“God. We only believe in one. How many do you believe in?”
“We only believe in one, although some of our people believe in many, a thing that brings strife sometimes. My father says part of the Shamans’ enmity comes from this, since they believe in many very evil gods.”
This was a bit of a surprise. I had hardly expected to find monotheists in this country. It was fairly clear that these people were some old prehistoric survival of the original white races, and could hardly have received Mohammedanism. Anyway, Aryenis’s independence showed clearly that the tents of Islam had not reached her country when they had swamped the greater part of Central Asia.
“But, Harilek, you say you only believe in one. How is He called?” She seemed very interested.
“Just God. But if you can understand, we also believe that He had a son Christ, who came into the world in the guise of a man—”
“But,” she said excitedly, “then you are Christians even as we are!”
I could hardly believe my ears. It is true that there are scattered Nestorian Christians in Chinese Turkestan, but how on earth could these isolated people be Christians! I turned round to Aryenis in bewilderment.
“You seem surprised.”
“So are you, Aryenis.”
“Well, it is rather wonderful. I think—with you, Harilek—that all this must be meant.”