,kwan-yin ,,by ,,stella ,,benson ,floral heart ,bullet ,,the ,,temple ,,of ,,kwan-,,yin1 ,,goddess ,,of ,,mercy4 ,a wide altar occupies the whole of the back of the stage2 a long fringe of strips of yellow brocade hangs from the ceiling to within #c feet of the floor at either end of the altar4 ,in the centre of the altar the seated figure of the goddess is vaguely visible in the dimness2 only the face is definitely seen--a golden face2 the expression is passionless and aloof4 ,a long table about #ab inches lower than the altar stands in front of it1 right across the stage4 ,on the table1 before the feet of ,kwan-yin1 is her carved tablet with her name in golden characters on a red lacquer ground4 ,in front of the tablet is a large brass bowl full of joss-sticks the smoke of which wavers in the air occasionally obscures the face of ,kwan-yin4 ,there are several plates of waxen looking fruit cakes on the table two horn lanterns--these are the only light in the scene4 ,on either side of ,kwan-yin1 between the table and the altar1 there is a pillar with a gilded wooden dragon twisted round it1 head downward4 ,to the left1 forward1 is a large barrel-shaped drum slung on a carved blackwood stand4 ,four priests two acolytes are seen like shadows before this palely lit background4 ,one acolyte to the right of the table beats a little hoarse bell4 ,this he does during the course of the whole scene1 in the following rhythm3--#g-h-bj-g-h-bj4 ,he should reach the #ajeth beat at the end of the second hymn to ,kwan-yin4 ,the other acolyte stands by the drum and beats it softly at irregular intervals as indicated4 ,the acolytes are little boys in long blue coats4 ,the four priests stand at the table with their faces toward ,kwan-yin2 their robes are pale dull pink silk with a length of deeper apricot pink draped about the shoulders4 ,the priests kneel and kow-tow to ,kwan-yin4 ,the acolytes sing3 ,the voice of pain is weak and thin ,and yet it never dies4 ,kwan-yin--,kwan-yin ,has tears in her eyes4 ,be comforted 444 be comforted4444 ,be comforted1 my dear4444 ,never a heart too dead ,for ,kwan-yin to hear4 ,a pony with a ragged skin ,falls beneath a load2 ,kwan-yin--,kwan-yin ,runs down the road4 ,a comforter 444 a comforter4444 ,a comforter shall come4444 ,no pain too mean for her2 ,no grief too dumb4 ,man's deserts and man's sin ,she shall not discover4 ,kwan-yin--,kwan-yin-- ,is the world's lover4 ,ah1 thief of pain 444 thou thief of pain4444 ,thou thief of pain1 come in4 ,never a cry in vain1 ,kwan-yin--,kwan-yin4444 ,first priest--tenor--chants3 ,is she then a warrior against sin8 ,on what field does she plant her banner8 ,bears she a sword8 ,first and second priests--tenor and bass--chant3 ,the world is very full of battle2 ,the speared and plumed forests in their ranks besiege the mountains2 ,the flooded fields like scimitars lie between the breasts of the mountains4 ,the mists ride on bugling winds down the mountains4 ,shall not ,kwan-yin bear a sword8 ,third priest--tenor--chants3 ,kwan-yin is no warrior4 ,kwan-yin bears no sword4 ,even against sin ,kwan-yin has no battle4 ,this is her banner--a new day1 a forgetting hour4 ,her hands are empty of weapons and outstretched to the world4 ,her feet are set on lotus flowers1 ,the lotus flowers are set on a pale lake1 ,and the lake is filled with the tears of the world4 ,kwan-yin is still1 she is very still1 she listens always1 ,kwan-yin lives remembering tears4 ,at this point the smoke of the joss-sticks veils the face of ,kwan-yin4 ,a woman's voice sings3 ,wherefore remember tears8 ,shall tears be dried by remembrance8 ,this voice is apparently not heard by the priests and acolytes4 ,first and third priests chant3 ,ah1 ,kwan-yin1 mother of love1 ,remember ,those in pain1 ,those who are held fast in pain of their own or another's seeking4 ,those for whom the world is too difficult ,and too beautiful to bear1 ,all3 ,kwan-yin1 remember1 remember4 ,first and third priests3 ,those who are blind1 who shall never read the writing upon the fierce rivers4 ,who shall never see the slow flowing of the stars from mountain to mountain4 ,those who are deaf1 whom music and the fellowship of words have forsaken ,all3 ,kwan-yin1 remember1 remember4 ,first and third priests3 ,those whose love is buried and broken2 ,all those under the sun who lack the thing that they love ,and under the moon cry out because of their lack1 ,all3 ,kwan-yin1 remember4 ,first priest3 ,oh thou taker away of pain1 ,thou taker away of tears4444 ,the smoke quivers across ,kwan-yin's face again1 and the same woman's voice sings3 ,wherefore remember the desolate8 ,is there a road of escape out of the unending wilderness8 ,can ,kwan-yin find a way where there is no way8 ,still the voice is unheard by the worshippers4 ,first priest sings1 and while he sings the acolyte beats the drum softly at quick irregular intervals4 ,kwan-yin shall come1 shall come1 ,surely she shall come1 ,to bring content and a new diamond day to the desolate1 ,to bring the touch of hands the song of birds ,to those who walk terribly alone4 ,to part the russet earth and the fingers of the leaves in the spring ,that they may give up their treasure4 ,to those who faint for lack of such treasure ,to listen to the long complaining of the old and the unwanted4 ,to bring lover to lover across the world1 ,thrusting the stars aside and cleaving the seas and the mountains4 ,to hold up the high paths beneath the feet of travellers4 ,to keep the persuading roar of waters from the ears of the broken-hearted4 ,to bring a smile to the narrow lips of death1 ,to make beautiful the eyes of death4 ,a woman's voice again sings1 unheeded1 from behind the veil of smoke4 ,wherefore plead with death8 ,who shall soften the terrible heart of death8 ,all1 in urgent but slow unison3 ,kwan-yin4 ,kwan-yin4 ,kwan-yin4 ,kwan-yin4 ,the golden face of ,kwan-yin above the altar changes suddenly and terribly1 and becomes like a masque of fear4 ,the lanterns flare spasmodically4 ,the voice can now be identified as ,kwan-yin's1 but still the priests stand unhearing with their heads bowed1 and still the passionless bell rings4 ,kwan-yin1 in a screaming voice3 ,ah1 be still1 be still4444 ,i am ,kwan-yin4 ,i am ,mercy4 ,mercy is defeated4 ,mercy who battled not1 is defeated4 ,she is a captive bound to the chariot of pain4 ,sorrow has set his foot upon her neck4 ,sin has mocked her4 ,turn away thine eyes from ,mercy1 ,from poor ,mercy4 ,woo her no more4 ,cry upon her no more4 ,there is an abrupt moment of silence as the light becomes dim again ,kwan-yin's face is frozen still4 ,then the first priest sings4 ,what then are ,mercy's gifts8 ,the rose-red slopes ,of hills 444 the secret twisted hands of trees8 ,shall not the moon the stars redeem lost hopes8 ,what fairer gifts shall ,mercy bring than these8 ,for1 in the end1 when our beseeching clamor ,dies with our bells2 when fear devours our words2 ,lo1 she shall come hold the night with glamor1 ,lo1 she shall come sow the dawn with birds4 ,ah thou irrelevant saviour1 ah thou bringer ,of treasure from the empty sky1 ah thou ,who answerest death with song1 shall such a singer ,be silent now8 ,shall thou be silent now8 ,the #ajeth beat of the bell is now reached and there is a pause in the ringing4 ,all3 ,,kwan-,,yin4 ,the bell is rung slowly three times4 ,then there is absolute silence4 ,there is now a tenseness in the attitudes of all the worshippers1 they lean forward and look with suspense into ,kwan-yin's quite impassive golden face4 ,the lights go out suddenly4 99 99 99 99 99 ,one hundred copies printed by ,edwin ,grabhorn1 ,san ,francisco1 in ,april1 #aibb4 ,bound by ,florence ,grabhorn4 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible4 ,in the first paragraph1 a duplicated the has been corrected in only the the face is definitely seen4