Ibelieveitwasaboutthetimeoftheeveningprayer.Someonewasatthedoor.HeexplaihattheSultanhadannouncedapetition.Asyouand,mydearSultan;indeed,whocoulddrawamorebeautifulhorsethanI?

    Itgavemepause,however,whenIlearhatthepicturewastobemadewithoutcolorintheblakstyle.Whynocolors?BecauseIhappehebestintheseleandapplicationofthem?Whowouldjudgewhichillustrationwasbest?Itriedtogetmoreinformationoutofthebroad-shouldered,pink-lipped,prettyboywho’defromthepaladwasabletoihatHeadIlluminatorMasterOsmanwasbehindthistest.MasterOsman,withoutadoubt,knowsmytalentandlikesmethebestofallthemasters.

    So,asIgazedattheemptypage,thestance,lookanddemeanorofahorsethatwouldpleaseboththeSultanandMasterOsmaolifebeforemyeyes.Thehorseoughttobelively,butserious,likethehorsesMasterOsmaenyearsago,anditshouldberearing,ihatalleasedOurSultan,sothatbothofthemwouldthehorse’sbeauty.Howmanygoldpiecesarethey,Iwonder?HowwouldMirMusavvirmakethispicture?HowwouldBihzad?

    Suddenly,thebeastehoughtswithsuchspeed,thatbythetimeIuoodwhatitwas,mydamnablehandgrabbedthebrushaodrawamiraculoushorsebeyondanyone’sception,startingfromtheraisedleftf.Afterquicklyjoiniothebody,Imadetwoarcsswiftly,pleasurablyandfidently—hadyouseenthem,youwould’vesaidthisartistisnoillustrator,butacalligrapher.Iwasgazingatmyhandwithawe,whileitmovedasifitbelooahesespectaculararcsbecamethehorse’samplestomach,solidchestandswanlikeheillustrationmight’vebeensideredplete.Oh,thetalentofwhichIampossessed!Meanwhile,Ilookedtoseethatmyhandhadtracedoutthenos