beasts, men and gods-第21章

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〃Will　the　Chinese　send　help　to　Urga？〃　I　asked。

Our　guest　laughed　hoarsely　and　said：　　〃I　caught　all　the　envoys；　took　away　their　letters　and　then　sent　them　back　。　。　。　into　the　ground。〃

He　laughed　again　and　glanced　around　peculiarly　with　his　blazing　eyes。　　Only　then　did　I　notice　that　his　cheekbones　and　eyes　had　lines　strange　to　the　Mongols　of　Central　Asia。　　He　looked　more　like　a　Tartar　or　a　Kirghiz。　　We　were　silent　and　smoked　our　pipes。

〃How　soon　will　the　detachment　of　Chahars　leave　Uliassutai？〃　he　asked。

We　answered　that　we　had　not　heard　about　them。　　Our　guest　explained　that　from　Inner　Mongolia　the　Chinese　authorities　had　sent　out　a　strong　detachment；　mobilized　from　among　the　most　warlike　tribe　of　Chahars；　which　wander　about　the　region　just　outside　the　Great　Wall。　Its　chief　was　a　notorious　hunghutze　leader　promoted　by　the　Chinese　Government　to　the　rank　of　captain　on　promising　that　he　would　bring　under　subjugation　to　the　Chinese　authorities　all　the　tribes　of　the　districts　of　Kobdo　and　Urianhai。　　When　he　learned　whither　we　were　going　and　for　what　purpose；　he　said　he　could　give　us　the　most　accurate　news　and　relieve　us　from　the　necessity　of　going　farther。

〃Besides　that；　it　is　very　dangerous；〃　he　said；　〃because　Kobdo　will　be　massacred　and　burned。　　I　know　this　positively。〃

When　he　heard　of　our　unsuccessful　attempt　to　pass　through　Tibet；　he　became　attentive　and　very　sympathetic　in　his　bearing　toward　us　and；　with　evident　feeling　of　regret；　expressed　himself　strongly：

〃Only　I　could　have　helped　you　in　this　enterprise；　but　not　the　Narabanchi　Hutuktu。　　With　my　laissez…passer　you　could　have　gone　anywhere　in　Tibet。　　I　am　Tushegoun　Lama。〃

Tushegoun　Lama！　　How　many　extraordinary　tales　I　had　heard　about　him。　　He　is　a　Russian　Kalmuck；　who　because　of　his　propaganda　work　for　the　independence　of　the　Kalmuck　people　made　the　acquaintance　of　many　Russian　prisons　under　the　Czar　and；　for　the　same　cause；　added　to　his　list　under　the　Bolsheviki。　　He　escaped　to　Mongolia　and　at　once　attained　to　great　influence　among　the　Mongols。　　It　was　no　wonder；　for　he　was　a　close　friend　and　pupil　of　the　Dalai　Lama　in　Potala　（Lhasa）；　was　the　most　learned　among　the　Lamites；　a　famous　thaumaturgist　and　doctor。　　He　occupied　an　almost　independent　position　in　his　relationship　with　the　Living　Buddha　and　achieved　to　the　leadership　of　all　the　old　wandering　tribes　of　Western　Mongolia　and　Zungaria；　even　extending　his　political　domination　over　the　Mongolian　tribes　of　Turkestan。　　His　influence　was　irresistible；　based　as　it　was　on　his　great　control　of　mysterious　science；　as　he　expressed　it；　but　I　was　also　told　that　it　has　its　foundation　largely　in　the　panicky　fear　which　he　could　produce　in　the　Mongols。　Everyone　who　disobeyed　his　orders　perished。　　Such　an　one　never　knew　the　day　or　the　hour　when；　in　his　yurta　or　beside　his　galloping　horse　on　the　plains；　the　strange　and　powerful　friend　of　the　Dalai　Lama　would　appear。　　The　stroke　of　a　knife；　a　bullet　or　strong　fingers　strangling　the　neck　like　a　vise　accomplished　the　justice　of　the　plans　of　this　miracle　worker。

Without　the　walls　of　the　yurta　the　wind　whistled　and　roared　and　drove　the　frozen　snow　sharply　against　the　stretched　felt。　　Through　the　roar　of　the　wind　came　the　sound　of　many　voices　in　mingled　shouting；　wailing　and　laughter。　　I　felt　that　in　such　surroundings　it　were　not　difficult　to　dumbfound　a　wandering　nomad　with　miracles；　because　Nature　herself　had　prepared　the　setting　for　it。　　This　thought　had　scarcely　time　to　flash　through　my　mind　before　Tushegoun　Lama　suddenly　raised　his　head；　looked　sharply　at　me　and　said：

〃There　is　very　much　unknown　in　Nature　and　the　skill　of　using　the　unknown　produces　the　miracle；　but　the　power　is　given　to　few。　　I　want　to　prove　it　to　you　and　you　may　tell　me　afterwards　whether　you　have　seen　it　before　or　not。〃

He　stood　up；　pushed　back　the　sleeves　of　his　yellow　garment；　seized　his　knife　and　strode　across　to　the　shepherd。

〃Michik；　stand　up！〃　he　ordered。

When　the　shepherd　had　risen；　the　Lama　quickly　unbuttoned　his　coat　and　bared　the　man's　chest。　　I　could　not　yet　understand　what　was　his　intention；　when　suddenly　the　Tushegoun　with　all　his　force　struck　his　knife　into　the　chest　of　the　shepherd。　　The　Mongol　fell　all　covered　with　blood；　a　splash　of　which　I　noticed　on　the　yellow　silk　of　the　Lama's　coat。

〃What　have　you　done？〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Sh！　　Be　still；〃　he　whispered　turning　to　me　his　now　quite　blanched　face。

With　a　few　strokes　of　the　knife　he　opened　the　chest　of　the　Mongol　and　I　saw　the　man's　lungs　softly　breathing　and　the　distinct　palpitations　of　the　heart。　　The　Lama　touched　these　organs　with　his　fingers　but　no　more　blood　appeared　to　flow　and　the　face　of　the　shepherd　was　quite　calm。　　He　was　lying　with　his　eyes　closed　and　appeared　to　be　in　deep　and　quiet　sleep。　　As　the　Lama　began　to　open　his　abdomen；　I　shut　my　eyes　in　fear　and　horror；　and；　when　I　opened　them　a　little　while　later；　I　was　still　more　dumbfounded　at　seeing　the　shepherd　with　his　coat　still　open　and　his　breast　normal；　quietly　sleeping　on　his　side　and　Tushegoun　Lama　sitting　peacefully　by　the　brazier；　smoking　his　pipe　and　looking　into　the　fire　in　deep　thought。

〃It　is　wonderful！〃　I　confessed。　　〃I　have　never　seen　anything　like　it！〃

〃About　what　are　you　speaking？〃　asked　the　Kalmuck。

〃About　your　demonstration　or　'miracle；'　as　you　call　it；〃　I　answered。

〃I　never　said　anything　like　that；〃　refuted　the　Kalmuck；　with　coldness　in　his　voice。

〃Did　you　see　it？〃　I　asked　of　my　companion。

〃What？〃　he　queried　in　a　dozing　voice。

I　realized　that　I　had　become　the　victim　of　the　hypnotic　power　of　Tushegoun　Lama；　but　I　preferred　this　to　seeing　an　innocent　Mongolian　die；　for　I　had　not　believed　that　Tushegoun　Lama；　after　slashing　open　the　bodies　of　his　victims；　could　repair　them　again　so　readily。

The　following　day　we　took　leave　of　our　hosts。　　We　decided　to　return；　inasmuch　as　our　mission　was　accomplished；　and　Tushegoun　Lama　explained　to　us　that　he　would　〃move　through　space。〃　　He　wandered　over　all　Mongolia；　lived　both　in　the　single；　simple　yurta　of　the　shepherd　and　hunter　and　in　the　splendid　tents　of　the　princes　and　tribal　chiefs；　surrounded　by　deep　veneration　and　panic…fear；　enticing　and　cementing　to　him　rich　and　poor　alike　with　his　miracles　and　prophecies。　　When　bidding　us　adieu；　the　Kalmuck　sorcerer　slyly　smiled　and　said：

〃Do　not　give　any　information　about　me　to　the　Chinese　authorities。〃

Afterwards　he　added：　　〃What　happened　to　you　yesterday　evening　was　a　futile　demonstration。　　You　Europeans　will　not　recognize　that　we　dark…minded　nomads　possess　the　powers　of　mysterious　science。　　If　you　could　only　see　the　miracles　and　power　of　the　Most　Holy　Tashi　Lama；　when　at　his　command　the　lamps　and　candles　before　the　ancient　statue　of　Buddha　light　themselves　and　when　the　ikons　of　the　gods　begin　to　speak　and　prophesy！　　But　there　exists　a　more　powerful　and　more　holy　man。　。　。〃

〃Is　it　the　King　of　the　World　in　Agharti？〃　I　interrupted。

He　stared　and　glanced　at　me　in　amazement。

〃Have　you　heard　about　him？〃　he　asked；　as　his　brows　knit　in　thought。

After　a　few　seconds　he　raised　his　narrow　eyes　and　said：　　〃Only　one　man　knows　his　holy　name；　only　one　man　now　living　was　ever　in　Agharti。　　That　is　I。　　This　is　the　reason　why　the　Most　Holy　Dalai　Lama　has　honored　me　and　why　the　Living　Buddha　in　Urga　fears　me。　But　in　vain；　for　I　shall　never　sit　on　the　Holy　Throne　of　the　highest　priest　in　Lhasa　nor　reach　that　which　has　come　down　from　Jenghiz　Khan　to　the　Head　of　our　yellow　Faith。　　I　am　no　monk。　　I　am　a　warrior　and　avenger。〃

He　jumped　smartly　into　the　saddle；　whipped　his　horse　and　whirled　away；　flinging　out　as　he　left　the　common　Mongolian　phrase　of　adieu：　〃Sayn！　　Sayn…bayna！〃

On　the　way　back　Tzeren　related　to　us　the　hundreds　of　legends　surrounding　Tushegoun　Lama。　　One　tale　especially　remained　in　my　mind。　　It　was　in　1911　or　1912　when　the　Mongols　by　armed　force　tried　to　attain　their　liberty　in　a　struggle　with　the　Chinese。　　The　general　Chinese　headquarters　in　Western　Mongolia　was　Kobdo；　where　they　had　about　ten　thousand　soldiers　under　the　command　of　their　best　officers。　　The　command　to　capture　Kobdo　was　sent　to　Hun　Baldon；　a　simple　shepherd　who　had　distinguished　himself　in　fights　with　the　Chinese　and　received　from　the　Living　Buddha　the　title