Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/144

 at the least. It was not the first time he had exercised it on mine nor was it to be the last.

Just then the old lama before the altar arose and bowing low, speaking words of salutation not intelligible to me,  approached the spot where we stood.

Mirrikh took upon himself the ceremony of introduction and I am free to admit that he performed it in an entirely  graceful way.

Now we knew that this was the Lama Superior of Psam-dagong, Padma by name. According to Mr. Mirrikh his years numbered more than a hundred, nor do I doubt it;  certainly he bore all the appearance of a man of unusual  age.

“Children, I greet you. Welcome to Psam-dagong!” he said in Hindustanee, and for the first time I heard that gentle voice which later I grew to love so well.

There was something inexpressibly sweet in the old man’s very presence. A sphere of love, truth and purity seemed to surround him, yet to our eyes he looked simply a very old and ugly specimen of a Chinaman.

I noticed, however, that Philpot was not affected by him as I was; while to me his presence was pleasing, the Doctor drew away his hand in ill-concealed disgust.

Our adept saw it also and began in English immediately.

“Listen Mr. Wylde, and you too, Doctor;” he said, “the time has now come when we must have a definite understanding. We are at what you may justly consider the most remote corner of the earth. We are here for a distinct purpose. I need not tell you what that purpose is.”

“We are here because we are fools” the Doctor began, when he was suddenly checked by that same mysterious influence which Mr. Mirrikh seemed to possess the  power to exert by the mere raising of his hand.

“Argument being quite useless, I have determined to put a stop to it,” he said; “that I have power to do so you are  probably both aware by this time. Wylde you shall do the talking in this matter. Doctor, I beg your pardon, but do you see that fine piece of carving above the Buddha?”

Involuntarily the Doctor raised his eyes in the direction indicated, the adept with a movement of the hands quick as  thought itself, making a pass before his face.

After that the Doctor’s eyes were never lowered, never wavered a hair’s breadth until we were ready to leave the