sun. The last pavement was of gray granite polished mirror-like by the
friction of millions of bare feet; and upon it, like the pedestal of a
monument upon a plinth, rested the base of the Holy House, a structure
of glassy white marble about two feet in height, with a bench of sharp
inclination from the top. At intervals it was studded with massive brass
rings. Upon the base the Kaaba rose, an oblong cube forty feet tall,
eighteen paces lengthwise, and fourteen in breadth, shrouded all in
black silk wholly unrelieved, except by one broad band of the appearance
of gold, and inscriptions from the Koran, of a like appearance, wrought
in boldest lettering. The freshness of the great gloomy curtain told how
quickly the gift of the Sultan had been made available, and that
whatever else might betide him, the young Emir was already happily
discharged of his trust.

Of the details, the only one the Jew actually coupled with a thought was
the Kaaba. A hundred millions of human beings pray five times every day,
their faces turned to this funereal object! The idea, though commonplace,
called up that other always in waiting with him. In a space too brief for
the formulation of words, he felt the Arbitership of his dreams blow
away. The work of the founder of Islam was too well done and now too far
gone to be disturbed, except with the sanction of God. Had he the
sanction? A writhing of the soul, accompanied with a glare, like
lightning, and followed, like lightning, by an engulfing darkness, wrung
his features, and instinctively he covered them with his hands. The guide
saw the action, and misjudged it.

"Let us not be in haste," he said. "Others before you have found the
House at first sight blinding. Blessed be Allah!"

The commiseration affected the Prince strangely. The darkness, under