w,thismaniomanturbanwouldmerrilynodhisheadasthehourtolled—asmalljokeooftheHapsburgkingwhosentit,andhisskillfulaker,fortheamusementofOurSultanandthewomenofHisharem.

    Ilookedthroughquiteafewverymediocrebooks:Asthedwarffirmed,thesewereamongtheeffectsofpashaswhosepropertiesandbelongingswerefiscatedaftertheywerebeheaded.Somanypashashadbeeedthatthesevolumeswerewithoutnumber.itilessjoy,thedwarfdeclaredthatanypashasointoxicatedbyhisowhandpowerastethewasasubjectoftheSultanandtohaveabookmadeinhisownhonor,illumihgoldleafasifhewereamonarchorashah,welldeservedtobeexecutedandhavehispossessionsexpropriated.Eveninthesevolumes,someofwhichwerealbums,illuminatedmanuscriptsorillustratedcollesofpoetry,wheneverIcameacrossaversionofShirinfallingihHüsrev’spicture,Istoppedandstared.

    Thepicturewithinapicture,thatis,thepictureofHüsrevwhichShirinenteredduringhertrysideouting,wasneverrenderediail,notbecauseminiaturistscouldn’tadequatelydepiethingsosmall—manyhadthedexterityandfiopaintuponfingernails,grainsofriceorevenstrandsofhair.Whythenhadn’ttheydrawnthefadfeaturesofHüsrev—theobjectofShirin’slove—inenoughdetailsothathemightbereized?Sometimeiernoon,perhapstetmyhopelessness,andthinking,asIleafedthroughadisorderlyalbumI’dcedupon,thatI’dbroachsuchquestionstoMasterOsman,Iwasstruckbytheimageofahorseinapictureofabridalprocessionpaintedonyheartskippedabeat.

    Therebeforemewasahorsewithpeculiarnostrilscarryingacoquettishbride.Thebeastwaslookingatmeoutofthepicture.Itwasasthoughthemagicalhorsewer