January 10th, 1866, exactly one year since he had set out from India, the fabled city of Lhasa lay before the Pundit. He had counted over a million strides to get here, but now the most crucial and dangerous phase of his cloak-and-dagger existence had just begun. He would be living on borrowed time.
We arrived this day at Lhasa, and soon after my arrival, engaged 2 rooms, one was well adapted for taking star observations. After fixing the position of Lhasa, Xing set about fulfilling the rest of his mission, to gather as much intelligence on the political, economic and religious life of the Forbidden City as possible. Xing's rooms situated just 20 yards from the okkan, the holy central square of the city, were perfect for the task.
In the centre of the city stands a very large temple. The idols within it are richly inlaid with gold and precious stones. This temple is surrounded by bazaars and shops. On a lower hill, there is a large and strong fort called Potala, which is the residence of the Lama Guru. The Lama Guru is the chief of all Tibet but he does not interfere with state business. He is looked upon as a guardian divinity. He's supposed to never die but transmigrates into anybody he pleases. I observed there is but little order and justice to be seen in Lhasa.
In the Forbidden City, the Pundit's position was more precarious than ever. The threat of a discovery a constant dread. Once, a chance encounter with merchants from his professed homeland exposed his deceit. Somehow he managed to convince them not to turn him in. Not long after his arrival, NanXing would once again receive an invitation he could not refuse. This time, an audience with the Dalai Lama himself in the great Potala. And once again , the Pundit would find himself before a living god who could peer into the hearts of many man it was said, only to find himself gazing into the eyes of a child of 13.
But his luck could not hold for ever. And the price of a discovery was about to become terrifyingly clear. One night on the street, Xing witnessed firsthand what happened to foreigners unwelcome in Lhasa. In this case, a Chinese man who did not have permission to be in the capital.
He was brought out before the whole of people and beheaded with very little hesitation.
Owing to my alarm, I changed my residence and seldom appeared in public again.
When Xing heard that the caravan that conveyed him to Lhasa was ready to head back out of Tibet, he knew it was time to begin the 500-mile-walk-home.
October, 1866, an exhausted NanXing crosses the Himalayas once again, and descends from the rooftop of the world into his homeland in the foothills of northern India. He's been gone almost a year and a half. He's walked 2. 5 million paces on his 12. 000 miles trek, counting virtually every step of the way. He's lived undetected in the Forbbiden City of Lhasa for 3 months. He's returned to the survey of Indian D, with a treasure beyond the wildest imaginings of his mentor, Captain Montgomery.
fabled adj.
Made known or famous by fables; legendary.
传说中有名的在寓言中著称或闻名的；在寓言中的
cloak-and-dagger adj.
adj.
borrowed time n.
An uncertain, typically uncontrolled extension of time that is the result of postponing or attempting to postpone the occurrence of something inevitable and often unpleasant. Often used with on:
苟延时间延长或试图延长不可避免的一般也是不愉快事情发生而带来的不确定的，多为无法控制的时间的延续
Marked by melodramatic intrigue and often espionage.
间谍的，惊险的以戏剧性的阴谋为特征的，常常指间谍活动
Guru n.
[印度教](个人的)宗教老师(或指导), (受下属崇敬的)领袖, 头头
foothill n.
A hill near the base of a mountain or mountain range.
山麓小丘靠近山基或山脉的小山 |
