"He will take thy place in the eyes of those who are spying thee," said the priestess, smiling.
The man who was disguised as Phut put a garland of roses on his head, and in company with the priestess went to the first story, where the sound of flutes and the clatter of goblets were heard soon after. Meanwhile two inferior priests conducted Phut to a bath in the garden. After the bath they curled his hair and put white robes on him.
From the bath all three went out again among the trees, passed a number of gardens, and found themselves in an empty space finally.
"There," said one of the priests, "are the ancient tombs; on that side is the city, and here the temple. Go whithersoever Thou wishest. May wisdom point out the road to thee, and sacred words guard thee from perils."
The two priests went back to the garden, and Phut was in solitude. The moonless night was rather clear. From afar, covered with mist, glittered the Nile; higher up gleamed the seven stars of the Great Bear. Over the head of the stranger was Orion, and above the dark pylons flamed the star Sirius.
"The stars shine in our land more brightly," thought Phut.
He began to whisper prayers in an unknown tongue, and turned toward the temple.
When he had gone a number of steps, from one of the gardens a man pushed out and followed him. But almost at that very moment such a thick fog fell on the place that it was quite impossible to see aught save the roofs of the temple.
After a certain time the man of Harran came to a high wall. He looked up at the sky and began to go westward. From moment to moment night birds and great bats flew above him.
The mist had become so dense that he was forced to touch the wall so as not to lose it. The journey had lasted rather long when all at once Phut found himself before a low door with a multitude of bronze nail heads. He fell to counting these from the left side on the top; at the same time he pressed some of them powerfully, others he turned.