so
much like the man of Harran was he, that Phut could not hide his
astonishment.

"He will take thy place in the eyes of those who are spying thee," said
the priestess, smiling.

The man who was disguised as Phut put a garland of roses on his head,
and in company with the priestess went to the first story, where the
sound of flutes and the clatter of goblets were heard soon after.
Meanwhile two inferior priests conducted Phut to a bath in the garden.
After the bath they curled his hair and put white robes on him.

From the bath all three went out again among the trees, passed a number
of gardens, and found themselves in an empty space finally.

"There," said one of the priests, "are the ancient tombs; on that side
is the city, and here the temple. Go whithersoever Thou wishest. May
wisdom point out the road to thee, and sacred words guard thee from
perils."

The two priests went back to the garden, and Phut was in solitude. The
moonless night was rather clear. From afar, covered with mist,
glittered the Nile; higher up gleamed the seven stars of the Great
Bear. Over the head of the stranger was Orion, and above the dark
pylons flamed the star Sirius.

"The stars shine in our land more brightly," thought Phut.

He began to whisper prayers in an unknown tongue, and turned toward the
temple.

When he had gone a number of steps, from one of the gardens a man
pushed out and followed him. But almost at that very moment such a
thick fog fell on the place that it was quite impossible to see aught
save the roofs of the temple.

After a certain time the man of Harran came to a high wall. He looked
up at the sky and began to go westward. From moment to moment night
birds and great bats flew above him.

The mist had become so dense that he was forced to touch the wall so as
not to lose it. The journey had lasted rather long when all at once
Phut found himself before a low door with a multitude of bronze nail
heads. He fell to counting these from the left side on the top; at the
same time he pressed some of them powerfully, others he turned.

When he had pressed the last nail at the bottom, the door opened. The
man of Harran advanced a few steps, and found himself in a narrow niche
where there was utter darkness.

He tried the ground carefully with his foot till he struck upon
something like the brink of a well from which issued coolness. He sat
down then and slipped fearlessly into the abyss, though he found
himse