Page:Frank Owen - The Scarlett Hill, 1941.djvu/69

RV 64 (PORTRAIT OF AN EMPEROR) The Emperor was touched. He patted the little boy's head.

"But you will need your lovely chariot," he said.

"No, no," said the boy. "You take it to play with. My father this morning bought me a hobby-horse."

The Emperor smiled. He took the chariot. How could he refuse so gracious a gift? However, as he did so, he slipped into the child's hand a round piece of jade upon which was the seal of "The Son of Heaven."

In great excitement, the child rushed home.

The father noticed he no longer had his toy.

"Where is your chariot?" he asked, bluntly.

"I gave it to a man," was the reply. "Have I not a hobby-horse?"

The father groaned at such wastage. "You are very foolish, my son."

"The big man gave me this." The pudgy fist opened, disclosing the glowing bit of jade on which was the great seal of the Emperor.

The father gazed on it with awe and reverence.

"I wanted to put it in my mouth and let it dissolve on my tongue. Then I thought you would like to see it."

Shocked, the father gasped, "Would you eat the seal of the Emperor?"

"You gave me jade powder when my stomach ached."

"The stomach ache large enough for such medicine as this does not exist."

"But my jade, my jade, let me have my jade!" RV 64 (64)