"Will the spirit not answer?" whispered Lihoa impatiently.

"Wait. The moon is not yet in the middle of the constellation,"
answered Lohe. Hardly had he uttered these words when from the cell
came the sound of a gong, then a song in a high nasal tone, which was
plainly heard, but being in a strange language was not understood by
any of the listeners.

"The Spirit speaks to the priest," said the credulous men, trembling
with superstitious fear. The secret song lasted for a minute perhaps,
then from the depths of the cave came a flash of lightning and a loud
peal of thunder. Many of the Chinamen, half frightened out of their
wits, fled screaming at the top of their lungs. Again the gong
sounded, and the priest came to the entrance of the cell with a smoking
pan of incense in his hand. So suddenly did he appear, that it seemed
as if he had sprung out of the very rock on which they stood. All gave
a wild cry of terror, as with utter abhorrence they gazed, while a
little deformed old man described figures in the air with his smoking
pan, and said, shaking his great bald head:

"What do you fear, O children of the Middle Kingdom? Surely not my
master, the terrible God that rides on the back of the Golden Fish, nor
me, poor old Lihong. For you and you alone I have just subjected
myself to his terrible gaze. Had you seen his burning eyes, your
courage would have failed you. He is angry because some of you do not
hate enough those who serve the foreign God, his deadly enemy; yet he
answered your questions, because many of you have heretofore brought to
him your offerings. Listen to the words of the Spirit which rides upon
the back of the Golden Fish: