conversation　with　the　dungeon　guard　about　this　and　that；　the　beauties　of　life；

the　ducks　afloat　on　the　pond；　or　the　strangeness　of　a　cloud　in　the　sky；　but　alas

he　disappointed　me；　proving　a　rather　morose；　pimply；　tight…lipped　youth。　As　I

passed the Hagia Sophia； noticing with awe the slender cypresses delicately

stretching　into　the　hazy　sky；　it　wasn’t　the　horror　of　dying　right　after　marrying

Shekure after all these years that made my hair stand on end。 It was the

injustice　of　dying　at　the　hands　of　the　palace　torturers　without　having　shared

one　good　session　of　lovemaking　with　her。

We didn’t walk toward the terrifying spires of the Middle Gate； beyond

which　the　torturers　and　the　quick…handed　executioners　saw　to　their　work；　but

toward the carpentry shops。 As we headed between the granaries； a cat

cleaning　itself　in　the　mud　between　the　legs　of　a　chestnut　horse　with　steaming

nostrils turned but didn’t look at us： The cat was preoccupied with its own

filth；　much　as　we　were。

Behind the granaries； two figures； whose rank and affiliation I couldn’t

determine from their green and purple uniforms； relieved the pageboy； and

locked　me　into　the　dark　room　of　a　small　house；　which　I　could　tell　was　new　by

the　smell　of　fresh　lumber。　I　knew　locking　a　man　up　in　a　dark　room　was　meant

to arous