Fortune in this mortal race
Builds on thwackings for its base;
Thus the All-Wise doth make a flail a staff,
And separates his heavenly corn from chaff.[8]

Reward may follow on such absolute obedience (_quatrain_ 40). We
remember what is said by Fra Giovanni in the prison of
Viterbo[9]: "Endurez, souffrez, acceptez, veuillez ce que Dieu
veut, et votre volonté sera faite sur la terre comme au ciel."
And perhaps the dawn for you may be your camel's dawn (_quatrain_
41); it was usual for Arabs on the point of death to say to their
sons: "Bury my steed with me, so that when I rise from the grave
I will not have to go on foot." The camel was tied with its head
towards its hind legs, a saddle-cloth was wrapped about its neck,
and it was left beside the grave until it died. Meanwhile, if the
master is a true believer, says Mahomet, his soul has been
divided from the body by Azrael, the angel of death. Afterwards
the body is commanded to sit upright in the grave, there to be
examined by the two black angels, Monkar and Nakyr (_quatrain_
42), with regard to his faith, the unity of God and the mission
of Mahomet. If the answers be correct, the body stays in peace
and is refreshed by the air of paradise; if incorrect, these
angels beat the corpse upon his temples with iron maces, until he
roars out for anguish so loudly that he is heard by all from east
to west, except by men and jinn. Abu'l-Ala had little confidence
in these two angels; he reminds one of St. Catherine of Sienna, a
visionary with uncommon sense, who at the age of eight ran off
one afternoon to be a hermit. She was careful to provide herself
with bread and water, fearing that the angels would forget to
bring her food, and at nightfall she ran home again because she