And as I gaze
Thereon
A little lady
Walks slowly down
The steps
And bows before me.
There is no light
Within the lantern burning.
The light is from
The eyes
Of my Pagoda Girl."
It was Mang who tended to the decorations of the rooms, the hanging of the tapestries and written pictures, the arrangements of the rugs.
Three of the brothers, Yao, Siang and Lien were gardeners and so well did they pursue their trade the flowers that grew about the house of Hung Long Tom were more beautiful than any others in all Canton. Their father had taught them all he knew. For hundreds of years the family of Cheng Foong had been horticulturists. Servants they had remained, yet they were specialists in their chosen fields.
And sometimes by the strange will of Destiny
