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〃And what are you？〃 says the big； burly fellow。
〃A gentleman； I hope；〃 says the ragged chief。
〃'Tis yourself that says it；〃 laughs the German trooper。 The chieftain
snicks the knife from his armpit； and sticks him in the jugular as neat as be
damned。
〃You'd might take that out； Kevin Beg〃 the Irish chief points to the
killed man 〃and throw it in the canal。 Somebody might stumble over it
and bark their shins。〃
Now this； as you can conceive； roused a powerful commotion in the
room。 They were all on their feet； captains and mariners and men…at…arms；
cheering or grumbling； and arguing the rights and wrongs of the matter。
All but the sea…captain； who saw it all； and he never blinked an eyelid；
never even missed a draw of the pipe。
And then Marco Polo knew him to be a Chinaman； because； as all the
world knows； Chinamen are never surprised at anything。
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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