HEARING a sound of strife1, a Christian2 in the Orient asked his

　　Dragoman the cause of it.

　　"The Buddhists4 are cutting Mohammedan throats," the Dragoman

　　replied, with oriental composure.

　　"I did not know," remarked the Christian, with scientific interest,

　　"that that would make so much noise."

　　"The Mohammedans are cutting Buddhist3 throats, too," added the

　　Dragoman.

　　"It is astonishing," mused5 the Christian, "how violent and how

　　general are religious animosities. Everywhere in the world the

　　devotees of each local faith abhor6 the devotees of every other, and

　　abstain7 from murder only so long as they dare not commit it. And

　　the strangest thing about it is that all religions are erroneous

　　and mischievous8 excepting mine. Mine, thank God, is true and

　　benign9."

　　So saying he visibly smugged and went off to telegraph for a

　　brigade of cutthroats to protect Christian interests.