andrump,Ilovinglyfeltthehorsewithihereitis,”Isaid.“Theworld’smostbeautifulhorse.Notohosefoolscoulddrawthis.”

    Sotheboyfromthepalacewouldbelievethisaswell,andsohewouldn’texplaintoOurSultanhowI’dbeeninspiredtodrawthispicture,Igavehimthreemoreterfeits.IimpliedthatIwouldgivehimevenmoreifIendedupwinningthegold.Furthermore,healsoimagined,Ibelieve,thathemightsoonbeabletocatchsightofmywifeonceagain,whomhe’dleeredatopen-mouthed.Therearemanywhobelieveyoutellagoodminiaturistbythehorsehedraws;however,tobethebestminiaturist,it’snotenoughtomakethebesthorse,youmustalsovinceOurSultanandHiscircleofsycophantsthatyouareihebestminiaturist.

    WhenIdrawamagnifithorse,IamwhoIam,nothingmore.

    IWILLBECALLEDAMURDERERWereyouabletodeterminewhoIamfromthewayIsketchedahorse?

    AssoonasIheardIwasiomakeahorse,Ikhiswasnopetition:Theywaocatchmethroughmyillustration.I’mperfectlyawarethatthehorsesketchesI’ddrawnhpaperwerefoundonpantEffendi’sbody.ButIhavenofaultorstylebywhichtheymightdisethroughthehorsesI’vemade.ThoughIwasascertainofthisasIcouldbe,Iwasinapanicwhilerenderingthehorse.HadIdonesomethingincriminatingwhenImadethehorseforEnishte?Ihadtodepiewhorsethistime.Ithoughtofpletelydifferentthings.I“restrained”myselfandbecameanother.

    ButwhoamI?AmIanartistwhowouldsuppressthemasterpiecesIableofiofitthestyleoftheworkshoporanartistwhowouldoriumphantlydepictthehorsedeepwithinhimself?

    Suddenlyandwithterror,IfelttheexistehattriumphantminiaturistwithiwasasifIwerebeingwatchedbyanothersou