omparable limbs from their sublime bodies and flung the parts into
a fire that he had prepared.

"It is better," declared Sun Wei, standing beside the pile, his hands
buried within his sleeves--"it is better to be struck down at once,
rather than to wither away slowly like a half-uprooted cassia-tree."

When this act of defiance was reported in the Upper World the air grew
thick with the cries of indignation of the lesser deities, and the
sound of their passage as they projected themselves across vast
regions of space and into the presence of the supreme N'guk was like
the continuous rending of innumerable pieces of the finest silk.

In his musk-scented heaven, however, N'guk slept, as his habit was at
the close of each celestial day. It was with some difficulty that he
could be aroused and made to understand the nature of Sun Wei's
profanity, for his mind was dull with the smoke of never-ending
incense.

"To-morrow," he promised, with a benignant gesture, turning over again
on his crystal throne, "some time to-morrow impartial justice shall be
done. In the meanwhile--courteous dismissal attend your opportune
footsteps."

"He is becoming old and obese," murmured the less respectful of the
demons. "He is not the god he was, even ten thousand cycles ago. It
were well--"

"But, omnipotence," protested certain conciliatory spirits, pressing
to the front, "consider, if but for a short breath of time. A day here
is as threescore of their years as these mortals live. By to-morrow
night not only Sun Wei, but most of those now dwelling down below,
will have Passed Beyond. But the story of his unpunished infamy will
live. We shall become discredited and our altar fires extinct.
Sacrifice of either food or raiment will cease to reach us. The Season
of White Rain is approaching and will find us ill provided. We who
speak are but Beings of small part--"

"Peace!" commanded N'guk, now thoroughly disturbed, for the voices of
the few had grown into a tumult; "how is it possible to consider with
a torrent like the Hoang-Ho in flood pouring through my very ordinary
ears? Your omniscient but quite inadequate Chief would think."

At this rebuke the uproar ceased. So deep became the nature of N'guk's
profound thoughts that they could be heard rolling like thunder among
the caverns of his gigantic brain. To aid the process, female slaves
on either side fanned his fiery head with celestial lotus leaves. On
the earth, far beneath, cy