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poet for a minstrel； a wizard for an entertainer； but once the little blue
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shadow left her body； she was lost forever。 And the sight came to him of
little Golden Bells going down the dim and lonely alleys of death； and
weeping； weeping； weeping。 。 。Her eyes would be shot with panic； and the
little mouth twisted； and the little flowery hands twitching at each other。
And it would be cold there for her who was so warm； and it would be dark
there for her who loved light； and the Golden Bells of her voice would be
lost in the whistling and clanging of the stars as they swung by in their
orbits。 He to be in the great delight of paradise； and she to be in the blue…
gray maze between the worlds what tragedy！
Kings might bring her presents； a husband might bring her happiness；
but if he could only bring her salvation！ If he could only tell her of the
Bitter Tree！
The body； when you came to think of it； mattered little。 All the
beauty in the world could not endure more than its appointed span。 Helen
was dust now； and Deirdre nothing。 What had become of the beauty of
Semiramis； Alexander's darling； and Cleopatra； who loved the great
proconsul； and Bathsheba； for whom David of the Psalms fell from grace？
And Balkis； queen of Sheba； with her apes； ivory； and peacocks？ Dust
and ashes； dust and ashes！ And Scheherazade was but a strange； sad
sound。 Beauty increased and waned like the moon。 A little shadow
around the eyes； a little crinkle in the neck； the backs of the hands
stiffening like parchment。 Dust and ashes； dust and ashes！
But the little blue shadow would glow like an Easter morning。
Or it would be a poor； lonely； unlit shadow in the cold gloom of the
clanging worlds。
Poor Golden Bells！ Poor little weeping Golden Bells！ If he could
only tell her about the Bitter Tree！
And then what happens but his uncle Matthew claps him on the back；
〃How would you like to go to China； Marco Markeen；〃 says he； 〃and
preach religion to the benighted people！〃
〃How did you know； Uncle Matthew？〃
〃How did I know what？〃
〃That I wanted to go to China and preach religion to the the people！〃
〃Well； if that doesn't beat Banagher；〃 says Matthew Polo； 〃and
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Banagher beats the devil！ Tell me； did you ever hear an old tune called
'Bundle and Go！'？〃
And so the three of them leave upon their journey； but at Layas； where
the King of Armenia had his castle； they heard of the election of a new
pope； so they came back to Acre to get his instructions and blessing。
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CHAPTER VII
The pope said a grand mass for them； and at the gospel he enters the
pulpit； a burly figure of a man with sad eyes。
〃The blessing of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost be with
you and about you； Amen。
〃It is not to you； Nicolo Polo； that I wish to speak； nor to you；
Matthew Polo； for neither of you are my ambassadors to the Great Khan。
Merchant and sportsmen； I honor you； and you have my blessing； but you
have no hopes of mine。 The dirty diversions of the world are between
your eyes and glory；〃 said he。 〃It's only myself； an old and sorrowful
man； and this child； a young and hopeful one； can understand； old men
having sight of visions； and young men dreaming dreams。 。 。
〃Now in the matter of converting the Great Khan and his numerous
millions； first let wisdom speak。 I have little hopes。 He wants to be
argued into it； you see。 Religion is not a matter of argument。 It is a
wisdom that surpasses wisdom。 It drifts in men's souls as the foggy dew
comes unbidden to the trees。 It is born before our soul； as the horned
moon is born before our eyes。
〃And now； my child； you might say； 'What is the use of sending me to
China if he knows I cannot bring these millions into the fold？ My dear son；
there is the wisdom surpassing wisdom。 A great and noble thought
must not die。 Things of the spirit we cannot reckon as a husband…man
reckons his crops。 There is a folk on the marches of Europe； and they are
ever going into battle； and they always fall。 Their results are nothing。
But their name and their glory will endure forever。 。 。
〃My dear son； God has put wisdom in my head and beauty into yours。
Wisdom is needed for the governance of this world； but beauty is needed
for its existence。 In arid deserts there is no life。 Birds do not sing in the
dark of night。 Show me a waste country； and I'll show you a brutal
people。 No faith can live that is not beautiful。 。 。
〃The beauty God has put in your heart； child； you must always
keep 。 。 。How much I think of it I'll tell you。 I'm an old man now； an old
and broken man； and in a few years I'll stand before my Master。
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〃'What have you seen on my earth；' He'll ask me； 'you who followed St。
Peter！'
〃'Lord！ Lord！' I'll tell Him； 'I've seen mighty things。 I've seen the
bridegroom leave his bride and the king his kingdom； the huckster leave
his booth； and the reaper drop his hook； that they might rescue Your Holy
Sepulchre from pagan hands。'
〃'And anything else？' He'll ask。
〃'And I've seen a young man go out into the desert and over his head
was a star。 。 。'
〃You may think you have failed； child； but remember that in the
coming times your name and fame will awaken beauty； and many's the
traveler on the hard road will find his courage again； and he thinking of
Marco Polo。 And many's the young man will dream dreams； and many's
the old man will see visions； and they reading the book by the golden
candle…light； and many's the young girl will give you love； and you dead
for centuries。 But for this you must keep your dream。
〃Now you'll think it's the queer pope I am to be telling you things like
this instead of demanding converts。 But the wisdom that surpasses
wisdom comes to you with the Annointing of the Oil。 'I knew a man in
Christ above fourteen years ago；' writes Saint Paul； '（whether in the body I
cannot tell； or whether out of the body I cannot tell。 God knoweth。）
〃'How that he was caught up into paradise； and heard unspeakable
words； which is not lawful for a man to utter。'
〃Now you see there is a wisdom surpassing wisdom； and it is out of
this fount of wisdom I am drawing when I speak to you these words。
〃Child； I will not keep you any longer。 Only to say this； and this is
the chiefest thing： never let your dream be taken from you。 Keep it
unspotted from the world。 In darkness and in tribulation it will go with
you as a friend； but in wealth and power hold fast to it； for then is danger。
Let not the mists of the world； the gay diversions； the little trifles； draw
you from glory。
〃Remember！
〃Si oblitus fuero tui Jerusalem； If I forget thee； O Jerusalem；
〃Oblivioni detur dextera mea； let my right hand forget her cunning
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〃Adhaereat lingua mea faucibus meis； si non meminero tui； if I do
not remember thee； let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
〃Si non proposuero Jerusalem； in principis laetitiae meae； If I prefer
not Jerusalem above my chief joy。
〃I shall now send a prayer to Heaven；〃 he said； 〃to keep you safe in the
strange foreign ways； to protect you against wind and tempest； against
pestilence and sudden death； against the powers of darkness； and Him who
goes up and down the world