Bosphorusmanor,oreven,awoodenspoon.Inlateryears,however,IonlyworkedonmanuscriptpagesbecauseOurSultanpaidwellforthem.I’tsayitseemsinsignifiow.Youknowthevalueofmoneyevenwhenyou’redead.

    Afterhearingthemirayvoiightthink,“Whocareswhatyouearnedwhenyouwerealive?Telluswhatyousee.Istherelifeafterdeath?

    Where’syoursoul?WhataboutHeavenandHell?What’sdeathlike?Areyouinpain?”Yht,theliviremelycuriousabouttheAfterlife.

    Maybeyou’veheardthestoryofthemanwhowassodrivenbythiscuriositythatheroamedamongsoldiersinbattlefields.Hesoughtamanwho’ddiedaurolifeamidthewourugglingfortheirlivesinpoolsofblood,asoldierwhocouldtellhimaboutthesecretsoftheOtherworld.Butoamerlane’swarriors,takingtheseekerfortheenemy,cleavedhiminhalfwithasmoothstrokeofhisscimitar,causinghimtocludethatintheHereaftermassplitintwo.

    Nonsense!Quitetheopposite,I’devensaythatsoulsdividedinlifemergeintheHereafter.trarytotheclaimsofsinfulinfidelswho’vefalleheswayoftheDevil,thereisindeedanotherworld,thankGod,andtheproofisthatI’mspeakingtoyoufromhere.I’vedied,butasyouplainlytell,Ihaven’tceasedtobe.Granted,Imustfess,Ihaven’tenteredtheriversflowingbesidethesilverandgoldkiosksofHeaven,thebroad-leavedtreesbearingplumpfruitandthebeautifulvirgiioheGloriousKoran—thoughIdoverywellrecallhowoftehusiasticallyImadepicturesofthosewide-eyedhourisdescribedinthechapter“ThatWhichIsing.”Noristhereatraceofthoseriversofmilk,wine,freshwaterandhoneydescribedwithsuchflourish,notintheKoran,butbyvisionarydreamerslikeIbnArabi.ButIhavenoiioi