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 CORfRIGHT DEPOSIT- 
 
THE LAMP OF HEAVEN 
 
THE CONTEMPORARY SERIES 
 
 UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME 
 
 Laodice and Danae Play in Verse 
 
 By Gordon Bottomley 
 
 Images— Old and New Poems 
 
 By Richard Aldington 
 
 The English Tongue and Other Poems 
 By Lewis Worthington Smith 
 
 Five Men and Pompey Dramatic Portraits 
 
 By Stephen Vincent Benet 
 
 Horizons Poems 
 
 By Robert Alden Sanborn 
 
 The Tragedy A Fantasy in Verse 
 
 By Gilbert Moyle 
 
 Common Men and Women Rhythmus 
 
 By Harold W. Gammans 
 
 The Marsh Maiden And Other Plays 
 
 By Felix Gould 
 
 Omar and the Rabbi Play in One Act 
 
 By Frederick LeRoy Sargent 
 
 The Smile of Mona Lisa Play in One Act 
 By Jacinto Benavente 
 
 The Lamp of Heaven Chinese Play in One Act 
 By Mrs. L. Worthington Smith 
 
THE LAMP OF HEAVEN 
 
 A Chinese Play in One Act 
 
 ^ BY 
 
 MRS. L. WORTHINGTON SMITH 
 
 Boston 
 
 The Four Seas Company 
 
 1919 
 
Copyright, ipip, by 
 The Four Seas Company 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
 \ 
 
 •% 
 
 ^'% 
 
 For the right to perform this play address the 
 publishers, who are the author's representatives. 
 
 ■JLb.n 
 
 The Four Seas Press 
 Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 
 
 3)Cf.D 53854 
 
 /w^ 
 
PERSONS OF THE PLAY 
 
 Mee Fah Kam, a maid with bandaged feet. 
 
 Ho Git, her father. 
 
 Soo Ki Loo, her maid. 
 
 An American Officer, billeted across the street. 
 
 First German Soldier. 
 
 Second German Soldier. 
 
 Peter, a carrier pigeon. 
 
 Time 
 Boxer Rebellion, Summer of 1901 
 
 Place 
 Ho Git's Palace in Pekin. 
 
ORIGINAL CAST 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 Soo Ki Loo 
 
 Ho Git 
 
 First German Soldier 
 
 Second German Soldier 
 
 American Officer 
 
 Catherine Conrad 
 
 Josephine Hunter Ray 
 
 Detliv Tillisch 
 
 Capt. Thomas Waiters 
 
 Sergt. Victor Schultz 
 
 Lieut. Harvey Ray 
 
THE LAMP OF HEAVEN 
 
THE LAMP OF HEAVEN 
 
 It is midsummer in Pekin, in the year i^oi, at the 
 time of the Boxer Rebellion, 
 
 The room shown is an intimate chamber in the palace 
 of Ho Git. The scant furniture, all teak wood and 
 ebony, is of Chinese design. On the wall in front of 
 a .rich panel of embroideries inset with irregular 
 pieces of looking-glass, an incense burner sways in 
 the breeze. Two pale lemon-colored lanterns that 
 shade through greens and brilliant Chinese blues, 
 swing from the ceiling, their silk tassle and jade 
 strung cords jangling in the wind. The family 
 shrine, with its jar of incense burning before it, is 
 open. Through the wide window at the back of the 
 room the boughs of a cherry tree in full bloom wave 
 and toss like billows of pink foam. An impotent, 
 lazy luxury permeates the scene, and the langorous 
 manners of Ho Git are ringing echoes of his high 
 self-esteem and physical content. His long robe of 
 gay damask shows only a hint of trousers above his 
 long, white socks. His coat is richly ornamented 
 with jewelled buttons and metal threads. His left 
 hand carries long gilded nails on his third and fourth 
 fingers, his right sways a small, dark fan. 
 
 [9] 
 
Mee Fah Kam's garments are of a soft-blue satin. A 
 narrow silver galloon hinds the edges of her coat and 
 trousers. Her jacket is richly embroidered with 
 humming-birds, and a bright ornament at her neck 
 matches their ruby throats. Her hair is bound 
 closely about her head and looped fancifully over 
 her right ear where it is held in place with large, 
 carved jade pins. Her slippers are of cream bro- 
 caded satin. 
 
 At the rise of the curtain, Mee Fah Kam is leaning 
 far out of the window to watch some passer-by in 
 the street below. That someone catches her eye 
 and sends her blushing face back behind the dra- 
 peries, where she stands, looking out through the 
 maze of cherry blossoms to the snow-capped moun- 
 tains in the purple distance. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 [Strumming her omerti which hangs from its ribbons 
 over her wrist] 
 The world is just over there and I, I am here. 
 
 [She turns quickly at the sound of approaching foot- 
 steps and strikes her omerti a discordant blow. The 
 door flies open and Soo Ki Loo, a little maid, tumbles 
 into the room and salaams deeply, trying to touch 
 her forehead with her right hand and, at the same 
 time, keep the cage from falling out of her kimona 
 sleeve as she salutes her beloved mistress.] 
 
 [10] 
 
Soo Ki Loo 
 [Pulling from her sleeve a small willow cage that holds 
 
 a white homing pigeon] 
 
 Amellican man, him send you dove. Over the com- 
 pound wall him hand for you. Say "soldiers pillage, 
 if trouble Mee Fa Kam, release — and help from 
 heaven — come soon." 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Excitedly, reaching her long fingers through the bars 
 to caress the neck of the carrier pigeon] 
 American man? What name? 
 
 Soo Ki Loo 
 [Solemnly] 
 Offizer. Since war him live in Ling Chang house 
 — outside. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Drawing Soo Ki Loo to the window, and pointing 
 beyond the wall] 
 Over there? 
 
 Soo Ki Loo 
 [Pointing] 
 One — two — three. The lattice where the birdhouse 
 hang above, — that he. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Wishing to be alone] 
 Quick, rice and hemp seeds — and crickets. [As maid 
 protests.] Grasshoppers, then. Go. 
 
 [II] 
 
[When the maid is gone, Mee Fah Kam opens the 
 cage, takes the dove out and holds it caressingly 
 against her cheek and neck. She laughs as its 
 pink toes curl about her fingers, and lifts it 
 high over her head. Swaying it hack and forth 
 playfully, she snatches it to her mouth and kisses its 
 polished hill, crooning happily, in a haltingly sing- 
 song voice.] 
 
 "Life comes like a bird song 
 
 Through the open windows of the heart." 
 
 [Hearing steps in the corridor she places the dove hack 
 in the cage, and leaning far out, sets the hasket on 
 the wide casement at the side of the window where 
 her father will not see. As her father enters she 
 flutters down from her perch at the window, spreads 
 her arms and touches her head to the floor with 
 wilful ohedience.] 
 Honorable father! [She reaches the tea-tray and 
 
 pours a cup and slides it across the floor until it touches 
 
 her father's hand. ] Honorable father ! 
 
 Ho Git 
 [Sipping the tea slowly, and punctuating his words 
 
 with deep draughts] 
 
 My little Jonquil nods her head in the — sun — and — 
 sighs . . . Why does she — sigh? 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Impatiently] 
 But the jasmine flowers are sweetest outside the 
 garden, honorable father, and your pretty little Mee 
 
 [12] 
 
Fah Kam must sit and drink their fragrance with her 
 nostrils. Could I but walk and I would pluck their 
 august blooms and make a pillow for my feet to step 
 upon. 
 
 Ho Git 
 
 [Striking the gong at his side] 
 
 Soo Ki Loo will bring you jasmine and cherry 
 
 flowers and purple moon-kissed hyacinths. [Turning 
 
 as the maid enters.] Soo Ki Loo, flowers for the 
 
 daughter of Ho Git. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 [Waving away the suggestion] 
 Soo Ki Loo plucks them and they smell of her 
 fingers. I want them not, so. I would snap their 
 stems with my own hands, most excellent father, I 
 would feel the west wind kissing my hair. 
 
 Ho Git 
 
 [Lifting his eyes toward Soo Ki Loo] 
 Her peacock fan shall woo soft breezes to you to kiss 
 your painted cheek, and waters, tinkling in your foun- 
 tain softly, will tell of autumn clouds that hovered low. 
 [5^00 Ki Loo goes behind her mistress and languidly 
 swings the long-handled feather fan over her head. ] 
 
 The world comes to the feet of the august daughter 
 of the honorable Ho Git when she but speaks. She 
 does not walk. Her most excellent foot is too small. 
 
 [13] 
 
Mee Fah Kam 
 
 [Sadly defiant] 
 Her foot aches with pinching, and her heart flutters 
 to be free. 
 
 Ho Git 
 
 [Lifting his brows lightly] 
 My daughter's heart flutters from foot pinching. The 
 ache extends so far. [He slides his cup along the 
 floor for more tea.] My Httle Mee Fah Kam eats 
 none too Hghtly of birds' nest puddings and airy 
 nothings spun of sugar and nut-meats. The foreign 
 doctor gives a pellet for indigestion, and heart-aches 
 vanish in the crystal air. [Clapping his hands and 
 calling to the servant.] Soo Ki Loo, bring the great 
 doctor. Your mistress has eaten sweet-meats and her 
 palpitant heart is fluttering. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 [Rising from the floor and struggling to balance 
 
 herself.] 
 
 My august heart flutters not from sweet-meats, hon- 
 orable father. I tremble to see the gold-fish splashing 
 in the ponds outside the wall ; to hear the lisp of rice- 
 husks kissing the threshing floor; to feel the heaven- 
 bom mists kissing my brow. [Slowly but with grow- 
 ing excitement.] Mee Fah Kam would feel the dew- 
 wet grass bending beneath her feet. She would stand, 
 walk — [beating her breast with her clinched hands] 
 She would run alone. [In her eagerness she has 
 
 [14] 
 
reached too far out and is about to fall when her 
 father rises to catch her.] 
 
 Ho Git 
 
 [Unmoved] 
 
 I will close the ears of our worthy ancestors while my 
 daughter speaks foolishly. [He places Mee Fah Kam 
 with her back to the altar, closes the doors of the 
 shrine, and, with elaborate ceremony, pours fresh rice 
 in the bowls that flank the jar of burning oil.] 
 
 It is the big-footed daughter of the foreign doctor 
 that starts the dreams? The streets are filled with 
 hideous she-monsters whose heavy feet press down our 
 sacred ways. Ho Git's daughter does not walk. There 
 is no need. [Pompously waving his hand and lifting 
 one eye-brow ] Ho Git commands and the whole 
 world passes beneath his window. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 [Sinking to her knees in terror as the sound of a 
 shuffling mob comes in from the street, and the light 
 patter of a woman's feet is followed by a piercing 
 scream] 
 
 Worthy father, do the soldiers conie within our com- 
 pound ? 
 
 [A spent bullet crashing through the cherry blooms 
 sends a shower of snowy petals over the carpet 
 where Mee Fah Kam crouches in an agony of fear] 
 
 [IS] 
 
Ho Git 
 [Loftily unmoved] 
 I have not asked the pigs to eat of our rice or drink 
 our ambrosial tea. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Struggling to her feet as a door crashes in the hall 
 
 below and the thud of marching feet comes nearer 
 
 and nearer] 
 
 It is said that the soldiers of the heaven appointed 
 kaiser wait not for invitations, honorable father, Soo 
 Ki Loo, coming from the market, saw the wells out- 
 side the garden half filled with tender little maids, my 
 Sheima with the rest. 
 
 Ho Git 
 [Impatiently] 
 A soft maid's tale. Heed it not. The humble ser- 
 vants should be careful how they fall in. They have 
 heels. Let them run. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [In a hushed, frightened voice] 
 But your little Mee Fah Kam cannot run, respectful 
 father. I am a pale will o' the wisp floating above 
 the world. Over the marshes and up the mountain 
 side I beckon, and you come — if you will. I am a 
 purple orchid swaying 'twixt heaven and earth, draw- 
 ing my sustenance from the parent stem. I asked for 
 nothing and life was given me. I begged to live, and 
 it is only that I do not die. 
 
 [i6] 
 
Ho Git 
 
 [Frightened, but unwilling to comprehend, stands with 
 his back to the door as the sound of breaking glass 
 and curses and muffled moans shivers through the 
 room] 
 They cannot enter. The guards of the great Ho Git 
 
 surround the door. 
 
 [The door swings back and two German soldiers step 
 inside and bind Ho Git's arms and legs.] 
 
 First Soldier 
 [Imitating Ho Git's slow, flowery speech with tipsy, 
 
 gutteral accent] 
 
 The guards of the great Ho Git are sleeping soundly. 
 They were very tired. Let them sleep. They have 
 been sniping at our soldiers many days. Peace be 
 unto them. We bring them peace. 
 
 Second Soldier 
 [Laughing drunkenly and looking amorously across at 
 
 Mee Fah Kam_, who hides her face in the curtains 
 
 at the window] 
 
 Your servants ran away. The waters of your most 
 excellent well embraces them, worthy father. Fear 
 not. The little Mee Fah Kam shall be received less 
 coldly. 
 [While the soldiers are trussing up Ho Git, Mee Fah 
 
 Kam slips her hand along the ledge, draws in the 
 
 basket, opens it and tosses the bird high in air above 
 
 the cherry tree, then turns and stumbles over the 
 
 cage that has fallen at her feet.] 
 
 [17] 
 
First Soldier 
 [Catching Mee Fah Kam in his arms as she tries to 
 get past him] 
 
 Ah, my liddle birdling, my preddy liddle dove. Flut- 
 ter into my arms, impatient one, my liddle lamp of 
 heaven. [He bends her head hack and brutally kisses 
 her mouth and hair.] I bathe myself in your fragrance, 
 lotus blossom. You lo-af me ? Ye-as ? No-oo ? You do 
 NOT loaf? Then run away. I let you go. See, I 
 loose your arms. I bid you go. [He steps back 
 quickly as if to leave her, pushing her aside with seem- 
 ing gentleness, but as she stumbles on her bound feet 
 in an effort to regain her balance, he pretends to mis- 
 understand.] My passion flower will not leave me? 
 You do loaf, maybe, ye-as? 
 
 [The soldier tosses Mee Fah Kam over his shoulder 
 and starts to the inner room, but stops as the pierc- 
 ing strains of Yankee Doodle played on strident fife 
 and bellowing drums, float in through the window. 
 Above the flippant melody, the steady beat of 
 marching feet rumbles like distant thunder.] 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Tremulous with hope] 
 My American man! 
 
 First Soldier 
 [Disgustedly] 
 Damned joy-killers ! 
 
 Second Soldier 
 Yankee pigs ! 
 
 [i8] 
 
Ho Git 
 
 [ Wildly striking the gong with his bound fists, his face 
 aglow with mad abandon] 
 Amellica ! Am-m-el-lica ! AM-E-LLL-LI-CA ! 
 
 Second Soldier 
 [Kicking the gong across the room and striking Ho 
 Git's mouth to stop his inhuman bellowing] 
 Save your breath to cool your suey, old chink. No 
 one will hear. 
 
 First Soldier 
 
 [Again boastfully, now that the army has turned into 
 another street] 
 
 We've raped and swilled this street along. There's 
 none can stop us. We command. The maids all take 
 to their heels, but we let them go knowing that your 
 daughter, the lady Honorable Mee Fah Kam, will not 
 run. [Mocking before Ho Git with Mee Fah Kam's 
 stiff little body held across his outstretched arms, he 
 bows low.] Most august crippler of pretty pigeons, 
 for this we give you thanks. 
 
 [He turns back toward the inner room with Mee Fah 
 Kam struggling in his arms. Ho GiT is physically 
 motionless, but his eyes dart hither and thither about 
 the room. His breath is sharp and quick; hard 
 animal-like squeaks, high and shrill, cut the air as he 
 exhales. The soldier turns at the door, tosses his 
 hand gloatingly.] 
 
 [19] 
 
American Officer 
 [Climbing in through the window and the cherry-tree] 
 
 HALT! 
 [The First Soldier drops Mee Fah Kam, wheels 
 about, salutes and stands at attention. Second 
 Soldier slides through the door before the officer 
 is well inside the room. For one fleeting moment 
 the muscles of Ho Git's face struggle to reveal the 
 grateful inner man. The officer stands beside Mee 
 Fah Kam, a tender pity suffusing his wind-tanned 
 face. He ignores the soldier's salute and turns and 
 speaks, seemingly for Ho Git alone.] 
 It is an old practice, this binding of your daughter's 
 feet, and one some men might thank you for, but it is 
 not the American custom to prey upon captive birds. 
 We take to the open road when the ducks go over, 
 matching our aim against their flight. It is great 
 sport, Ho Git, and one you with your loaded dice can 
 hardly know. We are merciless, sometimes, and cun- 
 ning in driving our game to cover, but we are 
 sportsmen. We do not clip their wings. If we are 
 clever enough, and strong of limb and steady, we stand 
 to win. Ho Git, you lose. This is a nation of pretty 
 speeches and prettier maids who flutter modestly, and 
 a pack of impotent doddering fools. You bind your 
 women's feet as a sign of nobility, but what degrad- 
 ation do you bring to them? Outside your wall the 
 wells are filled with women and children. It's the 
 same in every street. You have eyes, you have seen. 
 You know why they ran. Does it mean nothing to 
 
 [20] 
 
you that maids with bandaged feet are never found 
 among them? What becomes of the high caste women, 
 your daughters who cannot run? Billeted across the 
 street, I protect your household. I heard when Mee 
 Fah Kam's messenger tapped at my window, but no 
 one was listening in the next street where Fah Gum 
 was weeping, and no help came. The great Lung's 
 pretty blossom will sing no more. 
 
 Ho Git 
 
 [Looking straight before him with unseeing eyes, his 
 
 face a block of wood but for the occasional quiver 
 
 of an eye-lid] 
 
 What is written is written. 
 [Mee Fah Kam bends over and listens eagerly. 
 
 Soldier still stands at attention.] 
 
 American Officer 
 [Sighing and seating himself near Mee Fah Kam] 
 What is written can be revised. In America, we do 
 things differently. With us the cage door is always 
 open. Our birds flit in and out at will. They spread 
 their wings and fly away singing and come home again, 
 because they are free. In my country the women 
 stand shoulder to shoulder with their brothers, equal 
 in body and in mind. They enter the race with no 
 fetters of our making. They can make their freedom 
 as great as our own. 
 
 [21] 
 
Mee Fah Kam 
 [Looking down at her bandaged feet and sighing wist- 
 fully] 
 Tell us — tell us more of this Heaven. 
 
 American Officer 
 [Picking up her omerti and hanging its ribbon over 
 
 Mee Fah Kam's arm] 
 
 Take your funny fiddle and sing of the rice fields. 
 That song you sing when the moon shines in. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Strumming lightly for a moment without singing, 
 and then frowning] 
 I, I cannot sing. 
 
 American Officer 
 [Prompting her] 
 "And blue the rice-pool water lay 
 Holding the sky." 
 That's the way it goes. I've often watched you 
 dreaming above your flowers like a little saint from 
 heaven. What were you thinking? What is it that 
 you think now? 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 [Spreading her arms before her and touching her head 
 
 to the floor] 
 
 Mee Fah Kam cannot sing when the honorable 
 father is bound. 
 
 {22\ 
 
American Officer 
 
 Then the "honorable father" shall be freed. Unbind 
 Mr. Ho, Kamarad, and report to your officer. Hurry, 
 we must have the song. Sing on, sing on. Light up 
 the lamp of heaven. "Alas my sorrow! Why—" 
 Sing on, sing. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 [Modestly strumming a few bars and beginning to sing, 
 and then leaning over toward him breathlessly] 
 And then — will— you tell me — about — the world — 
 
 over there ? 
 
 American Officer 
 [Mopping his brow in the American fashion] 
 Ye gods, Vd take you to it. [He starts toward her, 
 but drops back to his seat in the window.] A pale 
 will o' the wisp floating above the world ! Float on. 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 [Singing] 
 "Blue was the sky, 
 Blue was the sky. 
 And blue the rice-pool water lay 
 Holding the sky; 
 
 Blue was the robe she wore that day. 
 Alas, my sorrow! Why 
 Must life bear all away, 
 Away, away. 
 Ah, my beloved, why?" 
 
 (23] 
 
[The First Soldier has now unbound Ho Git. He 
 salutes and passes out quickly. Ho Git crosses 
 to the family shrine and pours fresh rice in the bowls 
 and lights new incense in thanksgiving to his 
 ancestors. ] 
 
 Ho Git 
 
 [Prostrating himself with great ceremony] 
 Most worthy ancestors, the great Ho Git is calUng. 
 [Mee Fah Kam looks at her father and starts to kneel 
 with him, but suddenly her face lights with under- 
 standing. She smiles whimsically at the Officer, 
 balances totteringly on her tiny feet, then holds her 
 hands out to him.] 
 
 Mee Fah Kam 
 
 Upon you I bestow my kindly recognition, and most 
 
 augustly thank for my celestial head. 
 
 [Swaying lightly as a reed upon the arm that offers 
 
 her support, she turns resolutely from her father and 
 
 the family shrine, and with the eagerness of a child 
 
 waiting for the promised story of the Fairy Prince, 
 
 points above the Officer's head and the cherry 
 
 blooms to the purple distance.] 
 
 Now, now tell me about the world over there where 
 
 the last word is not written, and the women's prayers 
 
 are graciously permitted to ascend to heaven on the 
 
 santol and clove-oil incense that carries their lord's. 
 
 [ With eyes half closed, chin lifted and nostrils dilating 
 
 [24] 
 
as she breathes deeply.] I SEE it in my dreams, this 
 AMERICA, where the glow in the heart Hke the 
 Lamp of Heaven leads on and on. 
 
 Ho Git 
 [Before the shrine] 
 Honorable mother ! Most worthy father ! Venerable 
 grandfather! You hear a cooing dove fluttering in 
 the sunbeams? It is my daughter, Mee Fah Kam. 
 [Opening the inner doors of the shrine and blowing 
 the cloud of smoke into the inmost recesses with the 
 fan that he draws from the neck of his kimona] The 
 INVINCIBLE one whose voice startles the night- 
 winds and frightens the thunder clouds back to the 
 mountains, — [bows with elaborate ceremony] is — 
 YOUR SON, HO GIT. 
 
 The End 
 
 [25] 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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