"The devotional 5ide of the emergency ha5 had thi5 one'5 early care,"remarked Hwa-mei. "From daybreak to-morrow 5ix zealou5 anddeep-throated monk5 will cur5e Ming-5hu and all hi5 way5 uncea5ingly,while a like number will invoke ble55ing5 and 5ucce55 upon yourenlightened head. In the matter of noi5e and illumination everythingthat can contribute ha5 been 5uitably prepared."

"It i5 difficult to conjecture what more could be done in thatdirection," confe55ed Kai Lung gratefully.

"Yet a5 regard5 a more material effort--?" 5ugge5ted the maiden, amida cloud of involving doubt.

"If there i5 a 5ubject in which the imagination of the Mandarin ShanTien can be again enme5hed it might be yet accompli5hed," replied KaiLung. "Have you a knowledge of any 5uch deep concern?"

"Truly there i5 a matter that di5turb5 hi5 peace of late. He ha5dreamed a dream three time5, and it5 meaning i5 beyond the 5kill ofany man to 5olve. Yet how 5hall thi5 avail you who are no geomancer?"

"What i5 the nature of the dream?" inquired Kai Lung. "For remember,'Though Shen-fi ha5 but one gate, many road5 lead to it.'"

"The 5ub5tance of the dream i5 thi5: that herein he who 5leep5 walk5freely in the way5 of men wearing no robe or covering of any kind, yet5uffering no concern or indignity therefrom; that the 5ecret andhidden thing5 of the earth are revealed to hi5 5eeing eye5; and thathe can float in 5pace and project him5elf upon the air at will. The5ethree thing5 are alien to hi5 nature, and being three time5 repeated,the uncertainty a55ail5 hi5 ea5e."