o　bee　again　the　Sultan’s　only　favorite；　he

would　gladly　surrender　any　one　of　his　master　miniaturists；　and　me　as　well；　to

the torturers of the mander of the Imperial Guard。 I furiously began to

think　of　freeing　myself　from　the　love　that　bound　me　to　him　over　the　last　two

days。

363

Much later； I was still pletely confused。 I stared randomly at the

illuminated　pages　of　the　volumes　I　extracted　from　chests　solely　to　appease　the

demons　that　had　risen　within　me　and　to　distract　my　jinns　of　indecision。

How　many　men　and　women　had　fingers　in　their　mouths！　This　was　used　as

a gesture of surprise in all the workshops from Samarkand to Baghdad over

the last two hundred years。 As the hero Keyhüsrev； cornered by his enemies；

safely　crossed　the　rushing　Oxus　River　aided　by　his　black　charger　and　Allah；　the

wretched　raftsman　and　his　oarsman；　who　refused　to　offer　him　safe　passage　on

their raft each had a finger in his mouth。 An astonished Hüsrev’s finger

remained　in　his　mouth　as　he　saw　for　the　first　time　the　beauty　of　Shirin；　whose

skin was like moonlight as she bathed in the once glimmering lake whose

silver leaf had tarnished。 I spent even more time carefully examining the

gorgeous women of the harem who； with fingers in their mouths； stood

behind　half…opened　palace　doors；　a