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page before me。 Since I owe my talent and mastery to the beatings I received； I；
in turn； beat my own apprentices without a guilty conscience。 What’s more； I
know that even a beating given without just cause； if it doesn’t break the spirit
of the apprentice； will ultimately benefit him。”
“Even so； you understand that while drubbing a handsome…faced； sweet…
eyed； angelic apprentice； now and then； you get carried away by the sheer
pleasure of it； and you know that Master Osman probably experienced the
same sensation with you； don’t you？”
“Sometimes he’d take a marble burnishing stone and strike me with such
force behind the ear that my ear would ring for days； and I’d walk around half
stunned。 Sometimes he’d slap me so hard that for weeks my cheek would
ache； enough to bring continual tears to my eyes。 I shall never forget； yet I still
love my mentor。”
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“Nay；” said Black； “you were furious with him。 You took revenge for the
anger that silently accumulated deep within you by making illustrations for
my Enishte’s Frankish…imitation book。”
“The opposite is true。 The beatings that a young miniaturist receives from
his master bind him to his master with a profound respect until the day he
dies。”
“The cruel and treacherous cutting of the throats of Iraj and Siyavush from
behind； as you are doing to me； arose out of sibling rivalry； and sibling rivalry；
as in the Book of Kings； is always provoked by an unjust father。”
“True。”
“The unjust father of you master miniaturists； the one who set you at each
other’s throats； is now preparing to betray you；” he said brazenly。 “Ahh； I beg
of you； it is cutting；” he whimpered。 He cried in agony a bit longer。 Then he
went on； “True； cutting my throat and spilling my blood like a sacrificial lamb
would be but the work of an instant； but if you do this without listening to
what I’m about to explain—I don’t think you’ll do it anyway； ahh； please；
enough—you’ll forever wonder what I was going to say。 Please； move the blade
away slightly。” I did so。 “Master Osman； who followed your every step and
your every breath since childhood； who happily watched your God…given talent
bloom into artistry like a spring flower under his care； has now turned his
back on you in order to save his workshop and its style； to which he has
devoted his entire life。”
“I recounted three parables to you the day we buried Elegant Effendi so you
might know how disgusting this thing they call ”style‘ truly is。“
“Those stories pertained to a miniaturist’s individual style；” said Black
carefully； “whereas Master Osman is concerned with preserving the style of
the entire workshop。”
He explained how the Sultan attached great importance to finding the
murderer of Elegant Effendi and his Enishte； how He’d even let them inspect
the Royal Treasury to this end； and how Master Osman was using this
opportunity to sabotage his Enishte’s book and punish those who betrayed
him by imitating the Europeans。 Black added that based on style； Master
Osman suspected Olive was responsible for the horse with the clipped nostrils；
but as Head Illuminator； he was convinced of Stork’s guilt and would turn him
over to the executioners。 I could sense he was telling the truth under the
pressure of my sword； and I felt like kissing him because he gave himself over
to what he was saying like a child。 What I heard didn’t worry me； having Stork
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out of the way meant I’d bee Head Illuminator after Master Osman’s
death—may God grant him long life。
I wasn’t disturbed that what he said might happen； but by the possibility
that it might not。 Reading between the lines of Black’s account； I was able to
glean that Master Osman was willing not only to sacrifice Stork； but me as
well。 Considering this incredible possibility made my heart quicken and drew
me toward the horror of plete abandonment felt by a child who’s
suddenly lost his father。 Each time this came to mind； I had to restrain myself
from cutting Black’s throat。 I didn’t attempt to argue the point with Black or
myself： Why should the fact that we made a few foolish illustrations inspired
by European masters lower us to the level of traitors？ Once again； I thought
that behind Elegant’s death stood Stork and Olive and their schemes against
me。 I removed the sword from Black’s throat。
“Let’s go to Olive’s house together； and search it from top to bottom；” I
said。 “If the last picture is with him； at least we’ll know whom to fear。 If not；
we’ll take him with us as support and go on to raid Stork’s house。”
I told him to trust me and that his dagger was enough weaponry for the
two of us。 I apologized for not even having offered him a glass of linden tea。 As
I lifted the oil lamp from the floor； we both stared meaningfully at the cushion
upon which I’d flattened him。 I approached him with the lamp in my hand
and told him how the ever…so…faint cut on his throat would be a mark of our
friendship。 He bled only slightly。
The motion made by the Erzurumis and those pursuing them could
still be heard on the streets； but no one noticed us。 We were quick to arrive at
Olive’s house。 We knocked on the courtyard door； the door of the house； and
impatiently upon the shutters。 Nobody was home； we made so much noise
that we were certain he wasn’t sleeping。 Black gave voice to what we both were
thinking： “Shall we go inside？”
I twisted the metal loop of the door lock using the blunt edge of Black’s
dagger； then inserting it into the space between door and jamb and levering it
with all our weight； we broke the lock。 We were met by the stench of
dampness； dirt and loneliness； which had accumulated over years。 By the light
of the lamp； we noticed an unmade bed； sashes tossed randomly upon
cushions； vests； two turbans； undershirts； Nimetullah Effendi the
Nakshibendi’s Persian dictionary； a wooden turban stand； broadcloth； needle
and thread； a small copper pan full of apple peels； quite a few cushions； a
velvet bedspread； his paints； his brushes and all of his supplies。 I was on the
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verge of rifling through the writing paper； the layer upon layer of carefully
trimmed Hindustan paper； and the illuminated pages on his small desk； but I
restrained myself both because Black was more enthusiastic than I； and
because I knew full well how a master miniaturist would incur nothing but
bad luck if he went through the belongings of a less talented miniaturist。 Olive
is not as talented as is assumed； he’s merely eager。 He tries to cover up for his
lack of talent with adoration of the old masters。 The old legends； however； only
rouse an artist’s imagination； it’s the hand that does the painting。
As Black was searching meticulously through all the chests and boxes； going
as far as to check the bottoms of laundry baskets； without touching anything I
glanced at Olive’s Bursa towels； his ebony b； his dirty bath hand towel； his
rosewater bottles； a ridiculous waist cloth with an Indian block…print pattern；
quilted jackets； a heavy； dirty women’s robe with a slit； a dented copper tray；
filthy carpets and other furnishings too cheap and slovenly for the money he
earned。 Olive was either very stingy and salting his money away or he was
squandering it somehow…
“The house of a murderer； precisely；” I said later。 “There isn’t even a prayer
rug。” But this wasn’t what I was thinking。 I concentrated。 “These are the
belongings of a man who doesn’t know how to be happy…” I said。 Yet； in a
corner of my mind； I thought sadly about how misery and proximity to the
Devil nursed painting。
“Despite knowing what it takes to be content； a man might