“The attendant in low but angry whispers bade me prostrate myself, which I was not slow in doing; and in that posture I waited for a space of time so tedious that it seemed to me the greater part of one hour. But during all that time I dared not move; for though I had never visited this particular shrine, I had heard tales of what had happened to those who underrate the Unseen Powers. I was relieved at last by a distinct and hollow voice bidding me in measured tones to rise. I arose, and found that we were alone. The attendants had been dismissed by a gesture while my face was yet buried on the ground, and though I have no doubt that they were within earshot, I suffered the added awe of loneliness.
“The Holy One still maintained for a moment his impassive attitude of prayer, then slowly pivoted round on his knees, turned his luminous eyes upon me, and sternly asked me what profit I had made by my infamous trade during the last few days. I felt that all was known to him. I did not (I thank Heaven for its mercies!) attempt to deceive him and thus jeopardize my life and reason. I told him the full tale and awaited his sentence.
“There was a long pause, during which what little was left of my courage ebbed away. I felt prepared to hear some short sentence of doom and resigned myself to my fate. But I had happily miscalculated the serene wisdom which accompanies holiness.
“The Saint spoke next in a more benevolent and softer voice, bade me be seated cross-legged before him, and adopting the same attitude pronounced the following remarkable words:
“‘The Just, the Merciful (Whose name be exalted!), has given to different men different aptitudes. The fool attempts that of which he is incapable. The wise man recognizes his limitations.’
“In the silence that followed I turned these weighty phrases over in my mind and recognized excerpts from the Proverbs of Mar-Hakim, whose wisdom has been collected by the Persians, and has been famous since the times of the second Omar.
“After a short interval the voice continued:
“‘In mutual appreciation and in mutual benefits each acquires profit. The short-sighted forfeit advantage by too much grasping.’
“These words, which were chanted rather than said, I recognized to be from a totally different collection of popular sayings, formerly current in Arabia, and reduced to writing in the first century of Hegira by the learned of Rasht. It was clear that I was in the presence of a man unusually well-informed, and my conviction was confirmed when after yet another solemn pause the voice continued as though in conclusion: