They produce them, I am told, in
houses of glass, and they force their foreign faith in the same manner;
but, though they have temples, and churches, and mosques, they confess
they have no miracles; they admit that they never produced a prophet;
they own that no God ever spoke to their people, or visited their land;
and yet this race, so peculiarly favoured by celestial communication,
aspire to be missionaries!'
'I have much misapprehended you,' said Astarte; 'I thought you were both
embarked in a great cause.'
'Ah, you learnt that from Darkush!' quickly replied Fakredeen. 'You see,
beautiful Astarte, that I have no personal acquaintance with Darkush. It
was the intendant of my companion who was his friend; and it is through
him that Darkush has learnt anything that he has communicated. The
mission, the project, was not mine; but when I found my comrade had the
means, which had hitherto evaded me, of reaching Gindarics, I threw
no obstacles in his crotchety course. On the contrary, I embraced the
opportunity even with fervour, and far from discouraging my friend from
views to which I know he is fatally, even ridiculously, wedded, I looked
forward to this expedition as the possible means of diverting his
mind from some opinions, and, I might add, some influences, which I am
persuaded can eventually entail upon him nothing but disappointment
and disgrace.
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