beasts, men and gods-第24章

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〃Who　is　he？　　High　Prince　and　warrior　or　shepherd　and　brute？〃

Boldon　at　once　became　confused　and；　with　trembling　voice　and　agitation　in　his　whole　manner；　blurted　out　to　me　that　he　would　not　allow　me　to　interfere　in　his　affairs　and　would　shoot　every　man　who　dared　to　run　counter　to　his　orders。　　He　pounded　on　the　low　table　with　his　fist　and　then　rose　up　and　drew　his　revolver。　　But　I　was　much　traveled　among　the　nomads　and　had　studied　them　thoroughly　Princes；　Lamas；　shepherds　and　brigands。　　I　grasped　my　whip　and；　striking　it　on　the　table　with　all　my　strength；　I　said　to　the　interpreter：

〃Tell　him　that　he　has　the　honor　to　speak　with　neither　Mongol　nor　Russian　but　with　a　foreigner；　a　citizen　of　a　great　and　free　state。　Tell　him　he　must　first　learn　to　be　a　man　and　then　he　can　visit　me　and　we　can　talk　together。〃

I　turned　and　went　out。　　Ten　minutes　later　Hun　Boldon　entered　my　yurta　and　offered　his　apologies。　　I　persuaded　him　to　parley　with　Chultun　Beyli　and　not　to　offend　the　free　Mongol　people　with　his　activities。　　That　very　night　all　was　arranged。　　Hun　Boldon　dismissed　his　Mongols　and　left　for　Kobdo；　while　Domojiroff　with　his　band　started　for　Jassaktu　Khan　to　arrange　for　the　mobilization　of　the　Mongols　there。　　With　the　consent　of　Chultun　Beyli　he　wrote　to　Wang　Tsao…tsun　a　demand　to　disarm　his　guard；　as　all　of　the　Chinese　troops　in　Urga　had　been　so　treated；　but　this　letter　arrived　after　Wang　had　bought　camels　to　replace　the　stolen　horses　and　was　on　his　way　to　the　border。　　Later　Lt。…Colonel　Michailoff　sent　a　detachment　of　fifty　men　under　the　command　of　Lieutenant　Strigine　to　overhaul　Wang　and　receive　their　arms。


CHAPTER　XXVII

MYSTERY　IN　A　SMALL　TEMPLE


Prince　Chultun　Beyli　and　I　were　ready　to　leave　the　Narabanchi　Kure。　While　the　Hutuktu　was　holding　service　for　the　Sait　in　the　Temple　of　Blessing；　I　wandered　around　through　the　narrow　alleyways　between　the　walls　of　the　houses　of　the　various　grades　of　Lama　Gelongs；　Getuls；　Chaidje　and　Rabdjampa；　of　schools　where　the　learned　doctors　of　theology　or　Maramba　taught　together　with　the　doctors　of　medicine　or　Ta　Lama；　of　the　residences　for　students　called　Bandi；　of　stores；　archives　and　libraries。　　When　I　returned　to　the　yurta　of　the　Hutuktu；　he　was　inside。　　He　presented　me　with　a　large　hatyk　and　proposed　a　walk　around　the　monastery。　　His　face　wore　a　preoccupied　expression　from　which　I　gathered　that　he　had　something　he　wished　to　discuss　with　me。　　As　we　went　out　of　the　yurta；　the　liberated　President　of　the　Russian　Chamber　of　Commerce　and　a　Russian　officer　joined　us。　　The　Hutuktu　led　us　to　a　small　building　just　back　of　a　bright　yellow　stone　wall。

〃In　that　building　once　stopped　the　Dalai　Lama　and　Bogdo　Khan　and　we　always　paint　the　buildings　yellow　where　these　holy　persons　have　lived。　　Enter！〃

The　interior　of　the　building　was　arranged　with　splendor。　　On　the　ground　floor　was　the　dining…room；　furnished　with　richly　carved；　heavy　blackwood　Chinese　tables　and　cabinets　filled　with　porcelains　and　bronze。　　Above　were　two　rooms；　the　first　a　bed…room　hung　with　heavy　yellow　silk　curtains；　a　large　Chinese　lantern　richly　set　with　colored　stones　hung　by　a　thin　bronze　chain　from　the　carved　wooden　ceiling　beam。　　Here　stood　a　large　square　bed　covered　with　silken　pillows；　mattresses　and　blankets。　　The　frame　work　of　the　bed　was　also　of　the　Chinese　blackwood　and　carried；　especially　on　the　posts　that　held　the　roof…like　canopy；　finely　executed　carvings　with　the　chief　motive　the　conventional　dragon　devouring　the　sun。　　By　the　side　stood　a　chest　of　drawers　completely　covered　with　carvings　setting　forth　religious　pictures。　　Four　comfortable　easy　chairs　completed　the　furniture；　save　for　the　low　oriental　throne　which　stood　on　a　dais　at　the　end　of　the　room。

〃Do　you　see　this　throne？〃　said　the　Hutuktu　to　me。　　〃One　night　in　winter　several　horsemen　rode　into　the　monastery　and　demanded　that　all　the　Gelongs　and　Getuls　with　the　Hutuktu　and　Kanpo　at　their　head　should　congregate　in　this　room。　　Then　one　of　the　strangers　mounted　the　throne；　where　he　took　off　his　bashlyk　or　cap…like　head　covering。　　All　of　the　Lamas　fell　to　their　knees　as　they　recognized　the　man　who　had　been　long　ago　described　in　the　sacred　bulls　of　Dalai　Lama；　Tashi　Lama　and　Bogdo　Khan。　　He　was　the　man　to　whom　the　whole　world　belongs　and　who　has　penetrated　into　all　the　mysteries　of　Nature。　　He　pronounced　a　short　Tibetan　prayer；　blessed　all　his　hearers　and　afterwards　made　predictions　for　the　coming　half　century。　　This　was　thirty　years　ago　and　in　the　interim　all　his　prophecies　are　being　fulfilled。　　During　his　prayers　before　that　small　shrine　in　the　next　room　this　door　opened　of　its　own　accord；　the　candles　and　lights　before　the　altar　lighted　themselves　and　the　sacred　braziers　without　coals　gave　forth　great　streams　of　incense　that　filled　the　room。　　And　then；　without　warning；　the　King　of　the　World　and　his　companions　disappeared　from　among　us。　　Behind　him　remained　no　trace　save　the　folds　in　the　silken　throne　coverings　which　smoothed　themselves　out　and　left　the　throne　as　though　no　one　had　sat　upon　it。〃

The　Hutuktu　entered　the　shrine；　kneeled　down；　covering　his　eyes　with　his　hands；　and　began　to　pray。　　I　looked　at　the　calm；　indifferent　face　of　the　golden　Buddha；　over　which　the　flickering　lamps　threw　changing　shadows；　and　then　turned　my　eyes　to　the　side　of　the　throne。　　It　was　wonderful　and　difficult　to　believe　but　I　really　saw　there　the　strong；　muscular　figure　of　a　man　with　a　swarthy　face　of　stern　and　fixed　expression　about　the　mouth　and　jaws；　thrown　into　high　relief　by　the　brightness　of　the　eyes。　Through　his　transparent　body　draped　in　white　raiment　I　saw　the　Tibetan　inscriptions　on　the　back　of　the　throne。　　I　closed　my　eyes　and　opened　them　again。　　No　one　was　there　but　the　silk　throne　covering　seemed　to　be　moving。

〃Nervousness；〃　I　thought。　　〃Abnormal　and　over…emphasized　impressionability　growing　out　of　the　unusual　surroundings　and　strains。〃

The　Hutuktu　turned　to　me　and　said：　　〃Give　me　your　hatyk。　　I　have　the　feeling　that　you　are　troubled　about　those　whom　you　love；　and　I　want　to　pray　for　them。　　And　you　must　pray　also；　importune　God　and　direct　the　sight　of　your　soul　to　the　King　of　the　World　who　was　here　and　sanctified　this　place。〃

The　Hutuktu　placed　the　hatyk　on　the　shoulder　of　the　Buddha　and；　prostrating　himself　on　the　carpet　before　the　altar；　whispered　the　words　of　prayer。　　Then　he　raised　his　head　and　beckoned　me　to　him　with　a　slight　movement　of　his　hand。

〃Look　at　the　dark　space　behind　the　statue　of　Buddha　and　he　will　show　your　beloved　to　you。〃

Readily　obeying　his　deep…voiced　command；　I　began　to　look　into　the　dark　niche　behind　the　figure　of　the　Buddha。　　Soon　out　of　the　darkness　began　to　appear　streams　of　smoke　or　transparent　threads。　They　floated　in　the　air；　becoming　more　and　more　dense　and　increasing　in　number；　until　gradually　they　formed　the　bodies　of　several　persons　and　the　outlines　of　various　objects。　　I　saw　a　room　that　was　strange　to　me　with　my　family　there；　surrounded　by　some　whom　I　knew　and　others　whom　I　did　not。　　I　recognized　even　the　dress　my　wife　wore。　　Every　line　of　her　dear　face　was　clearly　visible。　Gradually　the　vision　became　too　dark；　dissipated　itself　into　the　streams　of　smoke　and　transparent　threads　and　disappeared。　　Behind　the　golden　Buddha　was　nothing　but　the　darkness。　　The　Hutuktu　arose；　took　my　hatyk　from　the　shoulder　of　the　Buddha　and　handed　it　to　me　with　these　words：

〃Fortune　is　always　with　you　and　with　your　family。　　God's　goodness　will　not　forsake　you。〃

We　left　the　building　of　this　unknown　King　of　the　World；　where　he　had　prayed　for　all　mankind　and　had　predicted　the　fate　of　peoples　and　states。　　I　was　greatly　astonished　to　find　that　my　companions　had　also　seen　my　vision　and　to　hear　them　describe　to　me　in　minute　detail　the　appearance　and　the　clothes　of　the　persons　whom　I　had　seen　in　the　dark　niche　behind　the　head　of　Buddha。*


*　In　order　that　I　might　have　the　evidence　of　others　on　this　extraordinarily　impressive　vision；　I　asked　them　to　make　protocols　or　affidavits　concerning　what　they　saw。　　This　they　did　and　I　now　have　these　statements　in　my　possession。


The　Mongol　officer　also　told　me　that　Chultun　Beyli　had　the　day　before　asked　the　Hutuktu　to　reveal　to　him　his　fate　in　this　important　juncture　of　his　life　and　in　this　crisis　of　his　country　but　the　Hutuktu　only　waved　his　hand　in　an　expression　of　fear　and　refused。　　When　I　asked　the　Hutuktu　for　the　reason　of　his　refusal；　suggesting　to　him　that　it　might　calm　and　help　Chultun　Beyli　as　the　vision　of　my　beloved　had　strengthened　me；　the　Hutuktu　knitted　his　brow　and　answered：

〃No！　　The　vision　would　not　please　the　Prince。　　His　fate　is　black。　Yesterday　I　thrice　sought　his　fortune　on　the　burned　shoulder　blades　and　with　the　entrails　of　sheep　and　each　time　came　to　the　same　dire　result；　the　same　dire　result！　。　。　。〃

He　did　not　really　finish　speaking　but　covered　his　face　with　his　hands　in　fear。　　He　was　convinced　that　the　lot　of　Chultun　Beyli　was　black　as　the　night。

In　an　hour　we　were　behind　the　low　hills　that　hid　the　Narabanchi　Kure　from　our　sight。


CHAPTER　XXVIII

THE　BREATH　OF　DEATH


We　arrived　at　Uliassutai　on　the　day　of　the　return　of　the　detachment　which　had　gone　out　to　disarm　the　convoy　of　Wang　Tsao…tsun。　　This　detachment　had　met　Colonel　Domojiroff；　who　ordered　them　not　only　to　disarm　but　to　pillage　the　convoy　and；　unfortunately；　Lieutenant　Strigine　executed　this　illegal　and　unwarranted　command。　　It　was　compromising　and　ignominious　to　see　Russian　officers　and　soldiers　wearing　the　Chinese　overcoats；　boots　and　wrist　watches　which　had　been　taken　from　the　Chinese　officials　and　the　convoy。　　Everyone　had　Chinese　silver　and　gold　also　from　the　loot。　　The　Mongol　wife　of　Wang　Tsao…tsun　and　her　brother　returned　with　the　detachment　and　entered　a　complaint　of　having　been　robbed　by　the　Russians。　　The　Chinese　officials　and　their　convoy；　deprived　of　their　supplies；　reached　the　Chinese　border　only　after　great　distress　from　hunger　and　cold。　　We　foreigners　were　astounded　that　Lt。…Colonel　Michailoff　received　Strigine　with　military　honors　but　we　caught　the　explanation　of　it　later　when　we　learned　that　Michailoff　had　been　given　some　of　the　Chinese　silver　and　his　wife　the　handsomely　decorated　saddle　of　Fu　Hsiang。　　Chultun　Beyli　demanded　that　all　the　weapons　taken　from　the　Chinese　and　all　the　stolen　property　be　turned　over　to　him；　as　it　must　later　be　returned　to　the　Chinese　authorities；　but　Michailoff　refused。　　Afterwards　we　foreigners　cut　off　all　contact　with　the　Russian　detachment。　　The　relations　between　the　Russians　and　Mongols　became　very　strained。　　Several　of　the　Russian　officers　protested　against　the　acts　of　Michailoff　and　Strigine　and　controversies　became　more　and　more　serious。

At　this　time；　one　morning　in　April；　an　extraordinary　group　of　armed　horsemen　arrived　at　Uliassutai。　　They　stayed　at　the　house　of　the　Bolshevik　Bourdukoff；　who　gave　them；　so　we　were　told；　a　great　quantity　of　silver。　　This　group　explained　that　they　were　former　officers　in　the　Imperial　Guard。　　They　were　Colonels　Poletika；　N。　N。　Philipoff　and　three　of　the　latter's　brothers。　　They　announced　that　they　wanted　to　collect　all　the　White　officers　and　soldiers　then　in　Mongolia　and　China　and　lead　them　to　Urianhai　to　fight　the　Bolsheviki；　but　that　first　they　wanted　to　wipe　out　Ungern　and　return　Mongolia　to　China。　　They　called　the