promised land."

The scribe did not answer, but his face expressed simultaneously
doubt in Amram's declaration, and the certainty of something quite
different which would soon happen. Amram, who did not wish to have
his faith shaken by any kind of explanations, let the subject drop,
and spoke of something indifferent.

"That is a strange staircase."

"It is an elevator, and not a staircase."

Amram glanced up at the domed roof, and found a new pretext for
continuing the conversation, which he did not wish to drop.

"Does that represent the sky?" he asked.

"Yes."

"And its secrets?"

"Ah, the secrets? They are accessible to all who can understand
them."

"Tell them in a few words."

"Astronomy is not my province, and I know little of it, but still I
will tell you in a few words. The vault up there represents the sky,
the board lying on the table, the earth. Now the wise speak thus: In
the beginning Earth (Sibu) and Heaven (Nuit) lay near each other.