tiheextremelysharppointofthisdisagreeableobjeeaththemagnifyingglasswhichheloweredsoImightbettersee;apinkishfilmcovereditstip.

    “Theoldmasters,”MasterOsmansaid,“wouldsufferpangsofsceaboutgialent,colorsahods.They’dsideritdishonorabletoseetheworldonedayasaernshahahe,asaWesternrulerdid—whichiswhattheartistsofourdaydo.”

    Hiseyeswerehertrainedonminenoruponthepagesinfrontofhim.Itseemedasthoughheweregazingatadistantunattaieness.InapageoftheBookofKingslyingopenbeforehim,PersianandTuranianarmiesclashedwithalltheirforce.Ashorsesfoughtshouldertoshoulder,enragedheroicwarriorsdrewtheirswordsandslaughteredoherwiththecolorandjoyofafestival,theirarmorpiercedbythelahecavalry,theirheadsandarmssevered,theirbodieshackedapartorclovenintwo,strewnalloverthefield.

    “Whenthegreatmastersofoldwereforcedtoadoptthestylesofvictorsandimitatetheirminiaturists,theypreservedtheirhonorbyusingaoheroicallybringontheblihatthelaborsofpaintingwould’vecausedintime.Yes,beforethepurenessofGod’sdarknessfellovertheireyeslikeadivinereward,they’dstareatamasterpiececeaselesslyforhoursorevendays,andbecausetheystubbornlystaredoutofbowedheads,themeaningandworldofthosepictures—spottedwithblooddrippingfromtheireyes—wouldtaketheplaceofalltheeviltheysuffered,andastheireyeseversoslowlycloudedoverthey’dapproachblindnessinpeace.DoyouhaveanyideawhichillustrationI’dwanttostareattillI’dattaihedivineblaessoftheblind?”

    Likeamantryingtorecallachildhoodmemory,hefixedhiseyes,whosepupilsseemedtoshrinkastheirwhitesexpa