tination; he did not mention the
real mission of his journey.

"What seek you there, O my son?"

"The tomb of a holy man."

"An infidel or a child of Allah?"

"Of a prophet, O my father, a prophet to whom God revealed himself even
before the days of Moses, a prophet born in Egypt, who lost his distant
kingdoms to gain his own soul."

"Your heart is full of charity, O my son. In the name of the Lord, the
Compassionate, the Merciful, may the divine light surround you."

"If I acknowledge but one God, O my father, and truly love Him, I must
love all things that He has created, for without Him was not anything
made that is in heaven or on earth."

"Truly said, O my son. And praise be to Allah! you are no infidel.
You worship but the one God Who is the Lord of the worlds. The
ignorant infidels--Allah have mercy on their souls!--give the Prophet
Jesus equal glory with the God Almighty, they divide the honours which
belong to God alone."

"There are many seekers after the truth, O my father. Are there not
many roads to heaven?"

"To all who do truly seek the light, God will be revealed to them. He
will cover them with His mercy, He will join them to the companionship
on high. God's mercy extends to every sinner, He provides for even
those who deny Him."

The fanatic fell back on his pillow exhausted. Michael waited for a
moment, until his religious excitement had abated. Feebly words came
from his parched lips.

"Great is Thy Name, great is Thy Greatness. There is no God but Thee."

Michael poured a little moisture down his throat. He swallowed it
eagerly; his thirst was pathetic. After waiting for a few minutes
beside the silent figure, Michael rose to go. One of the servants must
come and look after him and watch by him during the night; he was too
ill to be left alone.

Suddenly the saint called to him. "_Hena_ (here)." He wished Michael
to bend his head nearer to his lips; his voice was weak. His splendid
eyes glowed with the fire of spiritual triumph. Michael watched him
raise his hand up to his head. It was for some reason, for it was not
without effort that he guided his first finger to his fine,
delicately-shaped ear, the concha of which was very large. There
seemed to be something hidden in it which he was endeavouring to take
out.

Michael tried to help him. Had he stowed away some relic of
exceptional value in the opening of his ear, or was it giving him pain?
The saint did not