“What it really signified,” was the answer, “I cannot exactly say; but there is no doubt but that the light and singing were in connection with the new teaching that Akbar is trying to introduce in the place of that of Islam, and into which he initiates his confidants—a kind of fire and sun worship, which in an evil hour he has taken from the ancient Parsees, and also from the unbelievers here. May Allah have mercy on them!”
“What kind of religion is it?” asked Ali. “Though I have heard of it more than once, yet I do not exactly know what it is.”
“Nor do I very exactly,” replied Yusuf; “but that it is very bad is proved by the opposition it meets with from all the faithful, especially from a man like Abdul Kadir, who is very learned and much esteemed by Akbar himself. From personal experience I have lately become acquainted with things still more disquieting than those of which I have already told you. Not long since I saw a man steal from the palace secretly, and as if afraid lest anyone should see him; a man whom you must know, but whom you cannot meet without a cold shudder of horror—Gorakh, the so-called Yogi. Now,” continued he, sinking the whisper in which he spoke to a still lower tone, “do you know for what I hold that man? If not Shaitan himself, he is certainly his assistant; and with him Akbar has made a compact.”
Yusuf was silent, regarding his comrade with horror. “Protect us, Allah!” he suddenly cried, pointing to a figure approaching by the river-side; “there he is in person! May the waters of the Jamuna swallow him up!”
And, in truth, there was the Durga priest, approaching a group of Hindus and Persians engaged in lively conversation.
“What I say,” said one of these last, “is that we ought not, and we cannot, bear longer the scorn and ridicule which is openly and continually shown to our holy religion by Faizi and Abú-l Fazl, not to mention a still higher name; and I cannot understand how you people—although yours may be a different religion—how you can calmly look on at the destruction and overthrow of what you, as well as we, must hold sacred.”
“But to that we have not yet come,” said the Hindu. “It is well known that the Emperor and his followers do not think much of your Koran, and perhaps as much might be said of your religion. But so far I have heard nothing of destruction and overthrow; our temples are untouched, and no one interferes with our religious practices; while you Muhammadans in old days did nothing but torment and persecute us.
“As you well deserved, you sons of——”
“Come, men, no disputes,” said a Persian soldier, interrupting them; “quarrels will not aid us.” And he gave a sign to the angry Muhammadan.
“Let it be so,” he answered, turning his back on the Hindu, and, accompanied by two friends, passed on his way.