Chapter XVI
Roma was glad when she heard that Scobee and Hung Long Tom were planning a trip to China. Although she was only his stepmother she had all of a real mother's love for Scobee. It had been one of the saddest happenings of her life when he refused to accept her as his mother. She had always longed for children, yet always she had remained childless.
Scobee had accepted her as a friend, nothing more. The house was his mother for in the house was hidden the songs and dreams of his mother. She had never died. She was always with him. Roma longed to comfort him in his trouble but she did not know how to approach him. Still something had to be done. Then as ever Hung Long Tom with his suggested trip solved the difficulty.
Nobody ever argued with Hung Long Tom, perhaps because he refused to argue with anyone. He went through life softly and serenely. He had learned to subdue his own great grief. In a measure he was content Somewhere among the 'Essays of Montaigne' is written: "Life in itself is neither good nor evil: it is the place of good or evil, according as you prepare it for them. And if you have lived one day, you have lived all: one day is equal to all other days. There is no other light, there is no other night. This sun, this moon, these stars and this disposition is the very same which your forefathers enjoyed."
Hung Long Tom had lived his day, had lived it to the full, years and years before in the Chinese garden. Now there was only memory and Scobee. Often he had liked to think that Scobee was his own boy, son of Lotus Blossom. It was a delightful pretending. It had sweetened the hours of his life.
Of course Jethro made no opposition to their going. He was rather glad. Just to see the boy around, so strong and well-looking and yet so helpless was an awful ordeal for him. There must be hope. Perhaps Hung Long Tom in his wisdom could untangle the snarls into which the skein of their lives had been flung. For Hung Long Tom was a mystic. If Scobee was to be saved it must be through him. Jethro never stopped to consider why he felt so about Hung Long Tom. Nevertheless he believed him to be somewhat of a magician. Under his guidance that house had always been well-run. Yes, it was probably a good idea for him to take Scobee to China. There was a pressing need for change.
And then there was Dallis. Scobee told her about the long pilgrimage on which they were about to set out.
"Hung Long Tom," he said, "believes that a trip to China may do my eyes good. For years he has lived in my country, now for a brief interlude I will go to his. We have not planned our wanderings with any degree of certainty. Perhaps we will start from Shanghai. Maybe we will spend a while in the Gobi Desert."
"And in the meantime," broke in Dallis, "what's to become of me?"
Scobee drew his hand across his forehead. "I don't know," he said, "but something nice, I hope. I don't want you to go on waiting for me, Dallis, it isn't fair. Gosh, it may be years before I get my sight back, if ever."
"Don't you love me?" she asked simply.
"What do you think?" he asked in return.
"I guess you do," she whispered.
"It's far more than a guess," said he. "You're about all there is in the world. If you weren't such a swell kid I'd marry you and forget everything. Be utterly selfish. But you are four times too swell for that. I'll never marry you if I have to remain blind. And now I'm going away and I don't want you to promise me anything. We're not engaged. You are free and perhaps while I am gone you'll meet some other fellow and be very happy."
"Yeah," said she drolly, "if it were as easy as you say everything would be Hunky Dory. But you've overlooked the most important detail. I love you. When you go to China my heart will go with you. My thoughts will always be with you, Scobee, and I won't have anything left to fall in love with."
She thought it best at the moment to assume a flippant tone. She knew that under the apparent calmness of his manner, he was feeling pretty badly. "So you see," she went on, "there is no use in handsome men coming to see me. I don't want handsome men, I want you. You always used to call me a toad, you know, and a handsome husband for a toad wouldn't do at all. A Frog-Face like you, that's what I want. It is something awful the way I have to pursue you and keep throwing myself at your feet. But I'm going to continue doing it so don't let me hear that you have fallen in love with any sloe-eyed Manchu girl. You are mine."
At that Scobee scooped her into his arms. "You are a darling," he said as he hugged her to him. "Nevertheless, remember I am exacting no promise from you."
"Who cares?" said she. "Who cares about promises? Whatever you say, some day we are going to be happy together. Hung Long Tom says the future cannot be all black. For when you finished the portrait of your mother, the expression on her face was one of happiness. Well, she wouldn't be happy, Scobee, if your whole future was to be passed in darkness."
"With you and Hung Long Tom about," he drawled, "it's hard to remain gloomy."