gle　motion　as　the

old　masters　would　do　to　accustom　the　hand。

Master Osman； who read Shekure’s note without ment； voiced a

question：　“Who　drew　this？”　He　then　answered　himself；　“Of　course；　the　same

miniaturist　who　drew　the　late　Enishte’s　horse。”

Could　he　be　so　certain？　Moreover；　we　weren’t　at　all　sure　who’d　drawn　the

horse for the book。 We removed the horse from among the nine pages and

began　to　examine　it。

It　was　a　handsome；　simple；　chestnut　horse　that　you　couldn’t　take　your　eyes

off　of。　Was　I　being　truthful　when　I　said　this？　I　had　plenty　of　time　to　look　at

this horse with my Enishte； and later； when I was left alone with these

illustrations；　but　I　hadn’t　given　it　much　thought　then。　It　was　a　beautiful；　but

ordinary horse： It was so ordinary that we weren’t even able to determine

who’d　drawn　it。　It　wasn’t　a　true　chestnut；　but　more　bay…colored；　there　was　a

faint hint of red in its coat as well。 It was a horse that I’d seen so often in

other books and other illustrations that I knew it’d been drawn by rote

without　the　miniaturist’s　stopping　to　give　it　any　consideration　at　all。

We stared at the horse this way until we discovered it concealed a secret。

Now； however； I could see a beauty in the horse that shimmered like heat

rising　before　my　eyes　and　within　it　a　force　that　roused　a　zest　for　life；　learning

and embracing the world。 I asked myself； “Who’s the miniaturist with the

magic　touch　that　depicted　this　horse　the　way　Allah　would　see　it？”　as　if　having

forgotten suddenly that he was also nothing but a b