NICHOLAS DISCOVERS A CONSPIRACY, AND MAKES AN UNPLEASANT ENTRY INTO
PEKIN.
The next morning they laughed heartily when the innkeeper told them that
the bonzes of the monastery in the suburbs had taken some rogues who had
been found concealed in the pagoda before the police tribunal, and that
the mandarin had ordered all of them a severe bambooing.
Greatly as he enjoyed this news, Nicholas was too wise to wish to remain
in the city any longer than possible, for he knew that the enraged junk
captain would leave no effort untried to retake them; he, therefore,
engaged a passage for himself and Chow in a barge that was proceeding to
Tching-Kiang.
Once on board the passage boat and floating down along the royal canal,
they felt secure, for surely no mishap could now happen to interrupt
their journey; and so, indeed, they arrived at Tching-Kiang, where, as
this city was on the banks of the Yang-tse, which here interrupts the
course of the canal, they were compelled to disembark and remain one
night.
The next morning Nicholas sent Chow to purchase a sword, a bow, and some
arrows, in place of those taken from him in the prison. During his
absence, he sat talking to the wife of the innkeeper, for amongst the
lower classes, the women are permitted to have greater intercourse, as
indeed is necessary, to enable them to assist in earning the family
living. He had not been chatting for any length of time when there arose
a great hubbub in the street, and, looking out of the window, what was
his surprise to see Chow running, as if for his life, followed by an old
gentleman, who stopped every now and then to take breath and shake his
fists angrily at the mob, who, believing it to be a race, shouted for
mere fun. A glance, however, made Nicholas aware of the true character
of the pursuer, and he begged of the woman to aid him in saving the life
of his friend, who was being hunted by a madman, who if he caught him,
he would kill him.
Before she could reply, Chow ran up to the door; the woman opened it,
let him in, and shut it again in the face of the old gentleman, whose
stomach, being of extreme protuberance and what his countrymen call full
measure, received such a blow that, what with loss of breath and
fullness of indignation, his big body toppled over his short legs, and
he lay upon the ground with his little head turned upward, like a turtle
gasping at falling heat drops.
"Truly we are lost, for the old rat is the physician," said Chow.
"Can the worthy woman aid us?" said Nicholas, fairly baffled.
"Let the youths follow," said the good-natured Woman; adding, "Whither
would they be taken?"
"To the river," replied Nicholas, not knowing where else to say.
Then conducting them to the back of the house, where stood several sedan
chairs that her husband let out for hire, the woman told them to jump
into one of them, gave instructions to two Coolies who were waiting for
a job, wished them a prosperous journey, drew the curtains, and thus, in
about an hour's time, the boys were set down upon the banks of the great
Yang-tse, when, having rewarded the Coolies for their trouble, they
walked leisurely along in search of a boatmen to carry them to the
opposite side.
"Truly, O Chow, thou wert born in an unfortunate hour," said Nicholas.
"My master's words are true; still, the hundred families' lock must have
been hung around thy servant's neck, or he could not have escaped so
great a danger as this."
"Open thy lips to a good purpose, and say how this matter happened,"
said Nicholas, laughing.
"Well, having made the purchases, I came to the quay where the
passage-boats discharge their passengers, when, _may I be punished for
forgetting my masters affair_, I could think of nothing but the villain
who slew my noble parent, and who, I thought, might possibly be among
the soldiers who had just arrived from Pekin, and were embarking to go
to Nankin, which, they say, is even now besieged by the rebels. The
notion, fit only as it was for the head of a goose, could not be helped,
and I stood gazing at the war-tigers. Well, thy servant had not been
long looking, when an old gentleman seized him by the arm, saying,
'Thou dog, thou stolest both my patient and my gen-seng;' and, seeing
that it was the physician, I jerked off his hand, took to my heels, and,
fearing for the safety of my master should the crowd stop me, I
frightened them by calling out, 'Beware, my brethren, of the madman,'
and as that made the frightened people stand aside, I was enabled to
reach the inn in safety."
"Truly this was well done," said Nicholas; but as, at that moment, they
had arrived at a great swamp of paddy, or rice-fields, which stretched
for miles inland down to the very edge of the river, and was covered
with water of sufficient depth to enable the shallow boats to sail for
miles into the interior, their progress was stopped, when Nicholas said,
as he pointed to a multitude of men, women, and children, who, at some
little distance, with their trousers tucked up to the knees, appeared to
be amusing themselves with paddling about in the water, "Let us catch
the eyeballs of one of yonder shrimp hunters."
These people were a species of jacks-in-the-water, who, as they stalked
about every now and then pulled their legs out of the mud, and taking
something from it, deposited it in a small bag which they had by their
sides. They were mud fishers in search for prawn, shrimps, and other
small fish, which, when felt by the foot, they dexterously seized
between the toes. This is only one instance in which these poor people
show themselves as clever with the foot as the hand and another proof
of the old axiom, that necessity is the mother of invention.
For some time they endeavored to call the attention of one of these
people without avail; then, holding up a copper coin and shouting, a man
came to them, and soon after fetched a boatman, who, for a small sum,
engaged to row them in search of a ferry-boat.
The little boat paddled through the fields, past men engaged in wild
geese catching, and huge duck boats, from the sides of which, down
inclined boards, hundreds of those birds were waddling into the fields,
as industriously earning their living among the rice stubble as the mud
fishers.
These duck keepers are a class peculiar to the Chinese. Their boats are
large and roomy, with a broad board extending around the sides for a
promenade for the birds, which are as dear to their masters as the pig
is to the Irishman. The birds have the largest apartment of the floating
house. In the morning the ducks waddle round the promenade at their
pleasure, except after the rice harvest has been gathered, when the
boards are inclined, and they walk up and down the slope at their will;
and so well are they brought up, that, if hundreds of them are out upon
a cruise, they will instantly return to the boat at their master's
whistle.
Once in the boat, Nicholas had no wish to leave it, till he had crossed
the river. This he had some difficulty in persuading the man to do, for
it was three leagues broad at that part. The sight, however of a piece
of silver strengthened his courage, and, fixing up his little sail of
bamboo matting, he made the attempt, when, after some hours, they
reached the opposite banks, dismissed the boatman, and felt as pleased
as a fugitive between whom and the bloodhounds a vast water track has
passed.
Having crossed the great river, they had no fear of further pursuit, so,
hiring two sedan chairs, they reached Kin-Chow the same evening. The
next morning they again took passage upon the Royal Canal, down which
they traveled for some days, till they arrived at Yang-Chow, a city
celebrated for its manufacture of salt and singing girls. These poor
creatures are matter of commerce with the merchants, who have taught
them to sing, paint, and play on musical instruments, when they can sell
them for very large sums of money to the great lords, who purchase them
for the recreation of their households.
Resting at this city for one day, they again started upon their journey,
and in a few weeks arrived at Tien-sin, from which place they proceeded
by a small canal to Tsing-Chow, the nearest place to Pekin, where they
landed.
"Thanks be to Tien, my master, we shall soon be in the venerable city
itself."
"Thou art fond of Pekin, Chow?"
"The tombs of thy servant's ancestors are near its walls," said Chow,
gloomily.
"Why, in the name of the social relations, art thou as dull as a
tailless peacock?" said Nicholas.
"It is filial pity, for last night I dreamt that I should discover in
Pekin the dog who slew my venerable parent, and should I die without
searching him out, the tombs of my ancestors would refuse to hold me."
"These are wild words and foolish fancies, Chow," said Nicholas; adding,
as he beheld the boy stare in the faces of the passers-by, "Moreover, if
thy manners are so barbarous, thou wilt surely get into trouble;" and,
believing that occupation or a mission would drive these thoughts from
Chow's mind, he stopped at the house of a dealer in horses, and, having
bargained for two, said, "Thou art well informed of the ins and outs of
Pekin, Chow?"
"Every rat-hole, my master," was the reply.
"Then for fear that the hour may be too late ere I reach the city, take
one of these horses and hasten to the great square, where thou wilt find
one Yang, a wealthy merchant; seek his presence, and inform him that the
son of his correspondent, the great merchant of the south, would beg a
lodging of him while he remains in the capital."
"Thy commands shall be obeyed," said Chow, turning a sumersault on to
the back of one of the horses, and in another instant was at full gallop
toward Pekin.
Nicholas then sought a house of refreshment, and, having regaled himself
with a cup of hot tea and rice cakes, mounted the other animal,
intending to follow Chow.
The distance, however, was longer than he had calculated; moreover he
took the longest road, so that by the time he reached within view of the
walls, towers, and yellow roofs, of the imperial city, the gates were
closed for the night, and none would be permitted to pass without a
searching scrutiny; so, although much vexed, he determined to seek a
lodging at an inn he had passed on the road. However, the innkeeper
addressing him, rudely said, "How is this, that a mere boy should be
without the walls at this hour? Has he no respect for his parents, who
will assuredly be punished for their neglect?"
"Is the worthy innkeeper of barbarian parents, that he would refuse to
lodge a youth, who, tired and weary, has but just arrived from a long
journey, and is willing to pay handsomely?" said Nicholas, showing him
about an ounce of silver.
"Truly the vision of thy servant must have been dull, that he could not
before perceive that the youth before him was nobly allied and of great
respectability," said the man, now that he greedily eyed the precious
metal. "Yet," he added, "it is not possible that the noble youth can
lodge beneath this roof, for the inn is already crowded with merchants,
who enter Pekin at daylight."
"Then will I trouble the most perfect of innkeepers no longer," replied
Nicholas, believing the man to be an extortioner.
"The words of thy servant are as true as the sacred books, but if the
noble youth will bestow a fee upon the porter he can procure a lodging
at yon mansion," replied the man, as he pointed to a large house near
the inn.
"What words are these? Yonder mansion is the palace of some noble
mandarin, who will deservedly chastise thee for thy insolence in making
his house a common inn."
"Not so, O noble youth, for although the front is fair to look at, the
house is in ruins and under the care of a porter. The mandarin is in a
far distant province, if, indeed, as is reported, he is not at this
moment in rebellion against the Emperor."
"Tien forbid that a true-born Chinese should soil the soles of his boots
with the dust of a traitor's door stone," said Nicholas.
"Thy servant said it was but rumored, O loyal youth," replied the
innkeeper; adding angrily, "Truly if thou refusest this thou wilt get
none other lodging."
"Truly it may be but scandal, therefore show me to this porter, and thou
shalt be rewarded for thy trouble," replied Nicholas.
The innkeeper then conducting him to one of the smaller of the three
doors in the wall of respect, which, as with all the houses of the
great, are built before the house, summoned the porter, who for a piece
of silver took charge of his horse, introduced him into a small room,
which led from one side of the great central hall, and leaving him a
sleeping mat withdrew, when Nicholas laid himself at full length, glad
enough to get the opportunity of getting a good night's rest.
Nicholas had not slept long before he was awakened by the sound of
voices, which he could hear so clearly and distinctly that he knew it
proceeded from some adjoining room. More vexed, however, at the
disturbance than curious to listen to the conversation, he turned over
and tried to sleep, but then the tones became louder, and he fancied he
heard his father's name. If so, it evidently concerned him; therefore in
self-defence, he must listen; and, setting up on his mat, he saw that he
was in a double room divided by folding doors, between the crevices of
which came a glimmering light, so creeping softly forward, he peeped
through. There at a table, beneath a painted lantern, the light from
which played upon their faces, sat two men of tall stature and
soldier-like appearance, but neither of whom could he at first
recognise. A minute more, however, and he fancied that in one he could
trace familiar features; still he could not recall them to his memory.
He listened attentively, for the taller man spoke earnestly for some
time of such matters that made the boy burn with rage and horror. When
he had concluded, the other smiled and said, "Truly, O illustrious
prince, we have secured the ambitious pirate of the south. May the time
for action speedily arrive." No sooner had he spoken, than, like a
glimpse of light in a cavern, the recognition flashed across the boy's
mind. The last speaker was the mandarin envoy who had visited his
father's vessel, and he trembled for the safety of the Emperor's letter.
It was consolatory, however, that should they meet, the mandarin would
not know him, for they had not met on board the vessel. When the
mandarin had spoken, his companion said, "Hush, general! no tiles, for
walls may have ears; but enough, I am satisfied." Then after whispering
together for some little time, they arose, and Nicholas crept back to
his mat. The moment after to his horror, the doors were thrown open, and
the prince exclaimed, "How! we are betrayed; what rogue is this?"
"Silence, my prince, he sleeps, and can have heard nothing," said the
other, cutting down the lantern from the other room and holding it
before the pretending sleeper, who, notwithstanding his perilous
position, did not move a muscle. The boy, however, had a harder trial
yet, for drawing his dagger, the prince exclaimed, "True, general, he
may not have heard--but, he may--and as dead dogs can't bark--" but, as
the prince was about to strike, and the brave boy was mentally preparing
to clutch at the weapon, with both hands, the mandarin caught the arm of
the would-be assassin, led him into the other room, whispered with him,
and then they both left the house, after securing all the doors from the
outer side.
Bathed in a cold sweat, Nicholas arose and examined the room, to find
some means of escape, for he little doubted that they would speedily
return. It was useless, and he made up his mind to await the chapter of
accidents. For some time fear kept him awake, but at length nature would
have her way and he fell off to sleep.
When he awoke he found a party of yah-yu and the porter of the house at
his side; the latter looking at him maliciously, said, "Take the vile
dog before the police tribunal, he is a thief and a rogue."
"Silence, rascal! for thou knowest that I am no thief, but a traveler
who paid thee for a night's lodging."
"Away with the young rogue," said the porter; and, binding him hand and
foot, Nicholas was made to make his first entry into Pekin amid the
shouts of the rabble, who were delighted that so vile a house-breaker
and thief should be caught.