inner he is introduced to his "poor dear Misfortune" by his Syrian
friend. But being with Ahmed Bey he can not remain this evening. On
the following day, however, he is invited to lunch; and on the terrace
facing the sea, they pass the afternoon discussing various subjects.
Mrs. Gotfry is surprised how a Syrian of Khalid's mind can not see the
beauties of Babism, or Buhaism, as it is now called, and the lofty
spirituality of the Bab. But she forgives him his lack of faith, gives
him her card, and invites him to her home, if he ever returns to the
United States.

Now, maugre the fact that, in a postscript to this Letter, Khalid
closes with these words, "And what have I to do with priests and
priestesses?" we can not but harbour a suspicion that his "Union and
Progress" tour is bound to have more than a political significance. By
ill or good hap those words are beginning to assume a double meaning;
and maugre all efforts to the contrary, the days must soon unfold the
twofold tendency and result of the "Union and Progress" ideas of
Khalid.

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[1] In some parts of Syria, as in Arabia, almost every ill and
affection is attributed to the rheums, or called so. Rheumatism,
for instance, is explained by the Arab quack as a defluxion of
rheums, failing to discharge through the upper orifices, progress
downward, and settling in the muscles and joints, produce the
affection. And might there not be more truth in that than the
diagnosis of him who is a Membre de la Faculte de Medicine de
France?--EDITOR.

CHAPTER VI

REVOLUTIONS WITHIN AND WITHOUT

"Even Carlyle can be longwinded and short-sighted on occasions. 'Once
in destroying the False,' says he, 'there was a certain inspiration.'
And always there is, to be sure, my Master. For the world is not
Europe, and the final decision on Who Is and What Is To Rule, was not
delivered by the French Revolution. The Orient, the land of
origination and prophecy, must yet solve for itself this eternal
problem of the Old and New, the False and True. And whether by
Revolutions, Speculations, or Constitutions, ancient Revelation will
be purged and restored to its original pristine purity: the
superannuated lumber that accumulated around it during centuries of
apathy, fatalism, and sloth, must go: the dust and mould and cobwebs
of the Temple will be swept away. Indeed, 'a war must be eternally
waged on evils eternally renewed.' The genius of