Altogether, with the knowledge at
present available, this certainly seems the most satisfactory
interpretation of the old traveller's story." - H.C.]
CHAPTER LIV.
CONCERNING THE CITY OF MIEN, AND THE TWO TOWERS THAT ARE THEREIN, ONE OF
GOLD AND THE OTHER OF SILVER.
And when you have travelled those 15 days through such a difficult country
as I have described, in which travellers have to carry provisions for the
road because there are no inhabitants, then you arrive at the capital city
of this Province of Mien, and it also is called AMIEN, and is a very great
and noble city.[NOTE 1] The people are Idolaters and have a peculiar
language, and are subject to the Great Kaan.
And in this city there is a thing so rich and rare that I must tell you
about it. You see there was in former days a rich and puissant king in
this city, and when he was about to die he commanded that by his tomb they
should erect two towers [one at either end], one of gold and the other of
silver, in such fashion as I shall tell you. The towers are built of fine
stone; and then one of them has been covered with gold a good finger in
thickness, so that the tower looks as if it were all of solid gold; and
the other is covered with silver in like manner so that it seems to be all
of solid silver. Each tower is a good ten paces in height and of breadth
in proportion. The upper part of these towers is round, and girt all about
with bells, the top of the gold tower with gilded bells and the silver
tower with silvered bells, insomuch that whenever the wind blows among
these bells they tinkle. [The tomb likewise was plated partly with gold,
and partly with silver.] The King caused these towers to be erected to
commemorate his magnificence and for the good of his soul; and really they
do form one of the finest sights in the world; so exquisitely finished are
they, so splendid and costly. And when they are lighted up by the sun they
shine most brilliantly and are visible from a vast distance.
Now you must know that the Great Kaan conquered the country in this
fashion.
[Illustration: THE CITY OF MIEN WITH THE GOLD AND SILVER TOWERS]
You see at the Court of the Great Kaan there was a great number of gleemen
and jugglers; and he said to them one day that he wanted them to go and
conquer the aforesaid province of Mien, and that he would give them a good
Captain to lead them and other good aid.
