etual dream of God's and that, in consequence, God may change
this dream at will? Are you a Christian if you deny the power of the
All-powerful?"

"I am a Christian," replied the clergyman with a trace of
embarrassment; "but for a long time we have been obliged to admit, we
pastors of the civilized Church of the Occident, that God would not be
able, without belying himself, to change the order of things which he
established when he created the universe. We consider that faith in
miracles is a superstition which we must leave to the monks of the
Churches of Rome and of Russia, and also to your Mussulmans who live in
ignorance of the truth. And it is in order to teach you this truth that
I have come here to your country, and at the same time to fight against
the pernicious political influence exerted by these same Romish and
Greek monks of whom I have just been speaking."

"By invoking the name of Allah," responded Mohammed with intense
solemnity, "and by virtue of the collar-bone of the mighty Solomon, I
can perform great miracles. You see this turtle before us? I shall
cause it to grow each day the breadth of a finger!"

In saying these words he made a sudden movement of his foot toward
Zobeide, and Zobeide promptly drew her head into her shell.

"You claim to be able to work a miracle like that!" said the clergyman
scornfully. "You, Mohammed, a man immersed in sin, a Mussulman whom I
have seen drunk!"

"I was drunk," replied Mohammed calmly, "but not as drunk as others."

"So you think yourself able to force the power of Allah!" pursued Mr.
Feathercock, disdaining the interruption.

"I could do it without a moment's difficulty," said Mohammed.

Taking Zobeide in his hand he lifted her to the table. The frightened
turtle had again drawn in her head. Nothing could be seen but the
black-encircled golden squares of her shell against a background of
juicy melon pulp. Mohammed chanted:

"_Thou thyself art a miracle, O turtle! For thy head is the head of a
serpent, thy tail the tail of a water rat, thy bones are bird's bones
and thy covering is of stone; and yet thou knowest love as it is known
by men. And from thy eggs, O turtle of stone, other turtles come
forth_.

"_Thou thyself art a miracle, O turtle! For one would say that thou
wert a shell, naught but a shell, and behold! thou art a beast that
eats. Eat of this melon, O turtle, and grow this night the length of my
nail, if Allah permit!_

"_And when thou