Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

134 my heart thumps! Such beauty! Such chastity redeemed by mirth! Such modesty of manner uncontaminated by humility! If any one should tell me they are goddesses I would believe him! “T foresee adventures, Gaps Rao! That divinity of yours who broke your pocket- book in Bikanir will have a dozen strong competitors! Krishna! I am impassioned! I am inflamed with love! If I can find a shrine of Hanuman I will make gifts and a sacrifice this morning ”’ Diana emerged, led out through the door by Samding, who held her collar; seeing Ommony, the chela signaled to him with a smile to call the dog. “T hate that chelal’” said Maitraya, grin- ning. “Did I not tell you I had an in- tuition to be jealous of him! Is it possible those twice-born creatures are the chela’s Wives?” “Whom are you calling twice-born?” Ommony demanded, instantly assertive of | a Brahman’s rights. ‘““Pranaml” said Maitraya. until you have seen them!’’ Impelled by a feeling that perhaps the luck might favor him, and partly in order to live up to his Bhat reputation, Ommony strolled toward the door whence Samding and the laughter had emerged. It was slightly ajar. But he had hardly reached it when the Tibetan who had been fellow traveler during the night touched him on the shoulder, led him back to a door at the extreme opposite end and almost violently shoved him into a room furnished with a clean wooden table and a bench. Food was on the table— loads of it—fruit, milk, chupatties, honey, butter, boiled rice, and flowers enough to have graced a wedding feast. The Tibetan slammed the door, and Ommony heard him turn a key on the outside. However, there were two doors to the room, and the window was not fastened. He went first to the window and made sure that Diana was within hail; she was watch- ing Dawa Tsering gorge his breakfast from a bowl in the shade of the compound wall not fifteen feet away. Having satisfied himself on: that score, he discovered that the inner door was not locked, so he at- tacked the food, that being an important consideration when you don’t know what the next five minutes may bring forth. The locked outer door and the guard on the “But wait Adventure compound gate were not exactly reas- suring. The lama came in through the inner door just as Ommony finished eating. He was alone, no longer dressed in the warrior-like garb of the night before, and looking old again—immensely old, because the morn- ing light streamed through the slats of the window and showed all his wrinkles. The snuff-brown color of his robe was streaked with old-gold by the sunlight. In that moment one could believe he was a rather world-weary, very wise old saint; it was next to impossible not to believe it. Yet there was humor in his eyes and a gaze unconquerable—blue-gray—very wide awake. His frame for the moment seemed shrunken; yet his height, though he stooped from shoulders that seemed almost too weary to support his head, was considerably more than Ommony’s. Something more than stature, something indefinable about him, made him look great—made Ommony feel small. ‘Peace perfect you in all her ways!”’ The blessing was solemn; but the voice rang like a young man’s with assurance, as if he knew that his will to bless was infi- nitely overpowering. ‘And to you, my father, peace,” said Ommony, aware that his voice sounded flat and empty. He had stood up when the lama entered. He felt rather like a small boy in the presence of a humorously stern head- master. ‘“‘And the food was enough? And good enoughe” the lama asked. ‘The journey not distressing?” ‘“‘Where are we?’ Ommony retorted bluntly. It was his first chance to talk with the lama alone; he proposed to make the most of it. But the lama merely smiled until his wrinkles were all in movement, and the fearless old eyes shone with kindly humor: ‘““My son, he who knows where he is knows more than all the gods. He who knows what he is knows all things. Is it not enough that each moment we are where we should be? Is not the whole universe a mystery? How shall the part be more comprehensible than the whole, since it must partake of the quality of the whole?”’ But Ommony did not propose to be put off by wise conundrums. His jaw came forward obstinately. CoOMmiclbooks nn)