

divine　punishment　for　rebelling　against　God’s　fate—by　trampling　him　on　the

shores　of　the　green　lake　whose　restorative　waters　eased　his　affliction；　and　not

among　the　hundreds　of　mythical　and　perfect　horses　all　drawn　by　six　or　seven

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miniaturists。 Yet； there was still more than one entire day ahead of me in

which　to　examine　the　other　books　in　the　Treasury。

2。　There’s　a　claim　that　has　been　a　persistent　topic　of　gossip　among　master

illuminators　for　the　last　twenty…five　years：　With　the　express　permission　of　the

Sultan； an illustrator entered this forbidden Treasury； found this spectacular

book；　opened　it　and　by　candlelight　copied　into　his　sketchbook　examples　of　a

number　of　exquisite　horses；　trees；　clouds；　flowers；　birds；　gardens　and　scenes　of

war　and　love　for　later　use　in　his　work…Whenever　an　artist　created　an　amazing

and exceptional piece； jealousy prompted such gossip from the others； who

sought to belittle the picture as nothing but Persian work from Tabriz。 Back

then； Tabriz was not Ottoman territory。 When such slander was directed at

me； I felt justifiably angry； yet secretly proud； but when I heard the same

accusation about others； I believed it。 Now； I sadly realized that in some

strange way the four of us miniaturists who’d looked at this book once

twenty…five　years　ago　ingrained　its　images　into　our　memories；　and　since　then；

we’ve　recalled；　transformed；　altered　and　painted　them　into　the　books　of　Our

Sultan。 My spirits were dampened not by the mercilessness of overly

suspicious　sultans　who　wouldn’t　take　such　bo