as he convulsively
clenched his teeth; whereby I knew that, impotent, he burned with a rage
at least as great as mine. But I did not speak, and did not move.

"The ancient tradition of seppuku," continued the Chinaman, "or
hara-kiri, still rules, as you know, in the great families of Japan.
There is a sacred ritual, and the samurai who dedicates himself to this
honorable end, must follow strictly the ritual. As a physician, the
exact nature of the ceremony might possibly interest you, Dr. Petrie,
but a technical account of the two incisions which the sacrificant
employs in his self-dismissal, might, on the other hand, bore Mr.
Nayland Smith. Therefore I will merely enlighten you upon one little
point, a minor one, but interesting to the student of human nature.
In short, even a samurai--and no braver race has ever honored the
world--sometimes hesitates to complete the operation. The weapon near to
your hand, my dear Dr. Petrie, is known as the Friend's Sword. On such
occasions as we are discussing, a trusty friend is given the post--an
honored one of standing behind the brave man who offers himself to his
gods, and should the latter's courage momentarily fail him, the friend
with the trusty blade (to which now I especially direct your attention)
diverts the hierophant's mind from his digression, and rectifies his
temporary breach of etiquette by severing the cervical vertebrae of the
spinal column with the friendly blade--which you can reach quite easily,
Dr. Petrie, if you care to extend your hand."

Some dim perceptions of the truth was beginning to creep into my mind.
When I say a perception of the truth, I mean rather of some part of the
purpose of Dr. Fu-Manchu; of the whole horrible truth, of the scheme
which had been conceived by that mighty, evil man, I had no glimmering,
but I foresaw that a frightful ordeal was before us both.

"That I hold you in high esteem," continued Fu-Manchu, "is a fact which
must be apparent to you by this time, but in regard to your companion, I
entertain very different sentiments...."

Always underlying the deliberate calm of the speaker, sometimes
showing itself in an unusually deep guttural, sometimes in an unusually
serpentine sibilance, lurked the frenzy of hatred which in the past had
revealed itself occasionally in wild outbursts. Momentarily I expected
such an outburst now, but it did not come.

"One quality possessed by Mr. Nayland Smith," resumed the Chinaman, "I
admire;