s body, for such is the reward of
the pious.

Was not this in keeping with the luminous appearance of Meg's vision?
Abdul had often told Michael that he himself had seen in this, the
"first world," the spirits of both evil and right doers, and that the
spirits of the evildoers were black and smoky, whereas the spirits of
the pious were luminous as a full moon.

Michael envied the completeness of their belief, even while he pitied
them. They had evolved nothing for themselves; their salvation was
merely a matter of obeying the teachings of the Koran unquestioningly.
Obedience and surrender were their watchwords. How much better were
Akhnaton's "Love and the Companionship of God"! To walk and talk with
God, how much more enjoyable, how much more edifying to man's higher
self, than the mere obeying of His laws! Even though they prayed,
these simple Moslems, five times a day, they never recognized God's
voice in the song of the birds: they did not know that it was He Who
was singing--the birds were His mediums. In the winds of the desert,
heaven's wireless messengers, they caught no messages. What the Koran
did not specify did not enter into their religion or spiritual
understanding.

Abdul approached his master. The saint was buried and the procession
of the faithful had gone to perform their various tasks; it was now
time to return to practical matters. Michael was amazed at his
cheerful expression. Abdul asked his master if it would suit him to
continue their journey the next day. Would he give instructions?

Michael assented. A little of his ardour had vanished. "Yes, Abdul,"
he said. "I suppose we must be going on our way. It is sad to leave
this camp, where we have witnessed such a wonderful example of humility
and singleness of purpose. Don't you shrink from leaving him to such
utter desolation?"

"_Aiwah_, Effendi, but you know there is joy for us all, not sadness.
The beloved ones of God do not die with their physical death, for they
have their means of sustenance with them."

"In the second world, Abdul, is your saint already tasting the joys of
paradise?"

"_Aiwah_, Effendi. Punishments and rewards are bestowed immediately
after death, and those whose proper place is hell are brought to hell,
while those who deserve paradise are brought to paradise."

"Then in the third world, what greater rewards are there than the
pleasures of paradise? Surely that is infinite happiness?"

"The mani