in the solemn procession carrying a sacred
vessel or one of the sacred emblems, doubts whether there could be
anything in common between the graven image and the god it represented
would occur to him.

He would wonder whether the god was really gratified by these
processions, whether he felt any real pleasure in the carrying about
of sacred vessels, emblems, and offerings of flowers. He was shocked
at his own doubts, and did his best to banish them from his mind. At
times it seemed to him that some heavy punishment must fall upon him
for permitting himself to reason on matters so far beyond his
comprehension, and he now rejoiced at what he before was inclined to
regret, that his father had decided against his devoting his whole
life to the service of the temple.

Sometimes he thought of speaking to his father and confessing to him
that his mind was troubled with doubts, but the thought of the horror
with which such a confession would be received deterred him from doing
so. Even to Amuba he was silent on the subject, for Amuba he thought
would not understand him. His friend believed firmly in the gods of
his own country, but accepted the fact that the Egyptian deities were
as powerful for good or evil to the Egyptians as were his own to the
Rebu. And, indeed, the fact that the Egyptians were so great and
powerful, and prevailed over other nations, was, he was inclined to
think, due to the superior power of their gods.

The majesty of the temples, the splendor of the processions, and the
devoutness with which the people worshiped their gods, alike impressed
him; and although the strangeness of the images struck him as
singular, he was ready to admit that the gods might take any shape
they pleased. Thus, then, Chebron could look for no sympathy from him,
and shrank from opening his mind to him. Nevertheless he sometimes
took Amuba with him in his visits to the temple. The doors at all
times stood open, and any could enter who chose, and had they in the
inner courts met with any of the priests, Amuba would have passed
unnoticed as being one of the attendants of the temple in company with
Chebron.

But few words were exchanged between the lads during these rambles,
for the awful grandeur of the silent temple and its weird aspect in
the moonlight affected Amuba as strongly as it did Chebron. At times
he wondered to himself whether if he ever returned home and were to
introduce the worship of these terrible gods of Egypt,