zi the benevolent. For
myself, I pretend nothing, aspire to nothing but to know all that may be
known, to live a life of ease, at peace with all men, and to help the
needy or unfortunate where I may. More than one stranger has not been
sorry for meeting Amzi the benevolent, in Mecca. Have you friends
there?"

"None," said Yusuf. "Yet there is a tradition among our people that the
Guebres at one time had temples even in the land of Arabia. Have you
heard aught of it?"

"It is said that at one time fire-temples were scattered throughout this
land, each being dedicated to the worship of a planet; that at Medina[2]
itself was one dedicated to the worship of the moon and containing an
image of it. It is also claimed that the fire-worshipers held Mecca, and
there worshiped Saturn and the moon, from whence comes their name of the
place--Mahgah, or moon's place. The Guebres also hold here that the
Black Stone is an emblem of Saturn, left in the Caaba by the Persian
Mahabad and his successors long ago. But, friend, Persian influence has
long since ceased in El Hejaz. Methinks you will find but few traces of
your country-people's glory there."

"It matters not," returned the priest. "The glory of the fire-worshipers
has, so far as Yusuf is concerned, passed away. Know you not that before
his eyes the sacred fire,[3] kept alive for well-nigh one thousand
years, went out in the supreme temple ere he left it? May the great
Omniscient Spirit grant that Persia's idolatries will die out in its
ashes!"

"And think you that there is no idolatry in Mecca? Friend, believe me,
not a house in Arabian Mecca which does not contain its idol! Not a man
of influence who will start on an expedition without beseeching his
family gods for blessing!"

"And do they not recognize a God over all?"

"They acknowledge Allah as the highest, the universal power,--yet he is
virtually but a nominal deity, for they deem that none can enter into
special relationship with him save through the mediation of the
household gods. In his name the holiest oaths are sworn, nevertheless in
true worship he has the last place. Indeed, it must be confessed that
neither fear of Allah nor reverence of the gods has much influence over
the mass of our people."

"What, then, is the meaning of this great pilgrimage, whose fame reached
me even in Persia? Does not religious enthusiasm lead those poor
wretches, hobbling along behind, to take such a journey?"

Amzi nodded