“It’s wonderful in this time of the seventy thousand veils that you, the great talib, have followed his tariqat here to visit us.” “Talib?” John said. “Tariqat?” “A talib is a seeker. And the seeker’s tariqat is his path, his special path you know, on the road to reality.” “I see!” John said, still surprised at the friendliness of their greeting.

