The opening sentence
The opening statement shows the image of Hafid in his old age, but he realizes that his eyes are still youthful. The narrator writes, "Hafid lingered before the bronze mirror and studied his reflected image in the polished metal." The imagery is significant because Hafid realizes that he is aging and there is a need for him to share the wealth that God has blessed him with the poor. According to this imagery, Hafid argues that wealth is vanity and that the best way to use riches is by sharing with the needy.
The sound of the sandals
Hafid takes Erasmus to the mysterious room where his secret for success is hidden. For the past thirty years, no employee in the palace has ever been allowed to step into this room. The author writes, "Only the sound of their sandals echoed in the giant chamber as Hafid led Erasmus toward the marble stairway at the rear. His steps momentarily slowed as he neared a solitary murrhine vase." The room is silent, and echoes are heard whenever a slight sound is made. The imagery is significant because Hafid wants to teach Erasmus the secret of success in the ten scrolls he was given by his mentor many years ago.
The warehouse
Hafid is as wealthy, and he has accumulated riches over the years of successful selling and marketing. The warehouse is one of his properties that show his financial mighty. The author writes, "The old man passed through an enclosed garden and entered his warehouse, which extended beyond the mansion for five hundred paces. Erasmus, his chief bookkeeper, waited uncertainly just beyond the entryway." The imagery is significant because it shows the power of faith and discipline, the two principles. Hafid has observed throughout his entire life and strictly followed his mentor’s example. Through faith in God and sharing with the less fortunate in society, Hafid is blessed with a lot of wealth.
