Page:Frank Owen - Rare Earth, 1931.djvu/206

 That which he had heard in the harbor had been little more than an echo. All night long the mingled laughter, shouting and singing continued.

An orchestra nearby was playing plaintive melodies, sometimes Oriental, sometimes gay bursts of music, occasionally an American or an English song rather distorted. He thought he recognized, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary."

That night he slept scarcely at all. He wondered if this Chinese journey would have any good effect upon him. What was the use of going on? His life was as distorted and jumbled as the pandemonium of sound about him.

In the morning after a light breakfast they went for a walk along the Nanking Road.

"Many people," said Hung Long Tom, "claim that in all Asia, The Bund at Shanghai is the most famous street because upon it can be found the finest of business houses but personally to me the Nanking Road holds more of romance. For the poet has written: