Part 13 (2/2)
”Does it always come out true as they say?”
”By no means. Just about as often as what is told us by people in this world comes true.”
”Of what use to consult them then?”
”Listen! If you have a friend upon whom you rely, who you have known for years, and who has never lied to you, then you unhesitatingly believe him, do you not?”
”Most a.s.suredly.”
”It is precisely the same with me. I believe that the movement of the joss sticks in my case is controlled by the spirit of my dead father. He never lied to me living. Why should he do so now that he has dropped the body and is living in the world of spirits?”
”It is too deep for me. It would seem, though, that you must be a spiritualist.”
Ah Lung shrugged his shoulders.
”I know very little about your American spiritualists,” he replied, ”but we will not continue the subject. I am ready.”
”Where do we go?”
”We will talk of that outside.”
”Am I made up to suit you?”
”Yes, yes. As I look at you I fail to see how any one could see through your disguise.”
They pa.s.sed out of the joss house and walked down Jackson street hill.
”One thing,” said Harry. ”You must pretend to talk to me with your fingers deaf and dumb fas.h.i.+on when we come into the presence of others.”
”Oh, I can actually do it,” replied Wun Lung. ”I have a sister who is deaf and dumb. We were able to put her through the deaf and dumb school.
She knows only English. I am the only one who can talk to her. But I suppose you cannot do the deaf and dumb finger speech?”
”Indeed I can,” replied Harry, with his fingers.
”Then let us begin now,” responded Ah Lung in the same fas.h.i.+on, ”for we are liable to be seen by some one whom we may meet in the House of the Seven Delights.”
”And what may that be?”
”A sort of club. A secret society. But I must say no more. You promised not to press me, you know.”
”All right. I am in your hands, but I just want to ask have you spoken of the princess to any of the members of this club?”
”Why yes, to one or two whom I can trust.”
Harry shook his head.
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