第31章

　　Theinsideofthegreatmosqueisveryshowywithvariegatedmarblewallsandwithwindowsandinscriptionsofelaboratemosaic。TheTurkshavetheirsacredrelics，liketheCatholics。Theguideshowedustheveritablearmorwornbythegreatson­in­lawandsuccessorofMahomet，andalsothebucklerofMahomet\'suncle。Thegreatironrailingwhichsurroundstherockwasornamentedinoneplacewithathousandragstiedtoitsopenwork。ThesearetoremindMahometnottoforgettheworshiperswhoplacedthemthere。Itisconsideredthenextbestthingtotyingthreadsaroundhisfingerbywayofreminders。

　　Justoutsidethemosqueisaminiaturetemple，whichmarksthespotwhereDavidandGoliathusedtositandjudgethepeople。**ApilgriminformsmethatitwasnotDavidandGoliath，butDavidandSaul。Isticktomyownstatement­­theguidetoldme，andheoughttoknow。EverywhereabouttheMosqueofOmarareportionsofpillars，curiouslywroughtaltars，andfragmentsofelegantlycarvedmarble——preciousremainsofSolomon\'sTemple。ThesehavebeendugfromalldepthsinthesoilandrubbishofMountMoriah，andtheMoslemshavealwaysshownadispositiontopreservethemwiththeutmostcare。AtthatportionoftheancientwallofSolomon\'sTemplewhichiscalledtheJew\'sPlaceofWailing，andwheretheHebrewsassembleeveryFridaytokisstheveneratedstonesandweepoverthefallengreatnessofZion，anyonecanseeapartoftheunquestionedandundisputedTempleofSolomon，thesameconsistingofthreeorfourstoneslyingoneupontheother，eachofwhichisabouttwiceaslongasaseven­octavepiano，andaboutasthickassuchapianoishigh。But，asIhaveremarkedbefore，itisonlyayearortwoagothattheancientedictprohibitingChristianrubbishlikeourselvestoentertheMosqueofOmarandseethecostlymarblesthatonceadornedtheinnerTemplewasannulled。Thedesignswroughtuponthesefragmentsareallquaintandpeculiar，andsothecharmofnoveltyisaddedtothedeepinteresttheynaturallyinspire。Onemeetswiththesevenerablescrapsateveryturn，especiallyintheneighboringMosqueelAksa，intowhoseinnerwallsaverylargenumberofthemarecarefullybuiltforpreservation。Thesepiecesofstone，stainedanddustywithage，dimlyhintatagrandeurwehaveallbeentaughttoregardastheprinceliesteverseenonearth;andtheycalluppicturesofapageantthatisfamiliartoallimaginations——camelsladenwithspicesandtreasure——beautifulslaves，presentsforSolomon\'sharem——alongcavalcadeofrichlycaparisonedbeastsandwarriors——

　　andSheba\'sQueeninthevanofthisvisionof\"Orientalmagnificence。\"

　　TheseelegantfragmentsbeararicherinterestthanthesolemnvastnessofthestonestheJewskissinthePlaceofWailingcaneverhavefortheheedlesssinner。

　　Downinthehollowground，underneaththeolivesandtheorange­treesthatflourishinthecourtofthegreatMosque，isawildernessofpillars——remainsoftheancientTemple;theysupportedit。Thereareponderousarchwaysdownthere，also，overwhichthedestroying\"plough\"ofprophecypassedharmless。Itispleasanttoknowwearedisappointed，inthatweneverdreamedwemightseeportionsoftheactualTempleofSolomon，andyetexperiencenoshadowofsuspicionthattheywereamonkishhumbugandafraud。