"Curse thy father!" he exclaimed. "Wouldst thou turn from bad to worse, and rush straight to Jehennum. Thou hast studied history, so knowest that the Latins are our ancient enemies. They slew us with the Muslims when their armies took by storm the Holy Places, and enslaved the remnant of us in a cruel slavery. They have statues, rank idols, in their churches; and is it not the worst idolatry to concentrate the power which belongs of right to the whole Body of Christ, and adore it in the person of one living man? Their lips have corrupted the creed: they have no baptism, so can have no orders. Their Pope of Rome himself is nothing but an unbaptized layman. Speak of that again, and I will drive thee from my house with beatings!"
Iskender, greatly alarmed, made haste to explain that he had spoken in jest. He had caught an angry look from the girl Nesîbeh.
"Jest not upon what concerns thy soul's salvation," said the priest, letting his wrath evaporate. "Thou knowest not what harm those Latins do us, tempting souls astray. They allow proselytes to retain our beliefs, our language, and our form of service, so only that they acknowledge the supremacy of the hound of Rome, which means perdition, truly, in the next world, but foreign protection in this. It is little wonder that they have seduced many.… What hinders thee from receiving at my hands the inestimable boon of baptism?"
Iskender murmured that he still had doubts. The angry glances of the girl Nesîbeh made him shame-faced.
"Show me thy doubts that I may straight resolve them."
Iskender was muttering that he must think them out, that they were not yet quite clear in his mind, when Nesîbeh cried from the inner room:
"Hear him not, O my father! The low dog is mocking thee. Force him to be baptized, or drive him forth!"
"Silence, shameless one!" the priest cried sternly; nevertheless he took her suggestion and, turning to Iskender, whose brow was throbbing painfully, inquired: "Hast thou one good reason to desire delay?"
"Yes, O our father!" Iskender blurted out the truth at last. "I know not how my patron would regard it. On him I depend entirely for the present. I have heard him scoff at all who change the faith that they were born in. Wait a little, I beseech thee, until he is gone!"
"Is that in truth all?" replied Mîtri, fully satisfied. "The right is with thee. We must wait awhile. But Allah grant thou die not in the interval."