said to the boy。 I went inside and returned with two incredibly shiny
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counterfeit Veian gold pieces； which I proceeded to give to the boy： He was
afraid； his eyes widened。 “You’re as brave as a lion；” I said。
I removed one of the notebooks of forms that I kept hidden from the eyes
of the world。 This is where I secretly made copies of the most beautiful
illustrations that I’d seen over the years。 Not to mention the copies that the
chief of the dwarfs； Jafer； in the treasury would make of the best trees；
dragons； birds； hunters and warriors from the pages of volumes locked away；
that is； if you gave him ten gold pieces； the rogue。 My notebook is excellent；
not for those who want to see the actual world in which they live through
pictures and decoration； but for those who want to recall the fables of old。
Flipping through the pages while showing the images to the pageboy； I
selected the best of the horses。 I briskly poked holes over the lines of that
picture with a needle。 Next； I placed a clean sheet of paper under the stencil。 I
gradually sprinkled a liberal amount of coal dust on top； then shook it so the
dust would pass through the holes。 I lifted the stencil。 The coal dust； dot by
dot； had transferred the beautiful horse’s entire shape to the sheet below。 It
was a pleasure to behold。
I grabbed my pen。 With an inspiration that suddenly welled up within me； I
elegantly connected the dots with quick and decisive strokes； such that as I was
drawing the horse’s belly； graceful neck； nose and rump； I lovingly felt the