e him undulated the silken folds of the Black Dragon, while a vast
fire rose bickering before him. Also Tchin-King saw that the tongues of
that fire were licking human bones, and that skulls of men lay
blackening among the ashes. Yet he was not afraid to look upon the fire,
nor into the eyes of Hi-lie; but drawing from his bosom the roll of
perfumed yellow silk upon which the words of the Emperor were written,
and kissing it, he made ready to read, while the multitude became
silent. Then, in a strong, clear voice he began:--

"_The words of the Celestial and August, the Son of Heaven, the Divine
Ko-Tsu-Tchin-Yao-ti, unto the rebel Li-Hi-lie and those that follow
him._"

And a roar went up like the roar of the sea,--a roar of rage, and the
hideous battle-moan, like the moan of a forest in storm,--"_Hoo!
hoo-oo-oo-oo!_"--and the sword-lightnings brake loose, and the thunder
of the gongs moved the ground beneath the messenger's feet. But Hi-lie
waved his gilded wand, and again there was silence. "Nay!" spake the
rebel chief; "let the dog bark!" So Tchin-King spake on:--

"_Knowest thou not, O most rash and foolish of men, that thou leadest
the people only into the mouth of the Dragon of Destruction? Knowest
thou not, also, that the people of my kingdom are the first-born of the
Master of Heaven? So it hath been written that he who doth needlessly
subject the people to wounds and death shall not be suffered by Heaven
to live! Thou who wouldst subvert those laws founded by the
wise,--those laws in obedience to which may happiness and prosperity
alone be found,--thou art committing the greatest of all
crimes,--the crime that is never forgiven!_

"_O my people, think not that I your Emperor, I your Father, seek your
destruction. I desire only your happiness, your prosperity, your
greatness; let not your folly provoke the severity of your Celestial
Parent. Follow not after madness and blind rage; hearken rather to the
wise words of my messenger._"

"_Hoo! hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo!_" roared the people, gathering fury. "_Hoo!
hoo-oo-oo-oo!_"--till the mountains rolled back the cry like the rolling
of a typhoon; and once more the pealing of the gongs paralyzed voice and
hearing. Then Tchin-King, looking at Hi-lie, saw that he laughed, and
that the words of the letter would not again be listened to. Therefore
he read on to the end without looking about him, resolved to perform his
mission in so far as lay in his power. And having read