"It is well for you!" said the stranger in deep slow accents. "You seek the true God."
Pentaur looked steadily into the face of the bearded man before him.
"I know you now," he said. "You are Mesu.—[Moses]—I was but a boy when you left the temple of Seti, but your features are stamped on my soul. Ameni initiated me, as well as you, into the knowledge of the One God."
"He knows Him not," answered the other, looking thoughtfully to the eastern horizon, which every moment grew brighter.
The heavens glowed with purple, and the granite peaks, each sheathed in a film of ice, sparkled and shone like dark diamonds that had been dipped in light.
The day-star rose, and Pentaur turned to it, and prostrated himself as his custom was. When he rose, Mesu also was kneeling on the earth, but his back was turned to the sun.
When he had ended his prayer, Pentaur said, "Why do you turn your back on the manifestation of the Sun-god? We were taught to look towards him when he approaches."
"Because I," said his grave companion, "pray to another God than yours. The sun and stars are but as toys in his hand, the earth is his foot- stool, the storm is his breath, and the sea is in his sight as the drops on the grass."
"Teach me to know the Mighty One whom you worship!" exclaimed Pentaur.
"Seek him," said Mesu, "and you will find him; for you have passed through misery and suffering, and on this spot on such a morning as this was He revealed to me."