Thus six of
these damsels take their turn for three days and nights, and wait on him
when he is in his chamber and when he is in his bed, to serve him in any
way, and to be entirely at his orders. At the end of the three days and
nights they are relieved by other six. And so throughout the year, there
are reliefs of maidens by six and six, changing every three days and
nights.[NOTE 3]
[Illustration: Portrait of Kublai Kaan. (From a Chinese Engraving.)]
NOTE 1. - We are left in some doubt as to the colour of Kublai's eyes, for
some of the MSS. read vairs and voirs, and others noirs. The former
is a very common epithet for eyes in the mediaeval romances. And in the
ballad on the death of St. Lewis, we are told of his son Tristram: -
"Droiz fu comme un rosel, iex vairs comme faucon,
Des le tens Moysel ne nasqui sa facon."
The word has generally been interpreted bluish-grey, but in the passage
just quoted, Fr.-Michel explains it by brillans. However, the evidence
for noirs here seems strongest. Rashiduddin says that when Kublai was
born Chinghiz expressed surprise at the child's being so brown, as its
father and all his other sons were fair.
