d；　pulling　harder　on　Black’s　hair；　“one　can

sense　the　difficulty　of　elegantly　drawing　two　men　who　despise　each　other　yet

whose　bodies；　like　ours；　have　bee　as　one。　It’s　as　if　the　chaos　of　treachery；

envy　and　battle　that　es　just　before　the　magical　and　magnificent　moment

of　beheading　has　too　fully　permeated　those　pictures。　Even　the　greatest　masters

of　Kazvin　would　have　difficulty　drawing　two　men　on　top　of　each　other；　they’d

confuse　everything。　Whereas　you　and　I；　see　for　yourself；　we’re　much　more　tidy

and　elegant。”

“The　blade　is　cutting；”　he　whimpered。

“I’m　much　obliged　for　your　polite　words；　my　dear　man；　but　it’s　doing　no

such　thing。　I’m　being　quite　careful。　I　wouldn’t　do　anything　to　ruin　the　beauty

of　our　pose。　In　the　scenes　of　love；　death　and　war；　wherein　the　great　masters　of

old rendered intertwined bodies as if they were one； they were able to elicit

only　our　tears。　See　for　yourself：　My　head　rests　upon　the　nape　of　your　neck　as　if

it　were　a　part　of　your　body。　I　can　smell　your　hair　and　the　scent　of　your　neck。

My　legs；　on　either　side　of　yours；　are　stretched　out　in　such　harmony　with　yours；

that an onlooker might mistake us for an elegant four…legged beast。 Do you

feel the balance of my weight on your back and buttocks？” Another silence；

but I didn’t press the sword upward； because it would indeed have cut