HIGH PRIEST. To say only that, would not have served you. You intended to prevent the miracle. Come, admit it--it is so. SATNI. Perhaps. HIGH PRIEST. By seizing you, I prevent your committing the sacrilege. Your purpose will not be realized. In an hour the festival of the Prodigy will take place, and you are my prisoner. It follows then, the miracle will be performed--you believe that, do you not? SATNI [_after a pause_] Yes, I believe it. HIGH PRIEST. And so your cause is lost. [_A pause_] Listen to me; the priests who have taken their final vows are as wise and as little credulous as you. I offer you a place among them. Return to us. A little wisdom banishes the gods--great wisdom brings them back. SATNI. I refuse. HIGH PRIEST. My son, my son, you will not cause me this sorrow. Think what you will drive me to, if you refuse--Satni, do not force me to send you before the tribunal, whose sentence must be death. Death, for you, so young, whose future is so bright! SATNI. I do not fear death. HIGH PRIEST. Besides--I mind me--you were betrothed to that little Yaouma whom the god has chosen as victim. You know she may be saved from the sacrifice, if she become the wife of a priest. They guarded her but ill at Rheou's house, she is here. I have seen her; she is kind and gentle, and you would lead a happy life with her. SATNI. Yaouma! Yaouma! [_He hides his face_] HIGH PRIEST [_laying a hand on his shoulder_] So that on one side is Yaouma's death and yours; on the other, happiness with her--and power. Say nothing. I speak as a father might, you can see. I say besides, that you will better serve the crowd in leaving them their gods. I wish to convince you of it, and you will stay with us--weep no more. You will stay, will you not? Wait! Hear me, before you answer. You seek happiness for the lower orders? There is no happiness for them without religion. Already you have seen what they become, when it is taken from them. The riots of yesterday cost your father his life. He suffered much, they tell me. Is it true? I do not know the details. You saw him die, did you not? Tell me how it happened. SATNI. Ah! I was right. It was in truth torture that awaited me here. You have guessed you would gain nothing racking my body--you keep your torments for my heart. HIGH PRIEST. Have I said other than what is true? The conversions that your preaching made were followed by disorders--was it not then that your father was wounded? I knew him. He was a man, simple and good. You are the cause of his death, as you will be the cause of Yaouma's. SATNI. Peace! You would have my sorrows crush my will! HIGH PRIEST. I shall speak of them no more. But think of the people of Egypt, what evils you would bring on them! If you take away their religion, what will keep them virtuous? SATNI. What you call their virtue, is only their submission. HIGH PRIEST. You let loose their vilest instincts, if you remove the fear of the gods.