Page:Frank Owen - The Scarlett Hill, 1941.djvu/21

 have been Prince Shou had he been aware that he had been nosed out of her affections by Punch and Judy of all people, nor would he have been mollified by the fact that it was for but a brief moment.

At last, with reluctance, Yuhan turned away. Her uncle was insistent. He had noticed a drug vendor but a short distance away, and medicine to him was indeed a drug. He liked purple medicines, or failing that, dark vegetation green. Whenever he traveled through the Provinces, in every city he walked through Medicine Street as adventurers seek out hills and valleys. For a thousand li in every direction there was scarcely a drug shop unacquainted with his footsteps. Though his health was well-nigh perfect he irritated it with enough medicines to drown all the ailments recognized by the Clio Medica of China. He drank medicine with as keen a relish as men usually drink warm wine, and a great day it was for him when he discovered a new cure. But tonight he was disappointed. The itinerant merchant was displaying only perfumes. To cover his chagrin, he purchased a small vial for Yuhan. It was called "A Thousand Hours of Love," a blending of musk and apricot blossoms. It made her very happy.

As they walked on, Uncle Yang's stomach growled with disappointment When he reached home, he would take a draught of the brew of three "Great Blessing Pills," the ingredients of which were ten drugs for ten diseases. Surely one of them would ease his discomfort. He refused to believe it was only excessive vexation. Meanwhile he continued to munch almonds,