Page:Frank Owen - The Scarlett Hill, 1941.djvu/125

RV 120 (THE PEAR GARDEN) The conch shell gives a long mournful wail and is used mostly by mariners at sea, but the Emperor acceded to the small man's wishes.

So now the little green man walked out into the center of the arena. On his conch shell he blew a long eerie blast. Oddly enough it went well with the proceedings, besides wakening a few of the older and fatter courtiers who were fast asleep and dangerously near the threshold of snoring.

The Emperor smiled as the "Lotus Man" departed with all the aplomb and splendor of a Duke. He tripped once and almost fell, but he righted himself in time and so his dignity, to say nothing of the dignity of the Court, was saved.

The blast of the conch shell heralded the approach of the gorgeous concubine of Prince Shou, accompanied by a score of dancing maidens, undulating like the clouds of spring. Their draped costumes were of many colors, blue, orange, pink, white and purple like the morning sky. Yuhan wore a long red cape; but its satin sheen was no more vivid than the ripe red of her warm, moist lips.

Ming Huang gazed on Yuhan enraptured. Li Lin-fu had handled his chosen assignment in a manner akin to genius. New honors would be heaped upon him for advocating this particular festival.

In Yuhan's singing was the music of enchantment:

I would walk down the Milky Way Into the clear blue sky, RV 120 (120)