Then she laid one hand upon the
object which she had carried on her head, and which now proved to be a
large lacquered casket covered with Chinese figures and bound by three
hoops of gold. It had a very curious shape.
"Do you command that the chest be opened?" she asked.
"Yes," answered Rita languidly.
Mrs. Sin threw up the lid, and from the interior of the casket which,
because of the glare of the moon light, seemed every moment to assume
a new form, drew out a bronze lamp.
"The sacred lamp," she whispered, and placed it on the sand. "Do you
command that it be lighted?"
Rita inclined her head.
The lamp became lighted; in what manner she did not observe, nor was
she curious to learn. Next from the large casket Mrs. Sin took another
smaller casket and a very long, tapering silver bodkin. The first
casket had perceptibly increased in size. It was certainly much larger
than Rita had supposed; for now out from its shadowy interior Mrs. Sin
began to take pipes--long pipes and short pipes, pipes of gold and
pipes of silver, pipes of ivory and pipes of jade. Some were carved to
represent the heads of demons, some had the bodies of serpents
wreathed about them; others were encrusted with precious gems, and
filled the night with the venomous sheen of emeralds, the blood-rays
of rubies and golden glow of topaz, while the spear-points of diamonds
flashed a challenge to the stars.
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