"
"These are but playings upon words," returned the priest. "A
sackful of such trash is nothing to the peacock."
Just then they passed a country farm, where there was a peacock
seated on a rail; and the bird opened its mouth and sang with the
voice of a nightingale.
"Where are you now?" asked the virtuous person. "And yet this
shakes not me! Great is the truth, and shall prevail!"
"The devil fly away with that peacock!" said the priest; and he was
downcast for a mile or two.
But presently they came to a shrine, where a Fakeer performed
miracles.
"Ah!" said the priest, "here are the true grounds of faith. The
peacock was but an adminicle. This is the base of our religion."
And he beat upon his breast, and groaned like one with colic.
"Now to me," said the virtuous person, "all this is as little to
the purpose as the peacock. I believe because I see the right is
great and must prevail; and this Fakeer might carry on with his
conjuring tricks till doomsday, and it would not play bluff upon a
man like me."
Now at this the Fakeer was so much incensed that his hand trembled;
and, lo! in the midst of a miracle the cards fell from up his
sleeve.
"Where are you now?" asked the virtuous person. "And yet it shakes
not me!"
"The devil fly away with the Fakeer!" cried the priest.
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