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fled screaming into the waste。
And now there was only a great haze about them； and they looked at
one another with terror； saying： 〃Were we ever any place where green was；
where birds sang； or there was sweet water？ Or maybe we are dead。 Or
maybe this was all our life； and the pleasant towns； and the lamplight in
the villages； and the apricots in the garden； and our wives and children；
maybe they were all a dream that we woke in the middle of。 Let us lie
down and sleep that we may dream again。〃
But Marco Polo would not let them lie down； for to lie down was
death。 But he drove them onward。 And again they complained： 〃Surely
God never saw this place that He left it so terrible。 Surely He was never
here。 He was never here。〃
And now that their minds were pitched to the height of madness； the
warlocks of the desert took shape and jeered at them； and the white…
sheeted ghosts flitted alongside of them； and the goblins of the Gobi
harried them from behind。 And the sun was like dull copper through the
haze； and the moon like a guttering candle； and stars there were none。
And when the moon was at its full； they came to the Hill of the Bell。
And through the night the Bell went GONGH； GONGH； GONGH； until
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they could feel it in every fiber of their bodies； and their skin itched with it。
They would stop their ears。 But they would hear it in the palms of their
hands and the soles of their feet。 GONGH； GONGH； GONGH。
And when they left the Hill of the Bell there were only six of the
caravan left； and a multitude of white…sheeted ghosts。 And the caravan
plodded onward dully。 And now the warlocks of the desert played
another cruelty。 Afar off they would put a seeming of a lake； and the
travelers would press on gladly； crying； 〃There is water！ Water！ God
lives！ God lives！〃 But there was only sand。 And now it would be a
green vision； and they would cry： 〃We have come to the edge of the desert。
After the long night； dawn。 God lives！ God lives！〃 But there would be
only sand； sand。 And now it would be a city of shining domes in the
distance。 And they would nudge one another and croak； 〃There are men
there； brother； secure streets； and merchants in their booths； people to talk
with； and water for our poor throats。〃 But there would be only sand； sand；
sand。 。 。 And they would cry like children。 〃God is dead！ Haven't you
heard？ Don't you know？ God is dead in His heaven； and the warlocks
are loosed on the land！〃
And on the last day of the moon they were all but in sight of the
desert's edge； though they didn't know。 And the goblins and the warlocks
took counsel； for they were now afraid Marco and his few people would
escape。 They gathered together and they read the runes of the Flowing
Sand。
And suddenly the camels rushed screaming into the desert with sudden
panic； and a burning wind came； and the sands rose； and the desert heeled
like a ship； and the day became night。
And young Marco Polo could stand no more。 That was the end； the
end of him； the end of the world； the end of everything。 There was red
darkness every where； and he could see nobody。 〃O my Lord Jesus！〃 he
cried。 〃O little Golden Bells！〃 The wind boomed like an organ。 The
sand screamed。 〃O my Lord Jesus！ O little Golden Bells！〃 And the
voices of his father and uncle were like the tweeting birds。 〃Where's the
lad； Matthew？ Where's our lad？〃 〃Mark； Mark； where have you got to？
Lad of our heart； where are you？〃 But they couldn't find each other。
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Messer Marco Polo
The sand buffeted them like shuttlecocks。 〃Boy Mark！〃 The sand snarled
like a dog； the wind hammered like drums。 〃Oh； Golden Bells！ O； little
Golden Bells！ O； my Lord Jesus； must it end here ？〃
And the fight went out of him； and a big sob broke in him； and he lay
down to die。 。 。
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER XI
I shall now tell you of Golden Bells； and her in the Chinese Garden。
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CHAPTER XII
I would have you now see her as I see her； standing before Li Po； the
great poet； in her green costume。 And Li Po； big； fat； with sad eyes and a
twisted mouth； uncomfortable as be damned。 The sun shone in the
garden； the butterflies； the red and black and golden butterflies； flitted
from blossom to blossom。 And the bees droned。 And on the banks of the
green lake the kingfisher tunneled his wee house； and the wind shook the
blossoms of the apple…trees。 And Li Po sat on the marble slab and was
very uncomfortable。 And in a dark bower was Sanany； the magician；
brooding like an owl。 And Golden Bells stood before Li Po； and there
were hurt tears in her eyes。
〃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 sa