Page:Frank Owen - The Scarlett Hill, 1941.djvu/127

RV 122 (THE PEAR GARDEN) Her lips were more crimson than cherries, pouting, sulking, laughing, merry.

A small green dragon with blazing eyes entered the arena. Slowly he came toward Yuhan and crouched at her feet. He seemed to have been carved of jade, so motionless he was and of such a pleasing color. Within the ferocious small body was the tiny "Green Lotus Man," proud of the part he was able to play in the pageant.

Li Lin-fu looked grave. He wondered how the Emperor would react to this symbolizing Imperial prestige. However, his face relaxed as he noticed that Ming Huang was fascinated. He beckoned to Yuhan. She came obediently.

"Rest at my feet," he told her. "Together we will watch the pageant of sports that follows."

Accompanied by the dragon, she mounted the steps, and sat humbly at his feet. Inadvertently, her cheek touched his hand. At that moment, the Emperor decided that she must belong to him. No longer would he despair; for having the concubine of his son, Prince Shou, he would have a woman of infinite variety, like unto the allure of a thousand beautiful women in one. It was a pity that she was not free. That was disconcerting, but not an unsurmountable obstacle. Now he was no longer angry because Prince Shou had refused to attend the festivities. He had gone into the mountains to hunt, or to pray. At that precious moment he did not want to have Prince Shou near him. The small RV 122 (122)