"A Professor of Positivism who is himself never positive!"--
observed Theos with a slight smile.

"Ah pardon!" returned the other gravely--"On the contrary, I am
always positive! ... of the UNpositiveness of Positivism!"

And with this final vindication of his theories he made another
stately obeisance and went his way. Theos looked after his tall,
retreating figure half in sadness, half in scorn. This proudly
incompetent, learned-ignorant Mira-Khabur was no uncommon
character--surely there were many like him!

Somewhere in the world,--somewhere in far lands of which the
memory was now as indistinct as the outline of receding shores
blurred by a falling mist, Theos seemed painfully to call to mind
certain cold-blooded casuists he had known, who had attempted to
explain away the mysteries of life and death by rule and line
calculations, and who for no other reason than their
mathematically argued denial of God's existence had gained for
themselves a temporary, spurious celebrity. Yes! ... surely he had
met such men, . . but WHERE? Realizing, with a sort of shock, that
he was quite as much in the dark as ever with regard to any real
cognizance of his former place of abode and the manner of life he
must have led before he entered this bewildering city of Al-Kyris,
he roused himself abruptly, and resolutely banishing the heavy
thoughts that threatened to oppress his soul, he began without
further delay to direct his steps towards Sah-luma's palace.

He glanced once more at the river before leaving the embankment,--