The old man slept as peacefully as a child the following night, and when,
next morning, messengers came from Raithu to propose to Paulus that he
should leave the Holy Mountain, and go with them to become their elder
and ruler, Stephanus said, "Follow this high call with all confidence,
for you deserve it. I really no longer have need of you, for I shall get
well now without any further nursing."

But Paulus, far more disturbed than rejoiced, begged of the messengers a
delay of seven days for reflection, and after wandering restlessly from
one holy spot to another, at last went down into the oasis, there to pray
in the church.




CHAPTER VIII.

It was a delicious refreshing evening; the full moon rose calmly in the
dark blue vault of the night-sky, and poured a flood of light down on the
cool earth. But its rays did not give a strong enough light to pierce
the misty veil that hung over the giant mass of the Holy Mountain; the
city of the oasis on the contrary was fully illuminated; the broad
roadway of the high-street looked to the wanderer who descended from the
height above like a shining path of white marble, and the freshly
plastered walls of the new church gleamed as white as in the light of
day. The shadows of the houses and palm-trees lay like dark strips of
carpet across the road, which was nearly empty in spite of the evening
coolness, which usually tempted the citizens out into the air.

The voices of men and women sounded out through the open windows of the