light？”　the　Hoja　Effendi　said；　coyly　trying　to　start　an　argument；　but　as　you　can

see from this picture； the Veian was a genuine artist； and he’d focused

upon　the　work　before　him　and　the　money　it’d　bring　rather　than　heeding　the

Hoja’s　empty　prattle。

He　did　indeed　paint　us；　and　then　slid　us　into　the　leather　portfolio　on　the

back　of　his　horse’s　saddle；　and　returned　to　his　infidel　city。　Soon　afterward；　the

victorious　armies　of　the　Ottomans　conquered　and　plundered　that　city　on　the

banks of the Danube； and the two of us ended up ing back this way to

Istanbul　and　the　Royal　Treasury。　From　there；　copied　over　and　over；　we　moved

from　one　secret　book　to　another；　and　finally　arrived　at　this　joyous　coffeehouse

where　coffee　is　drunk　like　a　rejuvenating；　invigorating　elixir。　Now　then：

334

A　Brief　Treatise　on　Painting；　Death　and　Our　Place　in　the　World

The　Hoja　Effendi　from　Konya；　whom　we’ve　just　mentioned；　has　made　the

following　claim　somewhere　in　one　of　his　sermons；　which　are　written　out　and

collected　in　a　thick　tome：　Kalenderi　dervishes　are　the　unnecessary　dross　of　the

world　because　they　don’t　belong　to　any　of　the　four　categories　into　which　men

are　divided：　1。　notables；　2。　merchants；　3。　farmers　and　4。　artists；　thus；　they　are

superfluous。

Additionally；　he　said　the　following：　“These　two　always　tramp　about　as　a　pair

and　alway