And he told her of Paul, who had seen a vision and gone preaching
through, the world, who was persecuted, who was shipwrecked, who was
bitten by a viper, and who survived everything that he might preach the
Lord Jesus. He was a fierce, ragged man with burning eyes... And he
told her of Paul's instructions to women...
"You do not look at me when you speak, Marco Polo. Only your voice
comes to me, not your eyes. Is it because of Paul?"
And Marco Polo felt great trouble on him, because he could not explain.
But Golden Bells went on:
"There is little in your faith about women, Marco Polo. Is it a faith
only for men, then? Is it against women? Must the young men not look
at the young women?"
"No, Golden Bells; the young men must not look too much on the young
women."
"But that is very foolish, Marco Polo. Is it wrong to see the beauty
of the almond blossoms, wrong to taste the scented wind? Is it wrong to
watch the kingfisher seeking his nest? Is it wrong to watch the moon,
the stars? All these are very beautiful, Marco Polo, so beautiful as
to make me cry. Is it wrong to watch them?"
"It is not wrong, Golden Bells. The glory of God is in the beauty of
his handicraft."
"Li Po is old and wise and a great poet, Marco Polo, and Li Po says
there is beauty in a running horse and beauty in a running stream; but
there is no beauty like the beauty of a young woman, and she letting
down her hair. God made the beauty of women, too, Marco Polo, as well
as the beauty of the stars. Won't you please explain to me, Marco
Polo? Why should Li Po say one thing and Saint Paul another?"
"But Golden Bells, Saint Paul is inspired of God."
"But Li Po is inspired of God, too, Marco Polo. You mustn't be
thinking little of Li Po. He is fat and old and drunken, but when he
sings, Marco Polo, it is the song of the wandering stars. But why must
not the young men look at the young women, Marco Polo? Why must they
not look with their eyes?"
"It will be hard for me to tell you, Golden Bells--"
"Look at me now, Marco Polo. Lift up your eyes and look into my eyes.
Is there evil in me, Marco Polo, that your eyes should avoid me as the
fox avoids the dog? Or maybe I am not beautiful. Maybe they told me
wrong because I was a king's daughter, and they would not have me think
little of myself. Maybe I am not beautiful, Marco Polo, maybe I hurt
your eyes--"
"Ah, Golden Bells, the little horned moon is not more beautiful."
"Then why must not the young men look at the young women, Marco Polo?
You are here to instruct me. Won't you tell me why?"
"Maybe--maybe--maybe it is for fear of sin, Golden Bells."
"Sin? Sin! Why should there be sin? I know sin, Marco Polo. They
have warned me against it since I crept upon the floor. There are two
sins. There is meanness, Marco Polo, and there is cruelty; and those
are the only sins. I know your heart, Marco Polo; there is no meanness
there. You would not have come here were you mean. The mean do not
travel afar for other people. And cruelty! Surely you would not be
cruel to me, Marco Polo. You would not be cruel to anybody, dear Marco
Polo. You would not be cruel to me?"
"Cruel to you, little Golden Bells! How could I be cruel to you?"
"But the sin, Marco Polo?"
"I don't know, Golden Bells. I don't know."