Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/193

INTERVIEW WITH TARTAR OFFICERS. 181 you dare to appear before our master with empty hands ? That is what no one has ever done yet." Anselm replied, that if for that reason they could not be admitted, they would give them the letters to deliver. The officers thereupon went to take their orders from Baidjou, and every time they went and came they put on a fresh dress. When they returned again, the chief of them said to Anselm and his companions, " If you wish to see the face of our master, and present to him your letters, you must adore him as the Son of Heaven, and prostrate yourselves three times, for such is the order of the Kha-kan, avIio reigns over the whole earth." The monks considered that this sort of adoration might be regarded as a si^n of submission to the Mon- gol emperor on the part of the pope and the church, and that it would give great occasion of triumph to all the enemies of the Church in Asia. They refused, therefore, to consent to it, saying that they were willing to salute the Tartar general in the same manner that they would their own master; but that to agree to the proposal now made to them would be ignominious to the Christian religion, and that they would suffer death rather than submit to such a ceremony. To show, however, that they were not influenced in their refusal by any feeling of pride, they assured them that if Baidjou and his officers would become Christians they would not hesitate a moment to prostrate themselves before them, and to kiss the very sole of their foot, in honour of the true God. At these words the Mongols flew into a violent pas- sion. " What ! " they cried, " do you counsel us to make ourselves Christians, and become dogs like you N 3