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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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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 lovely； surely；〃 says he； filling his pipe； 〃but
finer poets nor you； my lad；〃 says he； lighting it； 〃have tried to describe
the grace and beauty of Tao…Tuen； and；〃 says he taking a draw； 〃have
failed。〃
〃Tao…Tuen is a beautiful name。 It is like two notes plucked on a harp。
And it must be a wonderful place； surely； if great poets cannot describe it。〃
〃It is not a place；〃 said the captain； 〃it's a girl。〃
〃As for women； Venice 〃
〃Venice be damned！〃 said the sea…captain。 〃Not in Venice； not in all
the world； is there the like for grace or beauty of Tao…Tuen。 They call her
Golden Bells；〃 he says。
〃Is she a dancing…girl？〃 Marco asked。
〃She is not a dancing…girl；〃 says the sea…captain； 〃she is the daughter
of Kubla； the great Khan。〃
〃A cold and beautiful princess；〃 says Marco Polo。
〃She is not a cold and beautiful princess；〃 says the sea…captain。 〃She is
warm as the sun in early June； and she may be beautiful and a princess；
but we all think of her as Golden Bells； the little girl in the Chinese
garden。〃
〃Did you ever see her？〃 says Marco； eagerly。 〃Tell me。〃
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〃I saw her before I left；〃 says the sea…captain。 〃I was at the Khan's
palace of Chagannor；〃 says he； 〃seeing of the chief of the stewards was
there anything I could get for him； and I in foreign parts。 And as I was
being rowed back along the river by my ten brawny sailormen； what did I
pass but the garden of Golden Bells。
〃And there she was by the river…side； a little brown slip of a girl in
green coat and trousers； with a flower in her dark hair。
〃And I lower my head in reverence as we pass by。 But I hear her low；
merry voice； by reason of which they call her Golden Bells。
〃'Ho； master of the vessel。' she calls。 'Where do you go？'
〃And the sailors back water with a swish； and I stand up respectfully；
for all she is only a slip of a girl。
〃'I go to foreign parts； Golden Bells；' I tell her； 'to far and dangerous
places； into the Indian Ocean。 To the Island of Unicorns and to the land
where men eat men。'
〃'I hope you come back safe； master of the vessel；' she says。 'I hope
you have a good voyage and come back safe。 It must be a dreadful strain
on your people to think of you so far away。'
〃'In all this wide land；' I tell her； 'there is none to worry about me。 I
have neither chick nor child。'
〃'Golden Bells will worry about you； then；' she said； 'and you in the
hazards of the sea。 And take this flower for luck。' And she gave me the
flower from her hair。 'And let it bring you luck against the anger of the
ocean and the enemies all men have。 And let me know when you are
back； because I'll be worried about a man of China and him in danger on
the open sea。'
〃And wasn't that a wonderful thing from a daughter of Kubla to me； a
poor sailor…man？
〃The son of the King of Siam came to woo her with a hundred princes
on a hundred elephants； but she wouldn't have him。 'I don't wish to be a
queen；' she told her father。 'How could I be a queen？ I am only Golden
Bells。' Nor would she have anything to say to the Prince of the Land of
Darkness； who came to her with sea ivory and pale Arctic gold。 'The sun
of China is in my heart； and you wouldn't have me go up into the great
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coldness to shiver and die？'
〃So she remains in her garden by the la