ESCAPE OF NICHOLAS FROM PRISON.
Having, at the same time, secured an order for admittance to Nicholas
and the restitution of old Hoang's property, Chow went in search of a
shop, where he purchased a rope of silk, and returned to the prison,
which was next to the tribunal.
At that time far in advance, and even now not much worse than our own,
the prisons of China are large and spacious, and although some of the
most criminal of the inmates are loaded with chains, the greater number
are permitted to take exercise and converse with each other in an open
court during the day. Their health is cared for,--if any are ill a
physician attends them, and when a death takes place a report is sent to
the Emperor, who issues orders for an examination, something like our
inquests, into the cause, when should it appear that any of the officers
are at fault, they are immediately degraded and punished. When a
prisoner dies the body is not permitted to pass through the ordinary
doorway, but through an opening reserved for the purpose. It is seldom,
however, that deaths occur in these places, for should a person,
especially above the lowest rank in life, be in danger, he or his
friends pray that he may be taken without the walls to expire; indeed,
so infamous is it considered for a corpse to be taken through this dead
opening, that "May he be dragged through the prison hole" is the
greatest expression of evil a person can wish his enemy.
The prison in which Nicholas was confined was a large building, with its
front to the street and its back to the canal. There were three courts,
each having treble gates, well guarded by armed sentries. Chow found no
difficulty in passing the first two gates, but the third was under the
charge of the chief gaoler, who not only made him show the mandarin's
order, but ordered two soldiers to accompany the boy to his master's
cell, which was situated at the top of one of the four corners or
towers, and overlooking the canal.
The armed men he met at every turn, and the dismal-looking strength of
the halls, courts, doors, and staircases through which he passed, made
Chow feel very wretched, for not an atom of a chance could he see for a
prisoner to escape. However no sooner did he again get sight of Nicholas
than all difficulties vanished, his countenance brightened, and the
affectionate fellow fell at his feet and wept with joy.
"How is this? surely thou art not a Christian, my poor friend, that they
should bring thee here?" said Nicholas sorrowfully.
"Truly both servant and master are fortunate, for the mandarin has
permitted them to keep each other company."
For some minutes Chow squatted upon the floor with his head bent to the
ground, apparently in grief at his master's position. Really, he had
not calculated upon the presence of the two gaolers; it was an awkward
dilemma, still he was not one to stick at a difficulty, and so he began
to think. His were not pleasant thoughts, for it was just possible that
the mandarin on recovering from his fright might tremble at the probable
consequences of permitting the escape of Nicholas, and to make his own
peace confess the whole affair to the Christian-hating viceroy.
Having finished cogitating, Chow commenced a lively conversation with
Nicholas about any thing and every thing but what was most on his mind;
then he endeavored to chat with the surly gaolers; the attempt, however,
proved a failure, till he brought forth a porcelain bottle filled with
rice spirit. When the men grew better tempered, Chow said, "Is there any
law that will prevent the honorable guard from bestowing upon his
servants some hot tea, for surely it will refresh them?" Without making
any reply, one of the gaolers opened the door and called aloud for the
beverage.
Some minutes after swallowing the tea, Chow rolled over upon the floor,
and howled like a dog; which extraordinary proceeding so alarmed
Nicholas and the men, that one of the latter, throwing down his weapon,
fell upon his knees and began to rub the sufferer's stomach. "Will the
ungrateful villains let me die the dog's death for the want of a cup of
water?" Surprised as they were at such a remedy, the frightened men
provided the water, but at the same time pointed to the porcelain
flask.
For the hint the patient thanked them, but he knew it would be of no use
without hot water. Would the honorable gaolers get some?
That was another affair, for to ask for hot water would be to proclaim
that rice spirit was being drunk in the prison, when gaolers as well as
prisoners would be bambooed.
Then, having coaxed and importuned for some time fruitlessly, Chow held
his hand upon his stomach, and alarmed Nicholas with performing a long
series of tragic-comic grimaces and contortions, when seeing the men
begin to tremble at the heavy punishment that awaited them if a prisoner
died beneath their charge, he said, "Surely the noble guardians would
not have it proclaimed to the next visiting mandarin that they have been
drinking the prohibited spirit."
Perceiving now that they were upon the horns of a dilemma, the gaolers
hesitated. Then a bright thought came to one, and he said, "Truly, the
tea is cold; a fire-pan will warm it; and so it will not be suspected
that rice spirit has been brought into the prison." Thus settling the
matter to his satisfaction, the man procured a small dish of fire and a
cup of cold water, when Chow had another attack, and in his paroxysms
kicked over his tea-cup, and then very inconsistently clamored for cold
water. This request being complied with, the patient sipped and appeared
a degree better, for he then stood upon his feet and thanked his
deliverers, and, moreover, offered them some more spirit, an offence
which was repeated and accepted till both gaolers became very
good-humored and talkative, first to Chow, then to Nicholas. Finding
that they were busy with the latter, Chow sauntered up to the fire and
sat before it, as if to prevent another attack by its heat. Then a sweet
perfume pervaded the atmosphere, and so gradually increased in strength,
that, imperceptibly to themselves, the tongues of the men slackened by
degrees, their loud tones softened into silence, their heads waved
gently to and fro, till, overcome by the density of the air, they fell
sideways upon the ground. It was not far to fall, for they had been
squatting upon the floor during their jovial conversation. Then taking a
large sponge that he had been holding to his own nostrils, Chow held it
to the nose of Nicholas, who, not being intoxicated with spirit, soon
exhibited signs of returning animation, when creeping up to the drooping
gaolers, he passed something, not a sponge, near to their nostrils,
which seemed to have the effect of double locking their senses. Then
leading the half-insensible Nicholas to the window, he took a knife from
his girdle and cut away the painted paper panes, when the cold air soon
made the master as sensible as the servant.
Arresting by a sign, Nicholas's exclamations of surprise at these
proceedings, Chow pulled forth the silken cord, fastened one end to the
table, then tying his knife to the other end he let it gently down, and
hung out of the window with it in his hand, as if he had been fishing.
In a few minutes he obtained a bite, for the rope gave a jerk. This
being satisfactory, he whispered to his master to descend by the loops.
Nicholas complied, and in one minute found himself in the arms of some
person, and in another, carried into a small room, about large enough to
hold four men. A minute more, Chow entered the cabin, the boat began to
glide along the canal, and Nicholas comprehended the whole of Chow's
scheme. Now you have the reason of his delight in seizing upon the box
of pastiles, two of which he had managed to light while his back was
turned to the gaolers. The cold water Chow knew to be an antidote to the
stupifying effects of the perfume, if applied immediately, as in the
case of Nicholas. As for the boy's illness, that was a ruse, and a very
good one too, under the circumstances.