und for a large new book that the most gifted illustrators of Tabriz and

Kazvin　quit　what　they　were　doing　and　flocked　to　his　palace。

As　he　told　me　all　of　this；　he　pleasantly　interjected　other　stories　as　well；　for

example；　he　described　with　a　smile　the　entertaining　story　of　a　Mehdi　forgery

or the frenzy that erupted among the Uzbeks when the idiot prince sent to

them　by　the　Safavids　as　a　hostage　to　peace　fell　feverishly　ill　and　dropped　dead

within　three　days。　Even　so；　I　could　tell　from　the　shadow　that　fell　across　his　face

that　the　dilemma　to　which　neither　of　us　referred；　but　which　troubled　us　both；

had　yet　to　be　resolved。

Naturally；　Black；　like　every　young　man　who　frequented　our　house　or　heard

what　others　had　to　say　about　us；　or　who　knew　about　my　beautiful　daughter；

Shekure；　from　hearsay；　had　fallen　in　love　with　her。　Perhaps　I　didn’t　consider　it

26

dangerous enough to warrant my attention back then； but everyone—

including　many　who’d　never　laid　eyes　on　her—fell　in　love　with　my　daughter；

that　belle　of　belles。　Black’s　affliction　was　the　overwhelming　passion　of　an　ill…

fated　youth　who　had　free　access　to　our　house；　who　was　accepted　and　well　liked

in　our　home　and　who　had　the　opportunity　actually　to　see　Shekure。　He　did　not

bury his love； as I hoped he would； but made the mistake of revealing his

extreme