w；　let　me　draw　your　attention　to　something　quite　bizarre：　When　these

Veian infidels paint； it’s as if they’re not making a painting but actually

creating　the　object　they’re　painting。　When　it　es　to　money；　however；　rather

than　making　the　real　thing；　they　make　its　counterfeit。

115

We　were　loaded　into　iron　chests；　hauled　onto　ships　and　pitching　to　and　fro

traveled　from　Venice　to　Istanbul。　I　found　myself　in　a　money　changer’s　shop；　in

the garlicky mouth of its proprietor。 We waited for a while； and a simple…

minded peasant entered； hoping to exchange some gold。 The master money

changer；　who　was　a　genuine　trickster；　declared　that　he　needed　to　bite　the　gold

piece　to　see　if　it　was　counterfeit。　So　he　took　the　peasant’s　coin　and　tossed　it

into　his　mouth。

When we met inside his mouth； I realized that the peasant’s coin was a

genuine Ottoman Sultani。 He saw me within that stench of garlic and said；

“You’re nothing but a counterfeit。” He was right； but his arrogant manner

offended my pride and I lied to him： “Actually； my brother； you’re the one

who’s　counterfeit。”

Meanwhile； the peasant was proudly insisting； “How could my gold coin

possibly　be　counterfeit？　I　buried　it　in　the　ground　twenty　years　ago；　did　a　vice

like　counterfeiting　exist　back　then？”

I was wo