and adventures yonder I have written down, and
any who will may read it after I am dead. But of these I have no time to
speak, nor have they anything to do with you. Whilst I dwelt in Kambaluc
as the guest of the Emperor Timur, I made study of the religion of this
mighty people, who, I was told, worshipped gods in the shape of men. I
visited a shrine called the Temple of Heaven, hoping that there I should
see such a god who was named Tien, but found in it nothing but splendid
emptiness.

"Then I asked if there was no god that I could see with my eyes,
whereon the Emperor laughed at me and said there was such a god, but
he counselled me not to visit him. I prayed him to suffer me to do so,
since I, who worshipped the only true God, feared no other. Whereon,
growing angry, he commanded some of his servants to 'take this fool to
the house of Murgh and let him see whether his God could protect him
against Murgh.' Having said this he bade me farewell, adding that though
every man must meet Murgh once, few met him twice, and therefore he did
not think that he should see me again.

"Now, in my heart I grew afraid, but none would tell me more of this
Murgh or what was likely to happen to me at his hands. Still, I would
not show any fear, and, strong in the faith of Christ, I determined to
look upon this idol, for such I expected him to be.

"That night the servants of Timur bore me out of the city in a litter,
and by the starlight I saw that we travelled toward a hill through great
graveyards, where people were burying their dead. At the foot of the
hill they set me down upon a road, and told me to walk up it, and that
at dawn I should see the House of Murgh, whereof the gates were always
open, and could enter there if I wished. I asked if they would wait for
my return, whereon they answered, smiling, that if I so desired they
would do so till evening, but that it seemed scarcely needful, since
they did not suppose that I should return.

"'Do yonder pilgrims to the House of Murgh return?' asked their captain,
pointing towards those graveyards which we had passed.

"I made no answer, but walked forward up a broad and easy road,
unchallenged of any, till I came to what, even in that dim light, I
could see was a great and frowning gateway, whereof the doors appeared
to be open. Now, at first I thought I would pass this gateway at once
and see what lay beyond. But from this I was held back by some great
fear, for which I coul