In spite of his natural desire to return to Mian as quickly as possible,
Ling judged it expedient to give several days to the occupation of
purchasing apparel of the richest kinds, weapons and armour in large
quantities, jewels and ornaments of worked metals and other objects to
indicate his changed position. Nor did he neglect actions of a pious
and charitable nature, for almost his first care was to arrange with the
chief ones at the Temple of Benevolent Intentions that each year, on the
day corresponding to that on which he drank the gold fluid, a sumptuous
and well-constructed coffin should be presented to the most deserving
poor and aged person within that quarter of the city in which he had
resided. When these preparations were completed, Ling set out with an
extensive train of attendants; but riding on before, accompanied only by
Wang, he quickly reached Si-chow without adventure.
The meeting between Ling and Mian was affecting to such an extent
that the blind and deaf attendants wept openly without reproach,
notwithstanding the fact that neither could become possessed of more
than a half of the occurrence. Eagerly the two reunited ones examined
each other’s features to discover whether the separation had brought
about any change in the beloved and well-remembered lines. Ling
discovered upon Mian the shadow of an anxious care at his absence, while
the disappointments and trials which Ling had experienced in Canton had
left traces which were plainly visible to Mian’s penetrating gaze. In
such an entrancing occupation the time was to them without hours until
a feeling of hunger recalled them to lesser matters, when a variety
of very select foods and liquids was placed before them without delay.
After this elegant repast had been partaken of, Mian, supporting herself
upon Ling’s shoulder, made a request that he would disclose to her all
the matters which had come under his observation both within the city
and during his journey to and from that place. Upon this encouragement,
Ling proceeded to unfold his mind, not withholding anything which
appeared to be of interest, no matter how slight. When he had reached
Canton without any perilous adventure, Mian breathed more freely; as he
recorded the interview at the Office of Warlike Deeds and Arrangements,
she trembled at the insidious malignity of the evil person Li Keen. The
conversation with the wise reader of the future concerning the various
states of such as be officially dead almost threw her into the rigid
sickness, from which, however, the wonderful circumstance of the
discovered properties of the gold fluid quickly recalled her. But to
Ling’s great astonishment no sooner had he made plain the exceptional
advantages which he had derived from the circumstances, and the nature
of the undertaking at which he had arrived with Chang-ch’un, than she
became a prey to the most intolerable and unrestrained anguish.
“Oh, my devoted but excessively ill-advised lover,” she exclaimed
wildly, and in tones which clearly indicated that she was inspired by
every variety of affectionate emotion, “has the unendurable position
in which you and all your household will be placed by the degrading
commercial schemes and instincts of the mercenary-souled person
Chang-ch’un occupied no place in your generally well-regulated
intellect? Inevitably will those who drink our almond tea, in order
to have an opportunity of judging the value of the appointments of the
house, pass the jesting remark that while the Lings assuredly have ‘a
dead person’s bones in the secret chamber,’ at the present they will not
have one in the family graveyard by reason of the death of Ling himself.
Better to lose a thousand limbs during life than the entire person after
death; nor would your adoring Mian hesitate to clasp proudly to her
organ of affection the veriest trunk that had parted with all its
attributes in a noble and sacrificing endeavour to preserve at least
some dignified proportions to embellish the Ancestral Temple and to
receive the worship of posterity.”
“Alas!” replied Ling, with extravagant humiliation, “it is indeed true;
and this person is degraded beyond the common lot of those who break
images and commit thefts from sacred places. The side of the transaction
which is at present engaging our attention never occurred to this
superficial individual until now.”
“Wise and incomparable one,” said Mian, in no degree able to restrain
the fountains of bitter water which clouded her delicate and expressive
eyes, “in spite of this person’s biting and ungracious words do not, she
makes a formal petition, doubt the deathless strength of her affection.
Cheerfully, in order to avert the matter in question, or even to save
her lover the anguish of unavailing and soul-eating remorse, would she
consign herself to a badly-constructed and slow-consuming fire or expose
her body to various undignified tortures. Happy are those even to whom
is left a little ash to be placed in a precious urn and diligently
guarded, for it, in any event, truly represents all that is left of the
once living person, whereas after an honourable and spotless existence
my illustrious but unthinking lord will be blended with a variety of
baser substances and passed from hand to hand, his immaculate organs
serving to reward murderers for their deeds and to tempt the weak and
vicious to all manner of unmentionable crimes.”
So overcome was Ling by the distressing nature of the oversight he had
permitted that he could find no words with which to comfort Mian, who,
after some moments, continued:
“There are even worse visions of degradation which occur to this person.
By chance, that which was once the noble-minded Ling may be disposed of,
not to the Imperial Treasury for converting into pieces of exchange, but
to some undiscriminating worker in metals who will fashion out of his
beautiful and symmetrical stomach an elegant food-dish, so that from the
ultimate developments of the circumstance may arise the fact that his
own descendants, instead of worshipping him, use his internal organs
for this doubtful if not absolutely unclean purpose, and thereby suffer
numerous well-merited afflictions, to the end that the finally-despised
Ling and this discredited person, instead of founding a vigorous and
prolific generation, become the parents of a line of feeble-minded and
physically-depressed lepers.”
“Oh, my peacock-eyed one!” exclaimed Ling, in immeasurable distress, “so
proficient an exhibition of virtuous grief crushes this misguided person
completely to the ground. Rather would he uncomplainingly lose his
pigtail than--”
“Such a course,” said a discordant voice, as the unpresentable person
Wang stepped forth from behind a hanging curtain, where, indeed, he had
stood concealed during the entire conversation, “is especially forbidden
by the twenty-third detail of the things to be done and not to be done.”
“What new adversity is this?” cried Mian, pressing to Ling with a still
closer embrace. “Having disposed of your incomparable body after death,
surely an adequate amount of liberty and seclusion remains to us during
life.”
“Nevertheless,” interposed the dog-like Wang, “the refined person in
question must not attempt to lose or to dispose of his striking and
invaluable pigtail; for by such an action he would be breaking through
his spoken and written word whereby he undertook to be ruled by the
things to be done and not to be done; and he would also be robbing the
ingenious-minded Chang-ch’un.”
“Alas!” lamented the unhappy Ling, “that which appeared to be the end of
all this person’s troubles is obviously simply the commencement of a new
and more extensive variety. Understand, O conscientious but exceedingly
inopportune Wang, that the words which passed from this person’s mouth
did not indicate a fixed determination, but merely served to show the
unfeigned depth of his emotion. Be content that he has no intention of
evading the definite principles of the things to be done and not to
be done, and in the meantime honour this commonplace establishment by
retiring to the hot and ill-ventilated chamber, and there partaking of a
suitable repast which shall be prepared without delay.”
When Wang had departed, which he did with somewhat unseemly haste,
Ling made an end of recording his narrative, which Mian’s grief had
interrupted. In this way he explained to her the reason of Wang’s
presence, and assured her that by reason of the arrangement he had made
with that person, his near existence would not be so unsupportable to
them as might at first appear to be the case.
While they were still conversing together, and endeavouring to divert
their minds from the objectionable facts which had recently come within
their notice, an attendant entered and disclosed that the train of
servants and merchandise which Ling had preceded on the journey was
arriving. At this fresh example of her lover’s consistent thought
for her, Mian almost forgot her recent agitation, and eagerly lending
herself to the entrancing occupation of unfolding and displaying the
various objects, her brow finally lost the last trace of sadness.
Greatly beyond the imaginings of anticipation were the expensive
articles with which Ling proudly surrounded her; and in examining and
learning the cost of the set jewels and worked metals, the ornamental
garments for both persons, the wood and paper appointments for the
house--even incenses, perfumes, spices and rare viands had not been
forgotten--the day was quickly and profitably spent.
When the hour of sunset arrived, Ling, having learned that certain
preparations which he had commanded were fully carried out, took Mian by
the hand and led her into the chief apartment of the house, where were
assembled all the followers and attendants, even down to the illiterate
and superfluous Wang. In the centre of the room upon a table of the
finest ebony stood a vessel of burning incense, some dishes of the most
highly-esteemed fruit, and an abundance of old and very sweet wine.
Before these emblems Ling and Mian placed themselves in an attitude of
deep humiliation, and formally expressed their gratitude to the Chief
Deity for having called them into existence, to the cultivated earth
for supplying them with the means of sustaining life, to the Emperor for
providing the numerous safeguards by which their persons were protected
at all times, and to their parents for educating them. This adequate
ceremony being completed, Ling explicitly desired all those present to
observe the fact that the two persons in question were, by that fact and
from that time, made as one being, and the bond between them, incapable
of severance.
When the ruling night-lantern came out from among the clouds, Ling and
Mian became possessed of a great desire to go forth with pressed hands
and look again on the forest paths and glades in which they had spent
many hours of exceptional happiness before Ling’s journey to Canton.
Leaving the attendants to continue the feasting and drum-beating in a
completely unrestrained manner, they therefore passed out unperceived,
and wandering among the trees, presently stood on the banks of the
Heng-Kiang.
“Oh, my beloved!” exclaimed Mian, gazing at the brilliant and unruffled
water, “greatly would this person esteem a short river journey, such as
we often enjoyed together in the days when you were recovering.”
Ling, to whom the expressed desires of Mian were as the word of the
Emperor, instantly prepared the small and ornamental junk which was
fastened near for this purpose, and was about to step in, when a
presumptuous and highly objectionable hand restrained him.
“Behold,” remarked a voice which Ling had some difficulty in ascribing
to any known person, so greatly had it changed from its usual tone,
“behold how the immature and altogether too-inferior Ling observes his
spoken and written assertions!”
At this low-conditioned speech, Ling drew his well-tempered sword
without further thought, in spite of the restraining arms of Mian,
but at the sight of the utterly incapable person Wang, who stood near
smiling meaninglessly and waving his arms with a continuous and backward
motion, he again replaced it.
“Such remarks can be left to fall unheeded from the lips of one who
bears every indication of being steeped in rice spirit,” he said with
unprovoked dignity.
“It will be the plain duty of this expert and uncorruptible person
to furnish the unnecessary, but, nevertheless, very severe and
self-opinionated Chang-ch’un with a written account of how the
traitorous and deceptive Ling has endeavoured to break through the
thirty-fourth vessel of the liquids to be consumed and not to be
consumed,” continued Wang with increased deliberation and an entire
absence of attention to Ling’s action and speech, “and how by this
refined person’s unfailing civility and resourceful strategy he has been
frustrated.”
“Perchance,” said Ling, after examining his thoughts for a short space,
and reflecting that the list of things to be done and not to be done was
to him as a blank leaf, “there may even be some small portion of that
which is accurate in his statement. In what manner,” he continued,
addressing the really unendurable person, who was by this time preparing
to pass the night in the cool swamp by the river’s edge, “does this
one endanger any detail of the written and sealed parchment by such an
action?”
“Inasmuch,” replied Wang, pausing in the process of removing his
outer garments, “as the seventy-ninth--the intricate name given
to it escapes this person’s tongue at the moment--but the
ninety-seventh--experLingknowswhamean--provides that any person, with or
without, attempting or not avoiding to travel by sea, lake, or river,
or to place himself in such a position as he may reasonably and
intelligently be drowned in salt water, fresh water, or--or honourable
rice spirit, shall be guilty of, and suffer--complete loss of memory.”
With these words the immoderate and contemptible person sank down in a
very profound slumber.
“Alas!” said Ling, turning to Mian, who stood near, unable to retire
even had she desired, by reason of the extreme agitation into which
the incident had thrown her delicate mind and body, “how intensely
aggravating a circumstance that we are compelled to entertain so
dissolute a one by reason of this person’s preoccupation when the matter
was read. Nevertheless, it is not unlikely that the detail he spoke of
was such as he insisted, to the extent of making it a thing not to be
done to journey in any manner by water. It shall be an early endeavour
of this person to get these restraining details equitably amended; but
in the meantime we will retrace our footsteps through the wood, and
the enraptured Ling will make a well-thought-out attempt to lighten the
passage by a recital of his recently-composed verses on the subject of
‘Exile from the Loved One; or, Farewell and Return.’”