_Bellows_ (_to himself, going_)

Lord, he's cool! (_Advising_ WARNER, _in cautiously lowered tone._) That's the way with the worst of them. (_Exit._)

_Warner_

Want me to stay with you, Philo?

_Philo_

No, father.

_Warner_ (_relieved_)

Good night, son. (_At door._) Mother'll send up some blankets. (_Exit._)

_Philo_

Blankets!...

(CURTAIN)

THE JOURNEY

BY

OLIVE TILFORD DARGAN

CHARACTERS

PRINCESS WONG FE, _bride of Yu Tai Shun_ SO SIU, _her friend_ PRINCE CHING MAKURO, _of j.a.pan_ YU TAI SHUN, _of all nations_

THE JOURNEY

SCENE: _Room in a farmhouse above Siangtan, where the Siang flows among hills. The rear of room has wide exit to a porch, beyond which show the tops of pear and peach trees in full bloom. Steps lead down to the orchard, and the orchard slopes to the river._

WONG FE _and_ SO SIU _present._

_Wong Fe_

My lily So Siu, has not the dishonorable color left my wretched cheeks?

Is not my face like the dough before it goes into the oven?

_So Siu_

Oh, my golden Fe, pearls in the dawn are no fairer!

_Wong Fe_

But these cow-girl's tatters! Would not my gown of meadow-green mist with the peach-gold underrobe make me less haggard?

_So Siu_

When your lord, Yu Tai Shun, returns from the hills he will say----

_Wong Fe_

Oh, what will he say?

_So Siu_

That the fairies have been your friends. They wove for you this robe of rose-leaves, and threw over you a gray cloud from the Witch's Mountain.

(WONG FE _trips gaily, then with sudden surrender begins to weep._)

_So Siu_

Have no shame, beloved of miserable So Siu. Water must follow the fire.

I am only a maid, but I know that when the honeymoon is without tears two pigs have married. Ah, wet my sleeve, my dear one, and not thine that will lie on the neck of the golden lord, Yu Tai Shun.

_Wong Fe_

When I awoke this morning the sunlight was on my pillow, but Yu Tai Shun was gone. All day I have not seen his face. And now the last swallow has left the sky.

_So Siu_

Why did Prince Ching and the young j.a.panese choose this day to be guests of Yu Tai Shun? It is sad for the wife when the friends of her lord find her alone. Yu Tai Shun will beat his doorstep for not calling him.

_Wong Fe_

He will! Prince Ching is almost his father. May his age climb as the hills, always nearer the sky!

_So Siu_

Indeed, you would be sitting alone in a cloud of sighs, not fast wedded to the bringer of dawn, Yu Tai Shun, if Prince Ching had not won his way to your brothers, the mighty princes, Wong Li and Wong Sen.