Page:Frank Owen - The Scarlett Hill, 1941.djvu/106

RV 101 (THE PEAR GARDEN) floor of Phoenix Hall was the little domestic fox which, for two days, had been missing. He was wet, bedraggled, woebegone. On the polished marble floor he left a wet irregular line of footprints with here and there a dab of mud.

The President of the Board of Rites, the Ministers of State, the Archivist of the Censorate, a noble array of Princes and Dukes, an army of eunuchs, and the Generalissimo of the Empire all gazed on his appearance with horror.

Li Lin-fu made as though to drive him out. What right had he to affront His Majesty by appearing in such soiled condition? Several eunuchs hid their eyes from the awful sight.

But Kao Li-shih, the Grand Eunuch, smiled, for he understood the Emperor.

"Your Majesty," he said, "a small envoy approaches worthy of your attention."

The cat looked around as though saying, "What are you all staring at?"

Promptly the Emperor arose, a signal honor, and stepped forward smiling. At once, the cat leaped into his arms, mud and all, and commenced licking his cheek.

The officers and ministers were thankful that such a catastrophe had not happened to them, to spoil their elaborate, embroidered costumes. As for the Emperor of China, he looked as though he had been made Emperor of India as well.

That afternoon, the rain ceased. The sun tore aside RV 101 (101)