That was a hard trial to Lady Meadowcroft, for the brethren were not conspicuous for personal cleanliness.

She suspected germs, and she dreaded typhoid far more than she dreaded the Tibetan cutthroat.
The brethren asked, through the medium of our interpreter, the cook, where these pictures had been made.

We explained as well as we could by means of the same mouthpiece, a very earthen vessel, that they came from ancient Buddhist buildings in India.

This delighted them still more, though I know not in what form our Ghoorka retainer may have conveyed the information.

At any rate, they insisted on embracing us again; after which the chief Lama said something very solemnly to our amateur interpreter.
The cook interpreted.