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do you harm。 。 。
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER IX
And so they went on eastward； ever eastward； and the moons were
born； grew； waned； and died。 。 。
They passed through Khotan； where the divers bring up jade from the
rivers； white jade and black jade； and green jade veined with gold。 They
passed through Carnal； the shameful city； whose women are fair and
wanton； whose men are cuckolds。 And they passed through the province
of Chitingolos； where are the mountains of the Salamanders。 They passed
through the city of Campicha； where there are more idols than men。 And
they passed through the great city of Samarkand； where the Green Stone is
on which Timur's throne was set。 。 。 And were born and died。 。 。
They passed through Tangut； where the men will not carry the dead
out through the door of a house； but must break a hole in the wall。 And
they passed through Kialehta； where there are snow…white camels。 And
they passed through the lands of Prester John。
And now they were in the Tatar lands。 There passed them lowing
musk oxen。 There passed them the wild asses of Mongolia。 There
passed them the barbarians； with their great tents on wheels。 There
passed them the black…jowled； savage； idolaters。 There passed them the
pretty white…faced women。 There passed them huge； abominable dogs。
And they came to the town of Lob； and a new moon arose； and they
entered the Desert of the Singing Sands。
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER X
Wherever they went now was sand； and a dull haze that made the sun
look like a copper coin。 And a great silence fell on the caravan； and
nothing was heard but the crunch of the camels' pads and the tinkle of the
camels' bells。 And no green thing was seen。
And a great terror fell on the caravan； so that one night a third of the
caravan deserted。 The rest went on in silence under the dull sun。 And
now they came across a village of white skeletons grinning in the silent
sand。 And at night there was nothing heard； not even the barking of a
dog。 And others of the caravan deserted； and others were lost。
And now they had come so far into the desert that they could not
return； but must keep on their way； and on the fifth day they came to the
Hill of the Drum。 And all through the night they could not sleep for the
booming of the Drum。 And some of the caravan went mad there； and
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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Messer Marco Polo
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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Messer Marco Polo
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 s