Avon Fantasy Reader No. 9 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

“He was only inviting you to sup with us, in the patois of the West,” ex-. plained the professor. : : The Chinaman bowed gravely to Alamo. 6 ‘Your magnificent hospitality is duly appreciated,” he said, “but I beg to be excused, as I may not partake of food in the presence of the mighty Magong.” As he uttered the last word he extended his left hand toward the moon, then touched his forehead as if in salute. There was something majestic about his bearing that made one forget the tattered rags in which he was clad. “We accept your excuse without question,” said the professor, quickly. “Permit me to welcome you to our campfire circle.” on Our guest bowed low, moved into the circle of firelight, and laying his staff on the ground, squatted before the fire. Then he took a long-stemmed pipe with a small, brass bowl, from one of his capacious sleeves, and the professor , and I both proffered our tobacco pouches. | " “TH use my own, with your indulgence,” said our visitor, filling his pipe from a small lacquered box he carried. Before closing the box, he threw a pinch of tobacco into the fire, raised his left hand toward the moon, and muttered a few words unintelligible to me. Then, after touching his fore- head, he lighted his pipe with the glowing end of a stick from the fire. , After puffing in meditative silence for a few minutes, he said: “As I have thanksgiving devotions to perform, my time is limited. I will ‘therefore, as briefly as possible, explain the reason for my visit, and convey to you the communication of the great one, whose humble messenger I am. “Twenty years ago I was a Buddhist priest in T’ainfu. It was expected of everyemember of our order that at least once during his lifetime he should make a pilgrimage to a certain monastery in Tibet, there to perform mystic rites in a secret sanctuary, where a sacred stone of immemorable antiquity was kept. | made the pilgrimage, fully expecting to return to T’ainfu, as my brother priests had done and take up the duties of my humdrum existence there for the term of my natural life. cae “There are things which I may tell you, and things which I may not dis- close, so let me explain, briefly, that the whole course of my life was changed when first I viewed the sacred stone. It was graven with mystic characters, v similar to, yet unlike Chinese writing. According to tradition, none but a_ living Buddha could decipher this sacred writing, which might not be trans- mitted to any of his followers, however great or wise. f “Now I had, from the days of my youth, made a study of our ancient writ- ings, and had learned the meanings of many characters since wholly obso- lete, as well as the former meanings of those whose significance had been entirely changed. I firmly believed, with my fellow priests, that none but the living Buddha might translate the writings on the stone. You may judge, therefore, of my surprise, when I found myself able to translate several of the ideographs graven on its sacred surface. I instantly believed myself the true possessor of the karma of Buddha, and that the living Buddha of my order 58 | : Conniclooolkx<s.conh a A aa aa emcee aia amare aac a eae ae