'
"For a moment there was silence, during which the fog-like vapor
continued to come from the spigot-hole of the inverted vase. Then the
voice of the aged mystic was again heard in reply:
"'Youth--and thine ape-like companion--go hence. Through three and fifty
of these storms have I safely passed. Beneath this vase have I two
lamps, alight; oil wherewith to supply with fuel these two lamps for a
space of eight days, which hitherto has been the longest duration of any
of these periodical storms; food and water have I sufficient for my
body's wants for a week. And, too, have I mental aliment; for have I
here a manuscript written by the youthful sage, AEgyptus, who sent it to
me by the hand of Azza, long before the legend of Romulus started from
its mythic source to float adown the stream of time: a manuscript which
it delighteth my soul once in each century to peruse. Fear not for one
who knows no fear. Go hence, and quickly go--go with humiliation in thy
heart; for thou hast not yet begun to live, and yet thou presumest to
think in danger one who helped to plan and to construct what thou
callest the ancient city of Babylon. Youth, when thou didst disturb me,
I was reading from my friend, who writes from a village called Sakkarah,
of how a foolish Pharaoh thinks to perpetuate his memory by building a
mighty pyramidal structure of stone, which my friend terms a device
planned by himself to divert the fancy of his ruler, and incidentally to
astonish those European barbarians who may happen that way; and, among
other matters, this Azza asks for my opinion concerning the outer
surface of his pyramid; to which request for advice I remember that I
replied, saying that the walls should be constructed so as to ascend in
step-like angles.
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