repared,andItoldthemhowsorryIwasthatwecouldofferthemherfragrantcoffeenorsweetesbecausemywifewasstillasleepintheinnerroom.Isaidthissotheywouldn’tbargeinthereandIwouldn’thavetowreakbloodyhavothemwhentheydidn’tfindwhattheywerelookingforamongthevas,drawstringcloth,summersashesofIndiansilkandfinemuslin,Persianprintsanddolmansinthebasketsandtrunkstheyeagerlyrummagedthrough,uhecarpetsandcushions,amongtheilluminatedpagesI’dpreparedforvariousbooks,andwithinthepagesofboundvolumes.

    heless,ImustfessthatitgavemeacertainpleasuretobehaveasifIwereafraidofthem.An

    artist’sskilldependsoncarefullyattendingtothebeautyofthepresentmoment,takihingdowntothemidetailseriouslywhile,atthesametime,steppingbatheworld,whichtakesitselftooseriously,andasiflookingintoamirror,allowingforthedistandeloquenceofajest.

    Accly,upontheirasking,Isaidthat,yes,whentheErzurumisbegantheirraid,therewas,asonmostevenings,acrowdofaboutfortyinthecoffeehouse,whicluded,besidesmyself,Olive,Nas1rtheLimner,Jemalthecalligrapher,twoyoungassistantillustrators,theyoungcalligrapherswhowerenowspendingtheirdaysandnightswiththem,Rahmitheapprenticeofunsurpassedbeauty,otherhandsomenovices,sixorsevenmenbelongingtothelotofpoets,drunks,hashishaddiddervishesandotherswhoinglycharmedtheproprietorintoallowiojointhismirthfulandwittygroup.Iexplainedhowfusinedassoonastheraidbegahecrowdofonlatheredbytheproprietorforsomebawdyeaibegantoleaveinapanioohoughttomountadefeheestablishmentorofthepooroldstorytellerdressedasawoman.DidIgrieveove