he blue overhead turned into violet, and the green
leaves into black, until the great serene stars shone out once more
between the crowns of the palm-trees.

"As to the learning of which you speak, my lamb," said the Moolah,
in answer to some argument of Fardet's, "I have myself studied at the
University of El Azhar at Cairo, and I know that to which you allude.
But the learning of the faithful is not as the learning of the
unbeliever, and it is not fitting that we pry too deeply into the ways
of Allah. Some stars have tails, O my sweet lamb, and some have not; but
what does it profit us to know which are which? For God made them all,
and they are very safe in His hands. Therefore, my friend, be not puffed
up by the foolish learning of the West, and understand that there is
only one wisdom, which consists in following the will of Allah as His
chosen prophet has laid it down for us in this book. And now, my lambs,
I see that you are ready to come into Islam, and it is time, for that
bugle tells that we are about to march, and it was the order of the
excellent Emir Abderrahman that your choice should be taken, one way or
the other, before ever we left the wells."

"Yet, my father, there are other points upon which I would gladly have
instruction," said the Frenchman, "for, indeed, it is a pleasure to hear
your clear words after the cloudy accounts which we have had from other
teachers."

But the Moolah had risen, and a gleam of suspicion twinkled in his
single eye.

"This further instruction may well come afterwards," said he, "since we
shall travel together as far as Khartoum, and it will be a joy to me to
see you grow in wisdom and in virtue as we go." He walked over to the
fire, and stooping down, with the pompous slowness of a stout man, he
returned with two half-charred sticks, which he laid crosswise upon
the ground. The Dervishes came clustering over to see the new converts
admitted into the fold. They stood round in the dim light, tall and
fantastic, with the high necks and supercilious heads of the camels
swaying above them.

"Now," said the Moolah, and his voice had lost its conciliatory and
persuasive tone, "there is no more time for you. Here upon the ground I
have made out of two sticks the foolish and superstitious symbol of your
former creed. You will trample upon it, as a sign that you renounce it,
and you will kiss the Koran, as a sign that you accept it, and what more
you need in the way of instruc