For many hours Ling remained in his room, examining in his mind all
passages, either in his own life or in the lives of others, which might
by any chance have influence on the event before him. In this thorough
way he became assured that the competition and its results, his journey
to Si-chow with the encounter in the cypress wood, the flight of the
incapable and treacherous Mandarin, and the battle of Ki, were all,
down to the matter of the smallest detail, parts of a symmetrical and
complete scheme, tending to his present condition. Cheered and upheld
by this proof of the fact that very able deities were at work on
his behalf, he turned his intellect from the entrancing subject to a
contemplation of the manner in which his condition would enable him to
frustrate the uninventive villainies of the obstinate person Li Keen,
and to provide a suitable house and mode of living to which he would be
justified in introducing Mian, after adequate marriage ceremonies had
been observed between them. In this endeavour he was less successful
than he had imagined would be the case, for when he had first fully
understood that his body was of such a substance that nothing was
wanting to transmute it into fine gold but the absence of the living
spirit, he had naturally, and without deeply examining the detail,
assumed that so much gold might be considered to be in his possession.
Now, however, a very definite thought arose within him that his own
wishes and interests would have been better secured had the benevolent
spirits who undertook the matter placed the secret within his knowledge
in such a way as to enable him to administer the fluid to some very
heavy and inexpensive animal, so that the issue which seemed inevitable
before the enjoyment of the riches could be entered upon should not
have touched his own comfort so closely. To a person of Ling’s refined
imagination it could not fail to be a subject of internal reproach that
while he would become the most precious dead body in the world, his
value in life might not be very honourably placed even by the most
complimentary one who should require his services. Then came the
thought, which, however degraded, he found himself unable to put quite
beyond him, that if in the meantime he were able to gain a sufficiency
for Mian and himself, even her pure and delicate love might not be able
to bear so offensive a test as that of seeing him grow old and remain
intolerably healthy--perhaps with advancing years actually becoming
lighter day by day, and thereby lessening in value before her eyes--when
the natural infirmities of age and the presence of an ever-increasing
posterity would make even a moderate amount of taels of inestimable
value.
No doubt remained in Ling’s mind that the process of frequently making
smooth his surfaces would yield an amount of gold enough to suffice for
his own needs, but a brief consideration of the matter convinced him
that this source would be inadequate to maintain an entire household
even if he continually denuded himself to an almost ignominious extent.
As he fully weighed these varying chances the certainty became more
clear to him with every thought that for the virtuous enjoyment of
Mian’s society one great sacrifice was required of him. This act, it
seemed to be intimated, would without delay provide for an affluent
and lengthy future, and at the same time would influence all the
spirits--even those who had been hitherto evilly-disposed towards
him--in such a manner that his enemies would be removed from his path
by a process which would expose them to public ridicule, and he would be
assured in founding an illustrious and enduring line. To accomplish this
successfully necessitated the loss of at least the greater part of one
entire member, and for some time the disadvantages of going through an
existence with only a single leg or arm seemed more than a sufficient
price to pay even for the definite advantages which would be made
over to him in return. This unworthy thought, however, could not long
withstand the memory of Mian’s steadfast and high-minded affection,
and the certainty of her enlightened gladness at his return even in the
imperfect condition which he anticipated. Nor was there absent from his
mind a dimly-understood hope that the matter did not finally rest with
him, but that everything which he might be inspired to do was in reality
only a portion of the complete and arranged system into which he had
been drawn, and in which his part had been assigned to him from the
beginning without power for him to deviate, no matter how much to the
contrary the thing should appear.
As no advantage would be gained by making any delay, Ling at once sought
the most favourable means of putting his resolution into practice, and
after many skilful and insidious inquiries he learnt of an accomplished
person who made a consistent habit of cutting off limbs which had become
troublesome to their possessors either through accident or disease.
Furthermore, he was said to be of a sincere and charitable disposition,
and many persons declared that on no occasion had he been known to
make use of the helpless condition of those who visited him in order to
extort money from them.
Coming to the ill-considered conclusion that he would be able to conceal
within his own breast the true reason for the operation, Ling placed
himself before the person in question, and exhibited the matter to
him so that it would appear as though his desires were promoted by the
presence of a small but persistent sprite which had taken its abode
within his left thigh, and there resisted every effort of the most
experienced wise persons to induce it to come forth again. Satisfied
with this explanation of the necessity of the deed, the one who
undertook the matter proceeded, with Ling’s assistance, to sharpen his
cutting instruments and to heat the hardening irons; but no sooner had
he made a shallow mark to indicate the lines which his knife should
take, than his subtle observation at once showed him that the facts had
been represented to him in a wrong sense, and that his visitor, indeed,
was composed of no common substance. Being of a gentle and forbearing
disposition, he did not manifest any indication of rage at the
discovery, but amiably and unassumingly pointed out that such a course
was not respectful towards himself, and that, moreover, Ling might incur
certain well-defined and highly undesirable maladies as a punishment for
the deception.
Overcome with remorse at deceiving so courteous and noble-minded
a person, Ling fully explained the circumstances to him, not even
concealing from him certain facts which related to the actions of remote
ancestors, but which, nevertheless, appeared to have influenced the
succession of events. When he had made an end of the narrative, the
other said:
“Behold now, it is truly remarked that every Mandarin has three hands
and every soldier a like number of feet, yet it is a saying which is
rather to be regarded as manifesting the deep wisdom and discrimination
of the speaker than as an actual fact which can be taken advantage of
when one is so minded--least of all by so valiant a Commander as the one
before me, who has clearly proved that in time of battle he has exactly
reversed the position.”
“The loss would undoubtedly be of considerable inconvenience
occasionally,” admitted Ling, “yet none the less the sage remark of Huai
Mei-shan, ‘When actually in the embrace of a voracious and powerful
wild animal, the desirability of leaving a limb is not a matter to be
subjected to lengthy consideration,’ is undoubtedly a valuable guide for
general conduct. This person has endured many misfortunes and suffered
many injustices; he has known the wolf-gnawings of great hopes, which
have withered and daily grown less when the difficulties of maintaining
an honourable and illustrious career have unfolded themselves within his
sight. Before him still lie the attractions of a moderate competency to
be shared with the one whose absence would make even the Upper Region
unendurable, and after having this entrancing future once shattered
by the tiger-like cupidity of a depraved and incapable Mandarin, he is
determined to welcome even the sacrifice which you condemn rather than
let the opportunity vanish through indecision.”
“It is not an unworthy or abandoned decision,” said the one whose aid
Ling had invoked, “nor a matter in which this person would refrain from
taking part, were there no other and more agreeable means by which the
same results may be attained. A circumstance has occurred within
this superficial person’s mind, however: A brother of the one who
is addressing you is by profession one of those who purchase large
undertakings for which they have not the money to pay, and who thereupon
by various expedients gain the ear of the thrifty, enticing them by fair
offers of return to entrust their savings for the purpose of paying off
the debt. These persons are ever on the watch for transactions by which
they inevitably prosper without incurring any obligation, and doubtless
my brother will be able to gather a just share of the value of your
highly-remunerative body without submitting you to the insufferable
annoyance of losing a great part of it prematurely.”
Without clearly understanding how so inviting an arrangement could be
effected, the manner of speaking was exceedingly alluring to Ling’s
mind, perplexed as he had become through weighing and considering
the various attitudes of the entire matter. To receive a certain and
sufficient sum of money without his person being in any way mutilated
would be a satisfactory, but as far as he had been able to observe an
unapproachable, solution to the difficulty. In the mind of the amiable
person with whom he was conversing, however, the accomplishment did not
appear to be surrounded by unnatural obstacles, so that Ling was content
to leave the entire design in his hands, after stating that he would
again present himself on a certain occasion when it was asserted that
the brother in question would be present.
So internally lightened did Ling feel after this inspiring conversation,
and so confident of a speedy success had the obliging person’s words
made him become, that for the first time since his return to Canton he
was able to take an intellectual interest in the pleasures of the city.
Becoming aware that the celebrated play entitled “The Precious Lamp
of Spotted Butterfly Temple” was in process of being shown at the Tea
Garden of Rainbow Lights and Voices, he purchased an entrance, and after
passing several hours in this conscientious enjoyment, returned to
his chamber, and passed a night untroubled by any manifestations of an
unpleasant nature.