波波小说

第58部分（第1页）

lodger；　　with　　whom　　I　　was　　forced　　to　　share　　a　　caravansary　　cell；　　were　　going　　to

recount　a　heart…warming　story。

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The　Head　Treasurer　diffidently　said；　“Our　Sultan；　one　year　prior；　charged　me

with　　having　　an　　illuminated　　manuscript　　prepared　　under　　conditions　　of　　the

utmost　privacy；　a　manuscript　that　would　be　included　among　the　gifts　meant

for　　an　　ambassadorial　　delegation。　　In　　light　　of　　the　　secrecy　　of　　the　　book；　　His

Excellency　　did　　not　　deem　　it　　appropriate　　that　　Master　　Lokman　　the　　Royal

Historian　be　enlisted　to　write　the　manuscript。　Similarly；　He　did　not　venture　to

involve　　you；　　ires。　　Indeed；　　He　　supposed　　that　　you

were　already　fully　engaged　with　the　Book　of　Festivities。”

Upon　　entering　　this　　room　　I　　had　　abruptly　　assumed　　that　　some　　wretch　　had

slandered　　me；　　claiming　　that　　I　　was　　mitting　　heresy　　in　　such…and…such　　an

illustration　and　that　I’d　lampooned　the　Sovereign　in　another；　I　imagined　with

horror　that　this　tattler　had　been　able　to　convince　the　Sovereign　of　my　guilt　and

that　I　was　about　to　be　laid　out　for　torture　with　no　consideration　for　my　age。

And　so　to　hear　that　the　Head　Treasurer　was　simply　trying　to　make　amends　for

Our　　Sultan’s　　having　　missioned　　a　　manuscript　　from　　an　　outsider—these

words　　were　　sweeter　　than　　honey　　indeed。　　Without　　learning　　anything　　new；　　I

listened　　to　　an　　account　　of　　the　　manuscript；　　about　　which　　I　　was　　already　　well

aware。　I　was　privy　to　the　rumors　about　Nusret　Hoja　of　Erzurum；　and　naturally；

to　the　intrigues　within　the　workshop。

“Who　is　responsible　for　preparing　the　manuscript？”　I　asked。

“Enishte　Effendi；　as　you　know；”　said　the　Head　Treasurer。　Fixing　his　gaze　into

my　eyes；　he　added；　“You　were　aware　that　he　died　an　untimely　death；　that　is　to

say；　that　he　was　murdered；　weren’t　you？”

“Nay；”　I　said　simply；　like　a　child；　and　fell　quiet。

“Our　Sultan　is　quite　furious；”　the　Head　Treasurer　said。

That　Enishte　Effendi　was　a　dunce。　The　master　miniaturists　always　mocked

him　　for　　being　　more　　pretentious　　than　　knowledgeable；　　more　　ambitious　　than

intelligent。　I　knew　something　was　rotten　at　the　funeral　anyway。　How　was　he

killed；　I　wondered？

The　Head　Treasurer　explained　exactly　how。　Appalling。　Dear　God　protect　us。

Yet　who　could　be　responsible？

“The　　Sultan　　has　　decreed；”　　said　　the　　Head　　Treasurer；　　“that　　the　　book　　in

question　should　be　finished　as　soon　as　possible；　as　with　the　Book　of　Festivities

manuscript…”

“He　has　also　made　a　second　decree；”　said　the　mander　of　the　Imperial

Guard。　　“If；　　indeed；　　this　　unspeakable　　murderer　　is　　one　　of　　the　　miniaturists；　　He

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