Page:Frank Owen - Rare Earth, 1931.djvu/227

 It was the custom of Loo Zoo to have special rugs woven for his friends. Sometimes he included in the design a written picture by Tu Fu, Wang Wei or Li T'ai-Po. It was rumored that he also had special rugs which he caused to be woven for his enemies in which were potent spells and fragrant curses. But always Loo Zoo denied this.

"Of the personages of the world," he often said, "I am the least Naught have I of enemies. Humanity is my unstinted friend."

Loo Zoo was a queer personality. Tall, gracious, bland. His face was fat and perfectly blank. His deep-sunken eyes, shrewd and penetrating. He wore elegant clothes of blue silk or satin, trimmed with yellow. Without exception he carried a fan of sandalwood, sweet-smelling, set with ivory and jewels. For each day of the lunar year he had a separate fan which he waved constantly to keep evil spirits away. A fan to him was like a spiritscreen. Another of his affectations was an inordinate love of clocks which is a Chinese eccentricity. For time they have no regard