He has a place of his own now, about
four storeys underground, where he tinkles on every sort of Chinese
instrument. Probably the lady would like to visit him. And I know a house
where children sing and dance. It's underground too; and the poor little
brutes, who go to two kinds of schools till nine o'clock, are at it till
midnight. But the lady needn't mind. If she doesn't go, somebody else
will, so the kids are kept out of their beds all the same--the more money
the merrier. You may get to see a Chinese funeral too, though I ain't sure
of one to-night----"
"I guess the lady wouldn't enjoy butting in at a funeral," said Nick.
"No, she wouldn't!" Angela added hastily. "But I should love to see them
playing fan-fan--isn't that what they call the gambling game?--and--and
smoking opium."
"Afraid the gambling can't be managed," said Mr. Jacob Schermerhorn, sadly
shaking his head, as if the good days were gone. "But you'd like a little
curio store I'll take you to--owned by an American lady married to a
Chinese, and wearing the costume. They sell relics of the fire. And a
joss-house is interesting----"
"But the opium smoking----" Angela persisted, suspecting that he meant to
slide off the subject.
"That's not easy.
Pages:
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281