“Hardly,” smiled Darley.
“The Wu-Fan,” cackled Ling Soo, “is mightier than an lion.” His voice and expression became solemn. “The symbol of the Wu-Fan is the ancient dragon — greater than the lion. But the enemies of the Wu-Fan — they are lower even than the jackal.”
“Then,” said Darley, “you believe that what I already know about the Wu-Fan is complete — that my previous report may remain unchanged?”
“Absolutely,” said Ling Soo, with an odd emphasis on the word.
“Tell me,” resumed Darley, “is the progress of the Wu-Fan continuing uninterrupted? Is your membership increasing? Are the new initiates responding as the old have done?”
“All who join the Wu-Fan respond the same,” declared Ling Soo. “What I have told you of the Wu-Fan, I shall repeat. It is the living spirit of old China — the Wu-Fan. It seeks not to do harm. It seeks only to do good.
“Those who believe in it are trustworthy. They rise higher in the order as they prove their worth. They are distinguished by the different badges of membership.”
“One must not judge the Wu-Fan by a single member any more than one should judge a race by an individual. There are traitors in the Wu-Fan, as there are traitors everywhere.”
“You punish them?”
“What does one mean by punishment? That is a question. We have no form of punishment embodied in our code. We place a ban upon the traitor. He is no longer allowed to mingle in the affairs of the Wu-Fan. We make it impossible for him to continue in our service. That is all.”