summoned and questioned the go-between who had arranged the betrothal.
The poor woman was in a great quandary, fearing to offend either the
one family or the other; yet she was compelled to admit the truth. In
her anxiety she ran to the house of Liu to obtain a postponement of
the marriage until Virgin Diamond's recovery, and hinted that, failing
this, Sun would send his old nurse to see the sick bridegroom.
Liu did not know what to do, and before he had come to a decision,
the nurse arrived. He saluted her, not knowing what excuse to make.
At last he said to the go-between: "Be so good as to entertain this
venerable aunt for a moment, while I go and find my Old-Thornbush."
He hurried into the interior of the house, and in a few words told his
wife what was happening.
"She is already here and wishes to see our son. I told you that it
would have been better to change the day."
"You really are a decayed piece of goods. Their daughter has received
our gifts, and is already our daughter-in-law. You shall see."
Then she said to Prudence:
"Make haste and prepare our large room for a collation to the family
of Sun."
She herself went to the room where the nurse was, and asked:
"Has our new daughter's mother something to say to us?"
"She is uneasy about the health of your honorable son, and has sent me
to see him, thinking that it would be better to postpone the marriage
if he were seriously ill."
"I am gratified to receive this proof of her consideration. My son
has, in fact, taken cold, but it is not a serious indisposition.
As for choosing another day, that is not to be thought of. Our
preparations are made, and a delay would involve too great a loss.
Furthermore, happiness drives away every ill. The invitations are sent
out. We might imagine that your family had changed its intention...."
"At least, can I see the invalid?"
"He has just taken a drug and is asleep. Besides, I have told you that
he has caught cold. Are you trying to insult me by expressing a wish
to prove my words?"
"If the matter stands thus," the nurse politely made haste to answer,
"it only remains for me to withdraw."
"You cannot go in this way. You have not even taken a cup of tea.
If you please, let us go into the new room, for my house is all in
disorder."
On entering, the nurse observed the excellent arrangement of the young
couple's apartment.
"Everything is ready, as you see," said the wife of Liu. "And if my
son is not quite recovered after the ceremony, I shall take care
of him in my pavilion, until he is able to embark upon his conjugal
life."
Having taken tea, the nurse at last arose and went away. On her return
she recounted to her master and mistress what had taken place, and Sun
and his wife found themselves in a difficult dilemma. They could not
think of allowing their daughter to ruin her life by entering of her
betrothed, if he were going to die, and, if the young man were not
seriously ill, they stood the risk of losing all their preparation,
and of giving occasion for slander. Suddenly their son Yu-lang, who
was present, said:
"If they have not allowed him to be seen, it means that he is
seriously ill. There is no way by which we can go back on our
contract; and yet we cannot send my sister to her ruin in this
fashion. I have a plan, and you must tell me what you think of it. Let
us send the go-between to advise Liu that the marriage will take place
on the appointed day, but that the bride's equipment will not be sent
until after her husband's recovery. I am sure that they will reject
this offer, and then we shall have a good excuse for throwing the
blame on them."
"But what if they should agree," objected his parents, after a
moment's reflection.
"They will certainly not agree, or else they would have postponed the
marriage. Besides, it is impossible that they should be willing to
have another mouth to feed, without any dowry or plenishing."
His father said:
"Very well, if by any chance they do agree, you shall disguise
yourself as a woman and go in your sister's place. You could take a
man's clothing with you, and put it on if the sick youth recovered, or
matters seemed to take an unfortunate turn. They would not dare to say
anything for fear of being ridiculed."
"Oh! that is impossible!" cried the young man. "In the first place
I would be discovered at once. And what would people say of me
afterwards?"
"They would say that you had played a trick on these people, and that
is all. You are still in the freshness of youth. You are sufficiently
like your sister to deceive those who do not know you very well,
especially in a wedding garment. You must do it. That is decided. The
nurse can go with you to arrange your hair.... And in this way, if our
son-in-law dies, Liu will have neither my daughter nor her equipment."
When the wife of Liu received Sun's proposal from the mouth of the
go-between, she hesitated for a moment. But then she reflected on the
false situation in which she would be placed by refusing. So, masking
her thoughts beneath a smile, she agreed to the arrangement.
On the day fixed for the marriage, Yu-lang was constrained to disguise
himself. But two grave difficulties presented themselves. First
with regard to his feet: how was it possible for him to imitate his
sister's ravishing golden lotuses, so like to sphinx heads, and the
balancing of her light steps, a swaying of flowers in the soft
breeze? They gave him a petticoat which reached to the ground, and he
practised his sister's gait, at which she laughed until she cried. The
next question was his ear-rings. It so happened that his left lobe had
been pierced; for in his childhood they had made him wear one ring,
in order to persuade the evil spirits that he was a girl, whose
death would be of no importance. Everybody knows that the Jinn always
endeavor to rob us of that which is truly dear to us, and leave
untouched that which is of no value.
So Yu-lang hung a jewel in his left lobe, and stuck a small piece of
plaster over his right ear, so that it might seem it had suffered a
slight wound. His great pearl-decorated headdress concealed his head,
brow and shoulders. His scarlet robes, embroidered with gold and
silver, helped to disguise his figure, and the transformation was
complete by rouge on his lips and cheeks.
When evening at length drew near, drums and flutes were sounded,
the flowered palankeen entered the courtyard, and the hoodwinked
go-between, admiring the beauty of the bogus bride, herself opened
the scarlet curtains. Not seeing Yu-lang; she remarked upon this
circumstance, and they answered carelessly that he was indisposed and
kept to his bed. Actually at that moment he was taking leave of his
parents and imitating to the best of his ability the sobs which were
fitting to the occasion.
The procession at last set out and all the bride's equipment was
a little leather trunk. At the house of Liu there was considerable
discussion:
"When the bride arrives, our son will be unable to cross the threshold
as ritual demands, and the marriage will not be accomplished.
The bride will be left alone to salute the ancestors, and this is
impossible. What shall we do?"
"It cannot be helped," answered the mother. "So much the worse! Our
daughter must make it known that she will take her brother's place.
She shall recite the poem of the threshold in his name, and the rites
will be thus observed."
And Prudence, in her graceful girl's garments, did in fact receive
the false Pearl as she got out of the palankeen, pronounced the sacred
formulas, and led the new bride before the tablets. The two seeming
sisters-in-law knelt down, and several of the bystanders laughed
inwardly to see two women perform the marriage ceremony, and then
kneel for the purpose of the grand prostration.
The wife of Liu led Yu-lang to the invalid's bed; but he had been
excited and troubled by the music and noise, and had fainted. They
had hastily to revive him by pouring some spoonfuls of hot soup in his
mouth.
At length the false bride was led to the prepared pavilion, and her
great veil was taken off. Then her fresh beauty shone forth, and
everybody uttered exclamations of joy: the wife of Liu was alone in
feeling a certain compassion, for she thought of all that the new
bride would have to lose, and deplored her son's misfortune in falling
ill at the moment of tasting so great happiness.
As for Yu-lang, the tedium of beholding the hideousness of all the
guests was curiously diminished by the pleasure of seeing Prudence's
delectable face. He thought:
"What a misfortune that I am already betrothed! Here is she whom Fate
should have given me."
Prudence, on her part, felt herself drawn towards him in an
irresistible manner, and said to her mother and the go-between:
"Alas! surely my brother has no luck, and my sister-in-law will be
very unhappy alone tonight! Is she not charming? If my future husband
were like her, my life would be free from all regret."
Meanwhile, the marriage feast came to an end, a present was sent to
the musicians, and the guests withdrew. The disguised boy, after being
conducted to his pavilion, had his nurse's assistance in unmaking
the complicated structure of his nuptial adornment. At last he found
himself alone, but with no wish for sleep. Now Liu and his wife said
to each other:
"It seems hard to leave the newly-wed bride alone for her first night
under our roof. Would it not be better to tell Prudence to go and keep
her company?"
As always, the father made certain objections which were not listened
to. Prudence insisted, and soon mother and daughter went together to
the new pavilion, and approached the bed, the curtains of which were
drawn shut.
"Here is your sister-in-law come to spend the night with you...."
Yu-lang did not know what to say. He was afraid of being discovered,
and held the curtains very tightly under his chin, as he put his head
through the opening.
"I am accustomed to be alone," he stammered. But the mother said:
"Aya! You are both of the same age, you are almost sisters. What are
you afraid of? If you want to be particular, you have only to keep a
blanket between you."
During this time, Yu-lang was moved as much by fear as by delight. Was
it not strangely fortunate that Prudence's mother should herself have
come and let her in this manner to his bed? But if the young girl
should call out? On the other hand he thought:
"She is fifteen years old, therefore she has been ready for some time;
the door of her emotions is ajar. If I take precaution and kindle her
heart little by little, there is no need to fear that she will refuse
to nibble at my hook."
Now the wife of Liu had already retired, and Prudence had shot the
bolt of the door. She was laughing all over the bright chrysanthemum
of her face:
"Sister-in-law, you have taken no refreshment. Are you not hungry? If
you wish for anything, tell me, and I will go and fetch it for you."
"I am deeply grateful to my sister-in-law for her gentle thought."
Prudence noticed that the wick of the lamp had not been trimmed, and
was burning long, straight and red. So she exclaimed:
"That is for your happiness, sister-in-law!"
The other could not restrain a burst of laughter.
Prudence blushed and laughed also:
"You know how to be merry."
So they talked together. At length the maiden, taking the flowers out
of her hair, got upon the bed and knelt down to undress herself. He
asked her:
"On which pillow would you like to sleep? The lower one?"
"As my sister-in-law wishes."
"Then, if you please, let us sleep on the same."
"Very well."
Prudence had slipped under the blankets to finish undressing, and the
boy did likewise, removing his upper garment. The lamp, placed on a
little table beside the bed, dimly lit up the recess through the thin
curtains.
His emotion began to rise, and he asked:
"How many flowering Springtides have you known?"
"Fifteen, this year."
"Are you betrothed?"
But she was seized with unaccountable shyness, and dared not answer.
He brought his lips close to the delicate ear lying beside him, and
whispered:
"Why are you so bashful? We are only two women together."
Very low, she answered him:
"I am betrothed to the son of P'ei, the druggist, and already they
are urging that the ceremony should take place. Happily nothing is yet
decided."
"You are not very eager, then?"
She pushed his head gently away, saying:
"It is not nice of you to take hold of my words in this way, and to
make fun of me. If I am not eager, you do not seem to be any more so
than I."
"And how do you know that, maiden? In any case, how could I be so when
we are two women."
"You speak to me as if you were my mother," the other laughed.
"Considering my age, I should rather be your husband," he
thoughtlessly said.
She burst out laughing:
"It is I who am the husband, seeing that I took my brother's place at
the wedding."
"Well, let us not argue, but rather act as if we were husband and
wife."
Thus both of them spoke words of meaning. They grew more and more
passionate.
"Since we are husband and wife," he said impatiently, "why do we not
sleep under the same blanket?"
As he spoke, he pushed back the thick quilt, and began to observe the
garment on the so sweet and smooth, so soft and graceful body. She
had kept on an under garment, but her heart was filled with Springtime
thoughts, and she offered no resistance to his eye.
Then, trembling with desire, he came to her breasts that had so lately
dawned, and were so firm. Their tender points were red as a cock's
crest, and in all things lovable.
Delighted with this game, Prudence put out her hands to return his
caresses, and also found his breasts. But there was nothing but quite
a little button. She was astonished, and said to herself:
"She is as tall as I am. How comes it that she is not further
developed?"
But by this time Yu-lang was holding her right in his arms, and
had his lips glued to her, wantonly thrusting out his tongue. She
continued the game by giving it a little nibble, and then thrust out
her own tongue. This he so tenderly caressed with his that the girl's
body seemed all at once to melt, and she said languorously:
"This is no longer a game. We are truly husband and wife!"
The false bride, seeing that he had fully awakened the passion of his
dupe, made answer:
"Not yet. We must take off our under garments."
"But I am afraid lest people should talk. It is not good to take them
off."
He gave a nervous laugh and, without paying attention to her words,
undid her girdle and took off her garment. As he advanced toward her,
she protected herself with her two hands, saying:
"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, you must not!"
But he kissed her again upon the lips.
"There is nothing to forbid it, little sister. You may caress me
also."
In her agitation, and so as not to seem too stupid, she took off his
vest, and her timid little hand suddenly stopped short. Her surprise
was such that, for a moment, she could not speak. But at last she
said: "What man are you who dare to take my sister-in-law's place?"
"I am your husband," he answered hugging her to him.
She pushed him off, and said seriously:
"If you do not tell me in plain truth who you are, I shall cry and
call out, and you will be sorry for that."
"Do not be angry, little sister," he replied. "I will tell you
everything. I am Yu-lang, your sister-in-law's elder brother. My
parents heard that your brother was seriously ill, and did not wish my
sister to leave our house; but since your parents would not alter the
day of the marriage, I had to disguise myself and take my sister's
place, until your brother should be healed. I never expected that
Heaven would, in its bounty, allow me to become your husband. But we
alone must know of our love. Let us not betray it to any."
Pressing forward again, he tried to bind her in his arms. Although
she had believed she was with a woman, Prudence had loved him from
the first; the feeling which she had mistaken for friendship quickly
changed to that of love, for it was kindled, as was all of her, by the
young man's ardour. Nevertheless she was suffused with shame, and so
wavered between one extremity and the other.
As for him, in the freshness of his still maiden youth he spoke to
her of everlasting vows, of a love higher than the mountain and vaster
than the sea, and of a marriage shaped from a boundless happiness. Her
betrothed, her parents and her shame were all forgotten. She covered
her face with her hand and resisted no longer.
When the cloud and the rain of their intoxication had been dispelled,
they clasped each other close and went to sleep.
Meanwhile, the nurse, being in the secret of this disguise, had been
much disturbed at seeing Prudence share the young man's bed. From the
adjoining room she had heard their laughter, and then their sighs,
and had no further doubt of what had happened. And inwardly she cried:
"Woe! Woe!"
In the morning, after Prudence had returned to her parents' house to
perform her toilet, the woman came in to wait upon Yu-lang, and said
to him in a low voice:
"O practitioner! You have done a fine thing! What will happen if
people come to know of it?"
"I did not search her out. Her mother led her to my bed. How could I
have avoided this?"
"You ought to have resisted with all your might."
"With such an adorably beautiful girl? Even a man of iron and stone
could not have resisted. Also, if you say nothing, who will know of
it?"
When the process of disguise was again completed, he went to salute
the wife of Liu. Then all the women of the house and the cousins came
to see him. Finally Prudence came in, and they two laughed together.
For that day, as was the custom, Liu and his wife had invited their
relations and friends, and there was a great feast, with music and
a dinner lasting until the evening. Then, when the house was quiet
again, the girl went, as on the previous night, to keep young
Yu-lang company. That night, even more so than the preceding one,
the butterflies beat their wings, and the passionate phoenixes were
convulsed.
In the morning, they kept together. Therefore the scandalized nurse
ran out and told everything to Sun said his wife, and they reeled with
surprise and emotion.
"Alas, misfortune will certainly come of it! We must bring him back as
soon as possible."
They summoned the go-between and told her that, according to custom,
on the third day after the marriage they wished to see their daughter
at their house. She therefore went to the home of Liu, and the two
lovers trembled when they heard of this request. But the wife of Liu
had not forgotten the difficulties which Sun had made with regard to
the marriage; and she was afraid of not seeing her daughter-in-law
again. So she said:
"But my son is still suffering, and the marriage has not been
altogether accomplished. We will speak of this again at some later
time."
This answer had to be sufficient. The nurse was in terror, and watched
the approaches of the room all night for fear lest anybody should hear
the rapturous exclamation of the lovers.
The days passed, and Virgin Diamond gradually grew better. Since he
admired the beauty of his young wife, his desire to know her hastened
his recovery, and the time came when he was able to get up. Still
walking unsteadily, he went into the nuptial pavilion to see her who
was his bride, and came before the door, supported by his attendants.
The nurse was there, and cried out loud:
"My Lord wishes to enter!"
Yu-lang was, quite naturally, holding Prudence in his arms. He hastily
released her, and went close to the door.
"You have succeeded in rising, my elder brother?" said Prudence. "You
will fatigue yourself."
"That is no matter," he answered, making a deep obeisance before her
whom he believed to be his wife.
"Ten thousand happinesses be with you!" Yu-lang graciously replied.
"What an exquisite pair!" cried the wife of Liu, proud of her son and
happy at his fortune.
The false bride's beauty was meanwhile strangely reviving the
invalid's vitality. And the other lad thought:
"He is a fine boy in spite of his illness: there is no need to pity my
sister. But if he can get up, he will waste no time in coming to spend
the night with me. I must depart as quickly as possible."
When evening came, he explained his fears to Prudence.
"It is quite necessary to persuade your mother to send me back to
my home, that I may change places with my sister. Everything will be
discovered if we delay."
"You wish to go? But what will become of me alone?"
"I have already thought of that. Alas. Alas! But we are both betrothed
to another. What can we do?"
"If you do not want me living, I must die so that my soul may follow
you."
And she sobbed and sobbed. He dried her eyes saying to her:
"Do not meet trouble in this way, but leave me to find a plan."
They clasped each other in their arms, shedding most bitter tears.
Now it must be said that the wife of Liu was a little wearied of
seeing her daughter night and day inseparable from her sister-in-law.
However, she said nothing, because the marriage was not actually
accomplished. But passing before the marriage pavilion on that day,
she heard a sobbing. She drew near noiselessly and, through a hole in
the window paper, saw them close in each other's arms and weeping.
"This is very odd," she said.
She wished to make an outcry, but remembered that her son was just
getting better, and would fall ill again from any sorrow. She gently
tried to push the door open, but it was locked. She called out:
"It is strange that this door should be locked!"
The lovers recognized her voice, and made haste to dry their tears and
open the door. She came in.
"Why do you lock yourselves in during full daylight, and groan and
embrace each other?"
They felt the blood flow to their faces, and answered nothing. The
mother's hands and feet were trembling with rage. She seized hold of
her daughter:
"You are playing some pretty trick. Let me talk to you a little."
And she dragged her into an empty room. The attendants who saw her
asked each other why the girl was being dragged along like that. But
by this time the mother had locked the door. When the attendants came
and looked through the holes in the paper, they saw her lifting a
stick, and heard her crying:
"O wretch, tell me the truth, or I shall strike you! Why were you
weeping?"
At first Prudence thought of denial. Then she said to herself that
it would be better to confess and to beg her parents to break off her
betrothal with the family of P'ei, so that they might marry her to
Yu-lang. If they refused, she would die. That was all. So she told the
whole matter without evasion.
"We are husband and wife. Our love is boundless, and our vows will
endure for at least a hundred years. My brother is recovered, and
we fear that we shall be separated. Yu-lang wishes to return to his
parents, to send his sister in his place. It seemed, then, to your
daughter that a woman cannot have two husbands, and that if Yu-lang
cannot marry me, I must die."
As she listened to her, her mother's breast opened with rage, and she
stamped her feet: "This rotten carrion has sent his son here and
has deceived me. And now my daughter is lost. I must beat him
unmercifully!"
She seized her stick, opened the door and ran forth. Her daughter,
forgetting her shame, tried to prevent her; but the old woman pushed
her away violently, so that she fell down. Prudence got up and ran
after her. The attendants also ran.
Now Yu-lang had very well understood that all was discovered when
Liu's wife had dragged her daughter away. A moment later, the nurse
hurried in.
"O my Gods! And, ah unhappiness! All is well lost! Prudence is being
questioned with the stick."
It seemed to him that two knives were piercing his heart. He burst out
into sobbing. But the nurse was already taking out his hair-pins and
clothing him as a man. In a state of stupor he let himself be hurried
to the main door and through the streets. A few moments later he was
back at his parents' house.
His father did not fail to say to him:
"I told you to play the girl, not the man. Why have you committed acts
of which Celestial Reason disapproves?"
Yu-lang jostled thus by his father and his mother, no longer knew
where he stood. Meanwhile the nurse objected:
"But what can they say there? Our young Lord has only to keep himself
hidden for a few days, and it will all pass over."
But at Liu's house the nurse, as she went away, had unwittingly locked
the door, and Liu's wife had come to it and was shaking it violently,
stammering with rage and flourishing her stick.