I will not
seem to heed thee or return thy affection, since it would serve
but to load our parting with yet more bitterness."
Thus passed the hours of night and the space of dim hazy dawn
which forms the twilight of a Syrian morning. But when the very
first line of the sun's disk began to rise above the level
horizon, and when the very first level ray shot glimmering in dew
along the surface of the desert, which the travellers had now
attained, the sonorous voice of El Hakim himself overpowered and
cut short the narrative of the tale-teller, while he caused to
resound along the sands the solemn summons, which the muezzins
thunder at morning from the minaret of every mosque.
"To prayer--to prayer! God is the one God.--To prayer--to
prayer! Mohammed is the Prophet of God.--To prayer--to prayer!
Time is flying from you.--To prayer--to prayer! Judgment is
drawing nigh to you,"
In an instant each Moslem cast himself from his horse, turned his
face towards Mecca, and performed with sand an imitation of those
ablutions, which were elsewhere required to be made with water,
while each individual, in brief but fervent ejaculations,
recommended himself to the care, and his sins to the forgiveness,
of God and the Prophet.
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