THE POOR MAN
By
STELLA BENSON
THE POOR MAN
BY
STELLA BENSON
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1923
All rights reserved
Copyright, 1923,
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and electrotyped. Published January, 1923.
Press of
J. J. Little & Ives Company
New York, U. S. A.
Temple of Kwan-Yin. A wide altar occupiesthe whole of the back of the stage; a long fringeof strips of yellow brocade hangs from the ceilingto within three feet of the floor at either end of thealtar. In the centre of the altar the seated figureof the goddess is vaguely visible in the dimness;only the face is definitely seen—a golden face; theexpression is passionless and aloof. A long tableabout 12 inches lower than the altar stands in frontof it, right across the stage. On the table, beforethe feet of Kwan-yin, is her carved tablet with hernames in golden characters on a red lacquer ground.In front of the tablet is a large brass bowl full ofjoss-sticks, the smoke of which wavers in the air andoccasionally obscures the face of Kwan-yin. Thereare several plates of waxen-looking fruit and cakeson the table and two horn lanterns; these are theonly light on the scene. On either side of Kwan-yin,between the table and the altar, there is a pillarwith a gilded wooden dragon twisted round it, head[2]downward. To the left, forward, is a large barrel-shapeddrum slung on a carved blackwood stand.
Four priests and two acolytes are seen likeshadows before this palely lit background. Oneacolyte to the right of the table beats a little hoarsebell. This he does during the course of the wholescene, in the following rhythm:—7—8—20—7—8—20.He should reach the 105th beat at the end ofthe second hymn to Kwan-yin. The other acolytestands by the drum and beats it softly at irregularintervals. The acolytes are little boys in long bluecoats. The four priests stand at the table with theirfaces toward Kwan-yin; their robes are pale pinksilk with a length of deeper apricot pink drapedabout the shoulders.
The priests kneel and kow-tow to Kwan-yin.The acolytes sing: