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〃Did my father or I ever do anything to you； Li Po； that you should
make a song such as they sing in the market…place？〃
〃What song？〃
〃The Song of the Cockatoo。〃
〃I don't remember。〃
〃I'll remind you； Li Po。 'There alighted on the balcony of the King of
Annam；' the song goes； 'a red cockatoo。 It was colored as a peach…tree…
blossom and it spoke the tongue of men。 And the King of Annam did to
it what is always done to the learned and eloquent。 He took a cage with
stout bars； and shut up inside。' And wasn't that the cruel thing to write！
And are you so imprisoned here； Li Po？ Ah； Li Po； I'm thinking hard of
you； I'm thinking hard。〃
〃Well； now； Golden Bells； to tell you the truth there was no excuse for
it。 But often times I do be feeling sad； and thinking of the friends of my
youth who are gone。 Yuan Chen； who might have been a better poet nor
me； if he had been spared； and H'sieng…yang and Li Chien； too。 Ah； they
were great poets； Golden Bells。 They never sang a poor song； Golden
Bells； that they might wear a fine coat。 And they'd write what was true；
wee mistress； were all the world to turn from them。 And I'm the laureate
now； the court singer； living in my glory； and they're dead with their
dreams。 I'm the last of the seven minstrels。 And； wee Golden Bells； I
do be thinking long。
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〃And sometimes an old woman in the street or a man with gray in his
hair will lift a song； and before the words come to me； there's a pain in my
heart。
〃And I go down to the drinking booths； and the passion of drinking
comes on me a fury against myself and a fury against the world。 And the
folk do be following me to see will I let drop one gem of verse that they
can tell their grandchildren they heard from the lips of Li Po。 And when
my heart is high with the drinking； I take a lute from a traveling poet； and
not knowing what I'm saying； I compose the song。 Out of fallow sorrow
bloom the little songs。 You mustn't be hard on an old man； wee Golden
Bells； and he thinking long for his dead friends。〃
〃Ah； poor Li Po；〃 she said； and she had grown all soft again。 〃Is it so
terrible to be old？〃
〃Now you ask me a question； Golden Bells； and I'll give you an
answer。 Besides； it's part of my duties to teach you wisdom。 Now； it is
not a terrible thing； at all； at all； to be old。 I see the young folk start out
in life； and before them； there's the showers of April； there's wind and heat
and thunder and lightning。 But I'm in warm； brown October； and all of
it's gone by me。 And in a little while I'll sleep； and 'tis I need it； God help
me！ The old don't sleep much； wee Golden Bells； so 'tis a comfort to
look forward to one's rest after the hardness of the world。 In a hundred
or more years or five hundred； just as the fancy takes me； I'll wake up for a
while and wander down the world to hear the people sing my songs； and
then I'll go back to my sleep。〃
And she was going to ask him another question when the Sanang came
up。 The magician was a thick man with merry eyes and a cruel mouth。
〃Golden Bells；〃 he says； 〃there's rare entertainment in the crystal
glass。〃
〃What is it； Sanang！〃
〃The warlocks of the Gobi have a young lad down； and they're waiting
until the soul comes out of his body。 Come； I'll show you。〃
And in the crystal glass he showed her Marco Polo； and the knees
going from under him in the roaring sands。 She gave a quick cry of pity。
〃Oh； the poor lad！〃
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Messer Marco Polo
Sanang chuckled。 〃He started out with a big caravan to preach what
he thought was a truth to China。 I've been watching him all along； and
it's been rare sport。 I knew it would come to this。〃
〃Couldn't you save him； Sanang？〃 she cried。 〃O； Sanang； he's so
young； and he set out to come to us。 Couldn't you save him？〃
〃Well； I might。〃 Sanang was not pleased。 〃It'll be a while before
the shadow comes out of him。 But it would be rare sport to watch and
see the warlocks and the ghouls and the goblins set on it the way terriers
do be setting on an otter。〃
〃Oh； save him； Sanang！ Save him！〃
〃Now； Golden Bells； I might be able to save him； and again I
mightn't。〃
〃Save him； Sanang！〃 Li Po broke in。 〃Save him the way the wee
one wants。 For if you don't； Sanang； I'll write a song about you that'll be
remembered for generations； and they'll point out your grandchildren and
your grandchildren's grandchildren； and they'll laugh and sing Li Po's
song：
〃'There was a fat worm who considered himself a serpent '〃
〃Oh； now； Li Po； for God's sake； let you not be composing poems on
me； for 'tis you have the bitter tongue。 Promise me now； and I'll save him。
We'll send for the keeper of the khan's drums。〃
And they sent for the keeper； and Sanang gave a message to be put on
the Speaking Drums。
〃Let you now；〃 he told his helper； 〃get me the Distant Ears。〃
And the helper brought him the Golden Ears； which were the like of a
great bird's wings； and he put them on his head and he listened。
〃I hear the drums of the battlements；〃 he said； 〃。 。 。and I hear the
Drums of the Hill of Graves。 。 。〃
And he listened a while； and Golden Bells was white。
〃I hear the Drums of the Dim Mountain；〃。 。 。and for a while he said
nothing。
〃Those would be the drums of Yung Chang。 。 。〃
〃I hear the Drums of Kai Yu Kwan；〃 he said。
〃Yes； Sanang； yes。〃 Little Golden Bells was one quiver of fear。
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Messer Marco Polo
〃I hear the Drums of the Convent of the Red Monks；〃 said Sanang。 〃I
hear drums calling the Tatar tribes。 。 。I hear the slap of saddles。 I hear the
jingle of bits。 。 。I hear galloping ponies。 。 。〃
〃Yes； Sanang； Oh； hurry； Sanang！ hurry！〃
He listened a little while longer； and then he took off the Distant Ears。
〃Your man's saved；〃 he said。
Then little Golden Bells laughed and then she cried。 She caught Li
Po's hand and laughed again and again she cried。 Sanang shook his head
to get out of his ears the deafening noises of the world。 And Li Po smiled
out of his sad eyes。
〃I think I'll go and write a marriage…song； Golden Bells。
〃Whom will you write the marriage…song for； Li Po？〃
〃I'll write it for you； Golden Bells。〃
〃But I'm not going to be married； Li Po。 There is no one。 I love no
one； Li Po。 I do not。 I do not； indeed。〃
〃Then take your lute and sing me the 'Song of the Willow Branches；'
which is the saddest song in the world。〃
She shook her head； and blushed。 〃I cannot sing that song； Li Po。 I
don't feel like singing that song。〃
〃Then I must write you another song； Little Golden Bells。 。 。〃
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER XIII
And now when Marco Polo was rested and had recovered； they
brought him from the Convent of the Red Monks to where the khan was in
the city of Chandu。 Now； there were two palaces in Chandu； there was
the winter palace； which was of marble； and the summer palace； which
was of gilt cane。 Around these palaces there was built a wall sixteen
miles in compass； and inside of it was a park of fountains； and rivers and
brooks with the speckled trout in them； and meadows with the lark at her
ease in the grass； and trees of all varieties where the little birds do be
building and none to grudge them a home。 And all the wild animals were
abundant； the timid hare and the wild deer and the wee croaking frogs；
long…legged colts by their white mothers； and little dogs tumbling over
themselves with the sport of spring。 Brown b