In a few minutes the Curator saw that his guest was no mere bead-telling mendicant, but a scholar of parts.
And they went at it all over again, the lama taking snuff, wiping his spectacles, and talking at railway speed in a bewildering mixture of Urdu and Tibetan.

He had heard of the travels of the Chinese pilgrims, Fu-Hiouen and Hwen-Tsiang, and was anxious to know if there was any translation of their record.

He drew in his breath as he turned helplessly over the pages of Beal and Stanislas Julien.

''Tis all here.

A treasure locked.' Then he composed himself reverently to listen to fragments hastily rendered into Urdu.