Dagger Magic

"Tibetan colonies were founded in Berlin and Munich in the mid-nineteen twenties," Jigme went on, translating over Tseten's voice. "It was rumored at the time that at least some of the individuals involved were black ngagspas - evil magicians - who had been recruited to work for the rising National Socialist Party. One such individual was a lama calling himself by the ancient title of Green Gloves. Legend holds that he who bears this title is possessor of the Keys to the Kingdom of Agarthi - or Asgard. These are not keys in any physical sense, but certain non-Buddhist teachings."

At Adam's nod of understanding, Jigme continued.

"As time passed, it became clear that, through these keys, Hitler and his followers hoped to obtain direct access to an Aryan root magic that they so ardently desired and sought. They sought it by other means as well. Whether or not these hopes were well-founded, Rinpoche does not know, but it is certain that the man then calling himself Green Gloves quickly gained a reputation for being able to predict the number of Nazi deputies elected to the Reichstag. Hitler is said to have consulted him frequently. Apparently he found reason to trust in Green Gloves's auguries."

Adam nodded. "Hitler's interest in such matters is well known," he said, "though 1 had not heard of a connection with Eastern disciplines. Did this extend into the war itself?"

Tseten shrugged and spoke again.

"Rinpoche was then a young monk in Tibet," came Jigme's translation, "so he has no direct experience of those days in Germany to speak with authority. However, it is said that when the Russians entered Berlin in 1945, they found one thousand Tibetan bodies in German uniforms, suicides all, bearing no rank insignia or identification. When this rumor came to Rinpoche's ears, he surmised that the individuals in question must have borne some connection with the Berlin Colony, which was suspected of practicing black magic - but he cannot affirm this for a fact."

The mention of Tibetan suicides stirred Adam's memory of his own clash, in the not-so-distant past, with a black magician also claiming Nazi connections, who called himself the Head-Master. On that occasion, a number of the Head-Master's initiates had yielded up their lives to their elemental patron in order to secure for their leader a measure of extra power with which to defend his citadel. Adam wondered if the thousand Tibetans found in Berlin might have been party to some similar working of black magic, designed as a last-ditch attempt to turn the tide of victory against the Allies.

Peregrine, meanwhile, was staring hard at his sketch of the figure from his dream, his hazel eyes owlishly round behind the gold-framed lenses of his spectacles.

"What about Green Gloves himself?" he whispered. "Did he survive the war?"

Tseten's response was a troubled frown as he shook his head and began to answer through Jigme.

"His fate is unknown," Jigme said, his eyes on his master's face. "Rinpoche presumes that the man then calling himself Green Gloves is dead by now, for of necessity, he would have been of mature years during the twenties and thirties, in order to have achieved what he did.

"As for the colonies we have noted - Rinpoche says it is probable that these were dispersed, their members left to fend for themselves as best they might. It was a time of great turmoil. It is possible that at least a few of these refugees found their way to Switzerland, black ngagspas among them. A number of Buddhist communities flourish there today - though he cannot imagine any of them having Nazi connections. Certainly, no Buddhist known to us would be involved with something like this," he finished emphatically, gesturing toward Peregrine's photographs and sketches. "Our beliefs demand that we respect all life. We do not kill anything."

McLeod heaved a gusty sigh. "Well, whatever else may be going on here, it doesn't sound like Green Gloves himself is likely to be a threat."

This utterance earned him a sharp look from Tseten, who immediately rattled off a vehement response in Tibetan. Jigme listened impassively, then turned back to McLeod.

"Are you aware how successors to such great lamas as the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa are chosen, Inspector?'' he inquired.

Looking slightly nonplussed, McLeod shook his head.

"You do know about the Tibetan Buddhist practice of deliberate reincarnation?" Jigme said, continuing at Mc-Leod's nod. "Very well. When a great lama dies, a search is instituted for a child with certain distinguishing physical characteristics who will recognize possessions of his predecessor and thus prove by this, and other means - perhaps visionary guidance and instructions left behind by that predecessor at his death - that he is the new incarnation of the spiritual Principle which uses the body of this official. A similar process is followed to establish lesser successions - even black magic successions, I fear."