."

The Thibetians were not the only persons who seemed zealous to study our
holy religion. Among the Chinese, the secretaries of the ambassador
Ki-Chan often came to visit us, to hear about the great doctrine of the
west; one of them, to whom we lent some works written in
Tartaro-Mantchou, was convinced of the truth of Christianity and of the
necessity of embracing it, but he had not courage enough to make an open
profession of faith, whilst he was attached to the embassy; he wished to
wait until he should be free to return to his country. God grant that
his good intentions may not vanish.

A physician, a native of the province of Yun-Nan, displayed more courage.
This young man, since his arrival at Lha-Ssa, had led so strange a life,
that everyone called him the Chinese hermit. He never went out, except
to visit his patients, and ordinarily he only visited the poor. The
wealthy in vain solicited his attendance; he disdained to notice their
invitations, unless compelled by necessity to obtain some aid, for he
never took anything from the poor, to whose service he had devoted
himself. The time not absorbed in visiting his patients, he consecrated
to study; he passed, indeed, the greater part of the night over his
books. He slept little, and only took, throughout the day, one single
meal of barley-meal, never eating meat. You needed, indeed, only to see
him to be convinced that he led a hard and self-denying life; his face
was extremely pale and thin, and although he was not more than thirty
years old, his hair was almost entirely white.

One day, he paid us a visit while we were repeating our breviary in our
little chapel; he stopped short a few steps from the door, and awaited in
grave silence. A large coloured image, representing the Crucifixion, had
no doubt fixed his attention; for, as soon as we had finished our
prayers, he asked us abruptly and without staying to make the usual
salutations, to explain to him the meaning of that image. When we had
answered his question, he crossed his arms upon his chest, and without
uttering a single word, remained motionless, his eyes fixed upon the
image of the Crucifixion; he retained this position for nearly
half-an-hour; at length his eyes were filled with tears. He extended his
arms towards the Christ, fell on his knees, struck the earth thrice with
his forehead, and rose, exclaiming, "That is the only Buddha that men
ought to worship." He then turned to us, and