nt！” as she looked upon the paintings。 “Yet； time will
surely pass； and if he doesn’t sign his work； no one will know that he was the
one responsible for this majesty。” The Sultan responded； “If my son signs his
paintings； won’t he be unjustly taking credit for the techniques and styles of
the old masters； which he has imitated？ Moreover； if he signs his work； won’t
he be saying ”My paintings bear my imperfections‘？“ The Chinese wife； seeing
that she wouldn’t be able to convince her elderly husband on this issue of
signature； was； however； eventually successful in persuading his young son；
confined； as always； in the bookmaker’s workshop。 Humiliated at having to
conceal his love； persuaded by his pretty young stepmother’s ideas and with
the Devil’s coercion； the son signed his name in a corner of a painting；
between wall and grass； in a spot he assumed was beyond notice。 This； the first
picture he signed； was a scene from Hüsrev and Shirin。 You know the one： After
Hüsrev and Shirin are wed； Shiruye； Hüsrev’s son from his first marriage； falls
in love with Shirin。 One night； entering their bedchamber through the
window； Shiruye swiftly sinks his dagger into his father’s chest。 When the
Sultan saw his son’s depiction of this scene； he was overe with the sense
that the painting embodied some flaw； he’d seen the signature； but wasn’t
consciously aware of it； and he simply reacted to the picture with the thought；
”This painting bears a flaw。“ And since one would never expect any such thing
from the old masters； the Sultan was seized by a kind of panic； suspectin