visited,”hesaid.“Whatdotheydepict?”

    Adreamy-eyedyoungpainterwhowasrulingoutpagesintheer,lostinrevery,raisedhisheadfromhisfoldingworkdeskalongwiththeothersintheroomandgavemealookthatsaid,“Letthisbeyourmosthoanswer.”

    Manyofthesecraftsmendidn’tknowtheergrotheirownneighborhood,orhowmuoke’sworthofbreadcost,buttheywereverycuriousaboutthelatestgossipEastofPersia,wherearmiesclashed,prirangledoherandpluiesbeforeburniheground,whereeaceweretestedeachday,wherethebestverseswerewrittenaillustrationsandpaintingsweremadeforturies.

    “ShahTahmaspreignedforfifty-twoyears.Iyearsofhislife,asyouknow,heabandonedhisloveofbooks,illustratingandpainting,turnedhisbapoets,illustratorsandcalligraphers,andresigninghimselftoworship,passedaway,whereuponhisson,Ismail,asdedtothethrone,”Isaid.“ShahTahmasphadbeenwellawareofhisson’sdisagreeableandantagonistiature,sohekepthim,theshah-to-be,behindlockeddoorsfortwentyyears.

    AssoonasIsmailassumedthethrone,inamadfrenzy,hehadhisyoungerbrothersstrangled—someofwhomhe’dblindedbeforehand.Intheend,however,Ismail’senemiessucceededinplyinghimwithopiumandpoisoninghim,andafterbeingliberatedfromhisworldlypreseheyplacedhishalf-wittedolderbrotherMuhammadKhodabahethrone.Duringhisreign,alltheprinces,brothers,provincialgovernorsandUzbeks,inshorteveryoartedtorevolt.TheywentaftereachotherandourSerhatPashawithsuchmartialferocitythatallofPersiaturosmokeanddustandwasleftindisarray.Ihepresentshah,bereftofmoneyandintelligendhalf-blind,isnotfittosponsorthewritingan