London: Cresset Press, 1942. Octavo, beige cloth. pp (x), 249. Ink gift inscription at front, page edges yellowed, light yellowing to endpapers, else a VG+ copy. The thin wartime jacket (art by Roger Furse) has a bit darkend spine, with a chip at head and near centre, but no lettering lost; slightly foxed and yellowed; just good, but still respectable in appearance. Chinese man at his writing table on front panel. A novel set in 8th century Ming China, a story on a scroll uncovered in an old tomb. Prequel to his novel PEONY.