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-lié, 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 all, he would
have given the letter to Hi-lié; but Hi-lié would not extend his hand to
take it. Therefore Tchin-King replaced it in his bosom, and folding his
arms, looked Hi-lié calmly in the face, and waited. Again Hi-lié waved
his gilded wand; and the roaring ceased, and the booming of the gongs,
until nothing save the fluttering of the Dragon-banner could be heard.
Then spake Hi-lié, with an evil smile,--

"Tchin-King, O son of a dog! if thou dost not now take the oath of
fealty, and bow thyself before me, and salute me with the salutation of
Emperors,--even with the _luh-kao_, the triple prostration,--into that
fire thou shalt be thrown."

But Tchin-King, turning his back upon the usurper, bowed himself a
moment in worship to Heaven and Earth; and then rising suddenly, ere any
man could lay hand upon him, he leaped into the towering flame, and
stood there, with folded arms, like a God.

Then Hi-lié leaped to his feet in amazement, and shouted to his men; and