Part 18 (1/2)

(_An instant of silence follows his exit, then_ WONG FE _comes forward._)

_Wong Fe_

Peace to your hearts, honorable friends of Yu Tai Shun! He will depart with you.

_Ching_

Not yet. We must wait. Invisible chains cannot be broken. But they will disunite of themselves. Then he will come.

_Wong Fe_

I will send him with you to-night.

_Ching_

_You_ send him?

_Wong Fe_

Do you think I will divide his life so that the two halves can bear no fruit? That I will wait until he hates me for that ruin?

_Ching_ (_with laughter_)

Hates you, oh princess!

_Wong Fe_

Wait till I must glean in his heart behind a spent pa.s.sion?--like a poor widow in the track of a grain-cart?

_Ching_

The coral of your lips will defeat their command, Wong Fe. Near you he is a dry f.a.got seized by a flame.

_Wong Fe_

I tell you he will go! Wait in the orchard until you hear the first whistle of the boat. Then come for him. He will be ready. Go, honorable friends! He is returning.

_Ching_

It is useless. Your words may bite like winter, but his eyes will see only the Spring morning.

_Wong Fe_

Go, I beg you, go!

(_They pa.s.s out down the steps of porch._ WONG FE _hurries to a small table, opens a lacquered box and takes from it a stiletto, which she hides in the folds of her sleeve. She is dancing as_ YU TAI SHUN _enters, and sings as she dances._)

The thousand odors of Spring Are the thousand arms of love.

They find thee in the valleys, On the crest of the hills they reach thee; Till Spring bear no fragrance Thou canst not escape them, The thousand arms of love!

The orchard pool is a pillow, A pillow for the twin lotus, And the wings of the flying geese Are warm in the air of heaven; They drop to the shadowy lake-sedge, For sweet looks the earth from the roads of the sky, And in heaven are no cool gra.s.ses.