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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER IV
So Marco Polo goes over and salutes him politely。
〃I wonder if you mind my sitting down by you for a while；〃 he says。 〃I
perceive you're from China。〃
The sea…captain waves him politely to his place。
〃I'm from China。〃 He smiles。 〃You guessed right。〃
〃Is it long since you've been in China？〃
〃Well； that depends upon what you call long；〃 says the captain。 〃If you
mean time； it's one thing。 If you mean voyage； it's another。 For you've
got to take into account；〃 says he； 〃adverse winds； roundabout turns to
avoid currents； possible delays to have the ship scraped free from the
parasite life that does be attaching itself to the strakes； time spent in barter
and trade。 Other matters； too； the attacks of pirates； cross…grained
princes who don't want you to be leaving their ports with a good cargo in
your hold； sickness； loss of sails and masts； repairs to the ship。 It wasn't
a short journey and it wasn't a long one。〃
〃It will be a long ways to China； I'm thinking。〃
〃I can tell you how long it is from China to here； and you can reverse
that； and you will get a fair idea of how long it is from here to China。 I
left Zeitoon with a cargo of porcelain for Japan； and traded it for gold…dust；
and from Japan I went to Chamba to lay in a store of chessmen and pen…
cases。 And from Chamba I sailed to Java； which is the greatest island in
the world。 Java is fifteen hundred miles from Chamba； south and
southeast； and it took me four months sailing； but a sea…captain cannot
pass Java by； for it is the chief place for black pepper； nutmegs； spikenard；
galingale； cubebs； doves； and all the spices that grow。
〃And I stopped at various small islands from there； until I came to
Basma； which is the island of the unicorns。 And there we trade in
pygmies； which ignorant people think are human folk。 They are just a
wee monkey； with all the hair plucked out except the hair of the beard。
There is great money in them。
〃I stopped at Sumatra for cocoanuts and toddy； and just for water at
Dragoian。 Dragoian is not a good city。 It is filled with sorcerers who
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Messer Marco Polo
have tattooed faces。 At Lambri I put in for the sago you buy from the
hairy men with tails。
〃Son； never stop at the isle of Andaman。 The men there have faces
like dogs。 They are a cruel generation； and eat every one they can catch。
I could tell you a story； but I would not spoil this fine spring night。 Go
rather to the island of Ceylon； and see the King's Ruby； which is the
greatest jewel in the world。 I stopped there and at Coromandel for the
pearls the divers go down in the sea for； and there are no clothes on that
island； so that every one goes naked as a fish。 And there is the shrine of
Saint Thomas。 I was there。
〃Gujarat； Tana； I stopped there。 The Male and Female Islands I put
into for ambergris。 Svestra； which is full of magicians I was there； too。
Madagascar and Zanzibar； where they live on camel flesh； I was there。
And from Zanzibar I came north to Abyssinia； because I had to get an
ostrich there for the King of Siam。 And there was a letter and a parcel for
the Sultan of Egypt。 So I went to Cairo。 I had a month on my hands； so
I thought I'd run over and see Venice； because it's a hobby of mine； you
might say； to see the world。
〃Now let me reckon。 Four and three makes seven； and four more are
eleven； and six are seventeen； and let us say nine with that； and you have
twenty…six。 And the month I'm forgettng on the rocks of Aden is
twenty…seven； and a week here and a week there for bad winds and such
like。 It would be safe to put that at three months。 So it's two years and
a half since I left China。〃
〃You never；〃 says young Marco； 〃met anybody in China by the name
of Polo？〃
〃Poh…lo？ Poh…lo？ China's a bigger place nor you would imagine；
laddie。 There's half a hundred million people there。〃
〃These were foreigners；〃 Marco explained； 〃traders。 They were at
the court of the great Khan。〃
〃Polo？ Polo？ Well； now； I think I've heard of them。 Was one of
them a big red…bearded man with a great eye for a horse and a great eye
for a woman？〃
〃That would be my Uncle Matthew。〃
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Messer Marco Polo
〃For God's sake！ And was the other a cold； dark man； a good judge
of a jewel and a grand judge of a sword？〃
〃My father； Nicholas Polo。〃
〃For God's sake！ You're the son of one and the nephew of the other？〃
〃Did you know them？〃
〃Ah； laddie； how would I be knowing people like that！ Sure； they're
great folks； high in the esteem of the grand Khan； and I'm only a poor
sailorman。〃
〃But you heard of them。〃
〃I heard of them。 They were in good health。 And I heard they were
on their way home； though they would travel overland and not risk the
great dangers of the sea。 I suppose； if they go back to China； you'll be
going with them？〃
〃I don't know；〃 says Marco Polo。
〃You ought to see China。 It's a great country； a beautiful country。〃
〃It would have to be very great and beautiful；〃 says Marco Polo； 〃to
out…weigh the greatness and the beauty that are here。 You mustn't think
I'm running down your country； mister；〃 says he； 〃but for greatness； where
is the beating of Venice in this day？ What struck Constantinople like a
thunderbolt but the mailed hand of Venice？ When the Barbary corsairs
roamed the seven seas； so that it was no more safe for a merchant vessel to
be sailing than for a babe to be walking through a wild jungle； it was
Venice who accepted the challenge and made the great sea as peaceful as
the Grand Canal。 Who humbled proud Genoa？ And hurled the Saracen
from Saint John of Acre's walls？ Venice。 And as for magnificence； the
retinue of our doge when he goes to marry the sea with a ring it makes the
court of Lorenzo seem like a huckster's train。〃
〃It is a crowning city。〃
〃And as for beauty； sir；〃 went on Marco Polo； 〃there is nothing in the
world like San Marco's； and it ablaze in the setting sun； and the great
pillars before it rising in tongues of flame。 And was there ever in all time
anything like the Grand Canal at the dusk of day； and the torches
beginning to show like fireflies； and the lap of the water； and stringed
music； and the great barges going by like swans； now a battle…hacked
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Messer Marco Polo
captain of war； now a great gracious lady？ And the moon does be
rising。 。 。
〃You've sailed all the way from China and seen strange and beautiful
things； but I remember one summer's day； when I took out my little
sailing…boat and went out on the water to compose a poem for a lady； and
the water was blue oh； as blue as the sky's self； and the sands of the Lido
were silver； and the water shuffled gently over them； as gently as a child's
little feet。 And there was a clump of olive…trees there so green as to be
black； and there alighted before it a great scarlet Egyptian bird。 And the
beauty of that brought the tears to my eyes； so that I thought of nuns in
their cells and barefoot friars in the hollow lands； and they striving for
paradise。 What did I care about paradise？ A Venetian I。 So why
should I want to go to China？〃
〃You have made a great case for the grandeur and beauty of Venice；〃
says the sea…captain。 〃It is lo