Adventure Magazine Cover — page 73: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Om first by what right you make such a demand. You understand me?” “T have made no demand,” the old man answered, smiling. His voice was sweetly reasonable; his bright old eyes twinkled. “You have asked what I want. I have told you.” ‘“‘Tell me who you are,” said Chutter Chand. “My son, I am a lama. I am one who strives to tread the Middle Way.”’ ‘‘Where from?” “From desire into peace!”’ ‘“‘T mean, what place do you come from?”’ “From the same place that the piece of jade came from, my son. From the place to which he who desires merit will return it.”’ “Ts the jade yours?” asked Chutter Chand. “Is the air mine? Are the stars mine?”’ the lama answered, smiling as if the idea of possessing anything were a joke made by an inquiring child. “Well; what right have you to the piece of jade?” Chutter Chand snapped back at him. He let the irritation through without intending it and smiled directly afterward in an attempt to undo the impression. But if the lama had noticed the acerbity, he made no sign. “None, any more than you have,’’ came the answer in the same mild voice. ‘‘None has any right toit. I havea duty to return it to whence it came—and a duty to you, to preserve you from impertinence, if that may be. “It is not good, Chutter Chand, to meddle with knowledge before the time appointed for its understanding. He who would tread the Middle Way is patient, keeping both feet. on the ground and his head no higher than humility will let it reach. Be wise, O man of intellectual desires! Destruction is in rashness.”’ His fingers touched Diana’s collar and twisted it around until the small brass plate, on which Ommony’s name was engraved, came uppermost; but his eyes continued to look straight at Chutter Chand. It was the younger man, squatting in silence be- side him, his head and body motionless, whose bright eyes took in every detail of the room, not omitting to notice the movement of the lama’s hand. Except for the eyes, his face continued perfectly expressionless. ““Well—er—ah—before I answer defi- 71 nitely, I would like you to tell me about the jade,” said Chutter Chand. “You: will find me reasonable. Iam not a sacrilegious person. Er—ah—can you not establish to my satisfaction that—ah—I would be doing rightly to—er—let us say, to entrust the piece of jade to you?” -“T think you know that already,” said the lama in a voice of mild reproof, as if he were speaking to a child of whom he was rather fond. ‘‘What does your heart say, my son? It is the heart that answers wisely, if desire has been subdued. I have come a very long way——”’ “Desiring the piece of jade!’’ sneered Chutter Chand—regretting the sneer in- stantly—driving fingernails into the palm of his hand with impatience of himself. “True,” said the lama. ‘Desire is not easy to destroy. Yet I do not desire it for myself. And for you I desire peace—and merit. May the Lord live in your heart and guide you in the Middle Way.” THE jeweler moved restlessly. The ‘ atmosphere was getting on his ~4444 nerves. There was an indefinable fcclite of being in the presence of superior- ity, which is irritating to a man of intellect. ‘You mean, there will be no peace for me unless I give up the piece of jade to you?” he asked tartly. “T think that is so,” said the lama gently. “Well; it is not in my possession.” ‘But you know who has it,” said the lama, looking straight at him. The jeweler did not answer, and the lama’s eyes beamed with intelligence. The young Tibetan moved at last and whispered in his ear. The lama nodded almost imperceptibly, turning the. dog’s collar around again with leisurely fingers, whose touch seemed magically satisfying to Diana. He looked then once sharply at the big brass Buddha, let his eyes rest again on the jeweler’s, and went on speaking. ‘“‘What a man can not do is no weight against him. It may be the hand of Des- tiny, preventing him from a mistake. The deeds a man does are the fruits that are weighed in the balance and from which the seeds of future lives are saved. Peace be with you. Peace refresh you. Peace give you peace that you may multiply it, Chutter Chand.” The lama arose, and the younger man rolled up the mat. Diana jumped to her MICLOOOK CO inn