The chief Lama or abbot motioned to us to be seated, in a much
politer mood; after which he and his principal monks held a long and
animated conversation together. I gathered from their looks and gestures
that the head Lama inclined to regard us as orthodox Buddhists, but that
some of his followers had grave doubts of their own as to the depth and
reality of our religious convictions.

While they debated and hesitated, Hilda had another splendid idea.
She undid her portfolio, and took out of it the photographs of ancient
Buddhist topes and temples which she had taken in India. These she
produced triumphantly. At once the priests and monks crowded round us
to look at them. In a moment, when they recognised the meaning of the
pictures, their excitement grew quite intense. The photographs were
passed round from hand to hand, amid loud exclamations of joy and
surprise. One brother would point out with astonishment to another some
familiar symbol or some ancient text; two or three of them, in their
devout enthusiasm, fell down on their knees and kissed the pictures.

We had played a trump card! The monks could see for themselves by this
time that we were deeply interested in Buddhism. Now, minds of that
calibre never understand a disinterested interest; the moment they saw
we were collectors of Buddhist pictures, they jumped at once to the
conclusion that we must also, of course, be devout believers. So far did
they carry their sense of fraternity, indeed, that they insisted
upon embracing us. That was a hard trial to Lady Meadowcroft, for the
brethren were not conspicuous for personal cleanliness. She suspected
germs, and she dreaded typhoid far more than she dreaded the Tibetan
cutthroat.

The brethren asked, through the medium of our interpreter, the cook,
where these pictures had been made. We explained as well as we could by
means of the same mouthpiece, a very earthen vessel, that they came from
ancient Buddhist buildings in India. This delighted them still more,
though I know not in what form our Ghoorka retainer may have conveyed
the information. At any rate, they insisted on embracing us again;
after which the chief Lama said something very solemnly to our amateur
interpreter.

The cook interpreted. "Priest-sahib say, he too got very sacred thing,
come from India. Sacred Buddhist poojah-thing. Go to show it to you."

We waited, breathless. The chief Lama approached the altar before the
recess, in front of the g