This page has been validated.

41

faithful to God, goes to paradise. But he who does not serve God and His prophet does not go there. Perhaps He is now looking at this foam. In these silver spots on the water He may be, perhaps. Who can know?”

The dark widely-spread sea shines; somewhere appear on it carelessly-thrown gleams of the moon. She shows herself from behind nappy-looking summits of mountains, and reflects her brightness on the sea, which softly sighs to her.

“Rahim, tell me a tale,” I ask the old man.

“Why?” asks Rahim, without looking at me.

“Well—well, I like to listen to your tales.”

“I have already told you all; I don’t know any more.”

That means that I must ask him again; then I repeat my request.