'
Her Majesty ceased, and looked at Keferinis, who bowed profound
approbation. Tancred and Fakre-deen, also exchanged glances, but the
Emir waved his hand, signifying his wish that Tancred should reply,
who, after a moment's hesitation, with an air of great deference, thus
ventured to express himself:
'It seems to me and to my friend, the Prince of the Lebanon, that we
have listened to the words of wisdom. They are in every respect just.
We know not, ourselves, Darkush, but he was rightly informed when he
apprised your Majesty that it was not upon ordinary topics, either
political or commercial, that we desired to visit Gindarics. Nor was it
out of such curiosity as animates travellers. For we are not travellers,
but men who have a purpose which we wish to execute. The world, that,
since its creation, has owned the spiritual supremacy of Asia, which
is but natural, since Asia is the only portion of the world which the
Creator of that world has deigned to visit, and in which he has ever
conferred with man, is unhappily losing its faith in those ideas and
convictions that hitherto have governed the human race. We think,
therefore, the time has arrived when Asia should make one of its
periodical and appointed efforts to reassert that supremacy.
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