小说园

第96部分（第1页）

turning　my　head　to　the　right　and　to　the　left。

Black　told　me　not　to　hide　anything。　Where　was　the　last　picture？　Confess！

I　felt　suffocating　regret　and　anger　for　two　reasons：　First；　I’d　said　everything　I

had　　for　　naught；　　unaware　　that　　they’d　　e　　to　　an　　agreement　　beforehand；

secondly；　　I　　hadn’t　　fled；　　unable　　to　　imagine　　that　　their　　envy　　would　　reach　　this

level。

Black　threatened　to　cut　my　throat　if　I　didn’t　produce　the　last　picture。

How　very　ridiculous。　I　firmly　closed　my　lips；　as　if　the　truth　would　escape　if　I

opened　my　mouth。　Part　of　me　also　thought　that　there　was　nothing　left　for　me

to　do。　If　they　came　to　an　agreement　among　themselves　and　turned　me　over　to

the　Head　Treasurer　as　the　murderer；　they’d　end　up　saving　their　own　hides。　My

only　hope　lay　with　Master　Osman；　who　might　point　out　another　suspect　or

another　　clue；　　but　　then；　　could　　I　　be　　certain　　what　　Black　　said　　about　　him　　was

correct？　　He　　could　　kill　　me　　here　　and　　now；　　and　　later　　place　　the　　onus　　on　　me；

couldn’t　he？

They　rested　the　dagger　against　my　throat；　and　I　saw　at　once　how　this　gave

Black　a　pleasure　that　he　could　not　conceal。　They　slapped　me。　Was　the　dagger

cutting　my　skin？　They　slapped　me　again。

I　was　able　to　work　through　the　following　logic：　If　I　held　my　peace；　nothing

would　happen！　This　gave　me　strength。　They　could　no　longer　hide　the　fact　that

since　the　days　of　our　apprenticeships　they’d　been　jealous　of　me；　I；　who　quite

evidently　applied　paint　in　the　best　manner；　drew　the　steadiest　line　and　made

the　best　illuminations。　I　loved　them　for　their　extreme　envy。　I　smiled　upon　my

beloved　brethren。

One　of　them；　I　don’t　want　you　to　know　which　of　them　was　responsible　for

this　disgrace；　passionately　kissed　me　as　if　he　were　kissing　the　beloved　he’d　long

desired。　The　others　watched　by　the　light　of　the　oil　lamp　that　they　brought　near

to　us。　I　could　not　but　respond　in　kind　to　this　kiss　from　my　beloved　brother。　If

we’re　　nearing　　the　　end　　of　　everything；　　let　　it　　be　　known　　that　　I　　do　　the　　best

illuminating。　Find　my　pages　and　see　for　yourselves。

He　　began　　to　　beat　　me　　angrily；　　as　　if　　I’d　　enraged　　him　　by　　answering　　his　　kiss

with　　a　　kiss。　　But　　the　　others　　restrained　　him。　　They　　experienced　　a　　moment　　of

indecision。　Black　was　upset　that　there　was　a　scuffle　among　them。　It　was　as　if

they　weren’t　angry　with　me；　but　with　the　direction　in　which　their　lives　were

420

headed；　and　as　a　result；　they　wanted　to　　take　　their　　revenge　　against　　the　　entire

world。

Black　removed　an　object　from　his　sash：　a　needle　with　a　sharpened　point。　In

an　instant；　he　brought　it　to　my　face　and　made　a　gesture　as　if　to　plunge　it　into

my　eyes。