And the old man hid his face in his hands and wept bitterly.
Pambo laid his hand again tenderly on the weeper's shoulder.
'Is there no pride here, my brother?
Who art thou, to change the fate of nations and the hearts of emperors, which are in the hand of the King of kings?
If thou wert weak, and imperfect in thy work--for unfaithful, I will warrant thee, thou wert never--He put thee there, because thou wert imperfect, that so that which has come to pass might come to pass; and thou bearest thine own burden only-and yet not thou, but He who bore it for thee.' 'Why then am I tormented by these nightly visions ?' 'Fear them not, friend.

They are spirits of evil, and therefore lying spirits.

Were they good spirits they would speak to thee only in pity, forgiveness, encouragement.

But be they ghosts or demons, they must be evil, because they are accusers, like the Evil One himself, the accuser of the saints.

He is the father of lies, and his children will be like himself.