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A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

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Future Life 575<br />

a crowd <strong>of</strong> the former generations and a few <strong>of</strong> the latter<br />

<strong>The</strong> reward<br />

generations, upon inwrought couches, reclining thereon, faithful,<br />

face to face. Youths ever-young shall go unto them /j.<br />

round about with goblets and ewers and a cup <strong>of</strong> flowing<br />

wine. <strong>The</strong>ir heads shall ache not with it, neither shall<br />

they be drunken ; and with the fruits <strong>of</strong> the sorts they shall<br />

choose, and the flesh <strong>of</strong> the birds <strong>of</strong> the kinds they shall desire.<br />

And damsels with eyes <strong>of</strong> pearls laid up we will give<br />

them as reward for that which they have done.<br />

<strong>The</strong>rein<br />

shall they hear no vain discourse or accusation <strong>of</strong> sin, but<br />

only the saying,<br />

"Peace! Peace!" and the people <strong>of</strong> the<br />

right hand—what shall be the people <strong>of</strong> the right hand?<br />

<strong>The</strong>y shall dwell among lote-trees without thorns, and<br />

bananas loaded with fruit, and a shade ever-spread, and<br />

water ever-flowing, and fruits abundant unstayed and<br />

unforbidden, and couches raised. . . .<br />

<strong>The</strong>y (the wicked) shall dwell amidst burning wind and<br />

scalding water, and a shade <strong>of</strong> blackest smoke, not cool<br />

and not grateful. <strong>For</strong> before this they were blest with jb.<br />

wordly goods, and they persisted in heinous sin, and said,<br />

"When we shall<br />

have died and become dust and bones,<br />

shall we indeed be raised to life, and our fathers the former<br />

generations?" Say, verily the former and the latter<br />

generations shall be gathered together for the appointed<br />

time <strong>of</strong> a known day. <strong>The</strong>n ye, O ye erring, lying people,<br />

shall surely eat <strong>of</strong> the tree <strong>of</strong> bitter fruit, and fill therewith<br />

your stomachs, and drink thereon boiling water, and ye<br />

shall drink as thirsty camels drink. This shall be their<br />

entertainment on the day <strong>of</strong> retribution.<br />

II.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Do-Nothing Kings<br />

Although the line <strong>of</strong> the Merwings actually ended with<br />

Hilderic, it had nevertheless for some time previously<br />

^j"^^!^^''*<br />

wicked,

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