‘I am interested in such subjects, but I am not a specialist.’
‘Can you tell me what were the exact tenets of the worshippers of Isis?’
‘Neither I nor any man,—with scientific certainty. As you know, she had a brother; the cult of Osiris and Isis was one and the same. What, precisely, were its dogmas, or its practices, or anything about it, none, now, can tell. The Papyri, hieroglyphics, and so on, which remain are very far from being exhaustive, and our knowledge of those which do remain, is still less so.’
‘I suppose that the marvels which are told of it are purely legendary?’
‘To what marvels do you particularly refer?’
‘Weren’t supernatural powers attributed to the priests of Isis?’
‘Broadly speaking, at that time, supernatural powers were attributed to all the priests of all the creeds.’
‘I see.’ Presently he continued. ‘I presume that her cult is long since extinct,—that none of the worshippers of Isis exist to-day.’
I hesitated,—I was wondering why he had hit on such a subject; if he really had a reason, or if he was merely asking questions as a cover for something else,—you see, I knew my Paul.
‘That is not so sure.’