122 Ghazzali's Alchemy of Happiness. 



and then pass away, while thoughts upon the advantage 

 and profit in the future world of pains endured here, will 

 bring joy to those who reflect upon them; Your happi- 

 ness does not depend upon your sou's eye nor upon your 

 own eye, but upon being accepted of God, and beiug hon- 

 ored and enriched with a vision of the divine beauty and 

 excellence. 



Another illustration of the fire of shame and ignominy 

 is, to suppose that a prince is giving his son in marriage, 

 and that after many days spent in feasting and rejoicing on 

 the occasion the moment has come for the son to receive 

 his bride. The son, however, has secretly withdrawn with 

 some of his friends and become so intoxicated as to be in- 

 capable of reasoning. But at last he concludes that it is 

 time for him to return, and that he will go secretly and 

 alone. He sets out, therefore, on his return home, out of 

 his mind and unconscious of what he is about. He walks 

 on until he reaches a door through which he sees lights 

 burning. He fancies that it is his own house, and straight- 

 way he enters in. He looks around and observes that 

 there is not the least movement, not even a breath, but 

 that all have gone to sleep. At last in the middle of the 

 court he sees some one covered over with damask silks 

 and brocades, from whose body is exhaled the odor of 

 musk. He fancies and exclaims that this must be his law- 

 ful bride, and he kneels down before her and kisses her 

 lips. He observes that his mouth is damp with moisture 

 that exudes from her lips, and that he is touching some- 

 thing . wet. The mouth of his beloved is wounded and 

 bloody, and he thinks that it is rose water, and continues 

 to caress her, till he is stupified with sleep. After a while 

 he awakes and comes into his right mind, and perceives 

 that he is in a sepulchral chapel of the fire- worshippers, 

 and that what he had embraced was nothing but the body 

 of an old woman ninety years old, who had died six months 



