CHOW OUTWITS A GREAT MANDARIN, AND SETS OUT TO RESCUE HIS MASTER.
As they walked to the inn Chow explained to Sing his plan for the rescue
of Nicholas, which, after some serious consideration and many words of
advice, the innkeeper approved; but as it could not be put in operation
before evening, as soon as they reached the inn they went into one of
the inner apartments, and while they refreshed themselves with a good
meal, chatted over the details.
After they had completed their arrangements, Sing led Chow to an
outbuilding, in which were two oblong coffins, the one sealed down, the
other with the lid half off. The first contained the body of Sing's
daughter, of whom he had been so fond in life that in death he kept her
in the same room with the open coffin which had been presented to him by
the girl as a filial offering.
Such gifts as this, which I dare say you will think a sombre one, are by
no means more rare among the Chinese than the preservation in their own
houses of the bodies of those they have loved. And just above an altar
upon which incense was burning, hung a portrait of the dead girl, before
which silently and with cheeks damped with tears of memory, Sing threw
himself reverentially, and prayed fervently for the other world
happiness of his child. Having, with as much real sympathy as mere
courtesy, joined in the ceremony for a short time, Chow arose, and left
the bereaved parent throwing cuttings of silver paper upon the burning
dish, in the belief that in the next world it would change into real
money for his daughter's use.
As when Chow reached the police tribunal he found it closed for the day,
he clattered upon a large gong or kettle drum, affixed to the door, a
piece of great daring on his part; for if his business did not strike
the mandarin as being of the greatest importance, he might make sure of
some fifty blows for his impudence, for the public officers in China are
quite as averse to doing too much for the public money as many that I
could name of our own.
The door was opened and the boy was shown into the hall of audience,
where he had not long to wait before the mandarin and four bamboo sticks
in waiting made their appearance. "How, dog! Why this clatter at our
gates when the tribunal is closed?" asked the surly grandee.
"Will the magnificent fountain of justice give his unworthy servant a
private hearing?" said the bold boy, glancing significantly at the
bamboo sticks in waiting.
"Let the fellow's mouth be opened with ten blows for his impudence,"
said the polite magistrate; but as the men were about to obey, Chow
thrust his hand into his robe, and pulling out a letter threw it into
the great man's lap, a piece of effrontery so beyond all precedent that
the bamboo sticks waiting stood aghast and ready at a glance from the
mandarin to immolate the profane boy. The magistrate, however, no sooner
opened the paper than in tremulous tones he exclaimed, "Leave us alone,
this fellow has matters of private importance to communicate."
This order having been obeyed, Chow broke through the rules of decency
and etiquette by speaking before he was spoken to. "A crime has been
committed within thy district, O mandarin, yet justice sleeps. Surely
this is not according to the sacred books," said he.
"What dog's words are these? of what crime speaks the youth?" said the
magistrate wildly.
"According to the sacred books, O mandarin, it is the magistrate's duty
to discover and punish crime within his district. Yet, not withstanding
the house of the retired innkeeper Hoang is in a well-guarded quarter of
the city, it has been broken into and its furniture and valuables
stolen; moreover what is more surprising in so populous a district, the
thieves have escaped."
"What words are these?" said the mandarin again, being in fact so
troubled that he knew not what to say.
"Truly, it is a shrewd maxim; 'that large fowls will not eat small
grain,' yet, the largest may be choked if too greedy, for there are
still larger birds to swallow them; in turn even thou mayst be stripped
of thy rank and offices, if not strangled," said Chow, adding, "Would
the lord of justice wish straighter words?"
The words proved straight enough to go direct to the mark, for the
mandarin fell upon his knees and begged Chow to accept half his fortune,
and although it would be letting his rogue off cheaply enough, the
rescue of Nicholas was his object, and he promised to forego using his
knowledge of the great man's delinquency, providing that he would give
him an order under the official seal that would admit him to his
master's prison. Rejoiced to purchase his safety so easily, the mandarin
not only gave the order, but also promised to see that Hoang's property
was restored to him within a few days. After this Chow gave a paper to
the magistrate, and left the tribunal well satisfied with the result of
his visit.
Now, as I dare say you are anxious to know how it came about that so
poor a boy could have such power over so great a personage, I will tell
you, and you will obtain some little knowledge how public affairs are
managed in China, and moreover, learn that dishonesty may sometimes
place the greatest official beneath the thumb of the smallest of
persons, as indeed it happened in this case.
When Chow was chattering over his plans with the innkeeper he examined
the box of pastiles, and on taking them out, discovered a paper at the
bottom, evidently placed there for security, as the thieves could not
have dreamt of leaving their most valuable implements behind. That paper
was an order for four men, whose names were mentioned, to pass to the
boats on the canal, with any quantity of goods, without questioning, and
was signed with the character of the mandarin, which accounted for the
thieves getting off with so many things, but it also proved that the
mandarin was in connivance with them, and was in the habit of granting
these passes to robbers in return for a large bribe. Now, as Chow could
write very well, he immediately composed a letter to the mandarin,
telling him the whole transaction, and, moreover, that the thieves were
well known to a friend of his, who, if he did not return by a certain
time that evening, would disclose the whole matter to the viceroy;
therefore it was not to be wondered that the great man trembled and
implored of Chow to accept half his fortune, for had it been brought
before the viceroy he would, as Chow more than, hinted, in all
probability have been strangled.