XIII
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 ofpurchasing apparel of the richest kinds, weapons and armour in largequantities, jewels and ornaments of worked metals and other objects toindicate his changed position. Nor did he neglect actions of a piousand charitable nature, for almost his first care was to arrange with thechief ones at the Temple of Benevolent Intentions that each year, on theday corresponding to that on which he drank the gold fluid, a sumptuousand well-constructed coffin should be presented to the most deservingpoor and aged person within that quarter of the city in which he hadresided. When these preparations were completed, Ling set out with anextensive train of attendants; but riding on before, accompanied only byWang, he quickly reached Si-chow without adventure.
The meeting between Ling and Mian was affecting to such an extentthat the blind and deaf attendants wept openly without reproach,notwithstanding the fact that neither could become possessed of morethan a half of the occurrence. Eagerly the two reunited ones examinedeach other's features to discover whether the separation had broughtabout any change in the beloved and well-remembered lines. Lingdiscovered upon Mian the shadow of an anxious care at his absence, whilethe disappointments and trials which Ling had experienced in Canton hadleft traces which were plainly visible to Mian's penetrating gaze. Insuch an entrancing occupation the time was to them without hours untila feeling of hunger recalled them to lesser matters, when a varietyof very select foods and liquids was placed before them without delay.After this elegant repast had been partaken of, Mian, supporting herselfupon Ling's shoulder, made a request that he would disclose to her allthe matters which had come under his observation both within the cityand during his journey to and from that place. Upon this encouragement,Ling proceeded to unfold his mind, not withholding anything whichappeared to be of interest, no matter how slight. When he had reachedCanton without any perilous adventure, Mian breathed more freely; as herecorded the interview at the Office of Warlike Deeds and Arrangements,she trembled at the insidious malignity of the evil person Li Keen. Theconversation with the wise reader of the future concerning the variousstates of such as be officially dead almost threw her into the rigidsickness, from which, however, the wonderful circumstance of thediscovered properties of the gold fluid quickly recalled her. But toLing's great astonishment no sooner had he made plain the exceptionaladvantages which he had derived from the circumstances, and the natureof the undertaking at which he had arrived with Chang-ch'un, than shebecame a prey to the most intolerable and unrestrained anguish.
"Oh, my devoted but excessively ill-advised lover," she exclaimedwildly, and in tones which clearly indicated that she was inspired byevery variety of affectionate emotion, "has the unendurable positionin which you and all your household will be placed by the degradingcommercial schemes and instincts of the mercenary-souled personChang-ch'un occupied no place in your generally well-regulatedintellect? Inevitably will those who drink our almond tea, in orderto have an opportunity of judging the value of the appointments of thehouse, pass the jesting remark that while the Lings assuredly have 'adead person's bones in the secret chamber,' at the present they will nothave 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 afterdeath; nor would your adoring Mian hesitate to clasp proudly to herorgan of affection the veriest trunk that had parted with all itsattributes in a noble and sacrificing endeavour to preserve at leastsome dignified proportions to embellish the Ancestral Temple and toreceive 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 breakimages and commit thefts from sacred places. The side of the transactionwhich is at present engaging our attention never occurred to thissuperficial individual until now."
"Wise and incomparable one," said Mian, in no degree able to restrainthe fountains of bitter water which clouded her delicate and expressiveeyes, "in spite of this person's biting and ungracious words do not, shemakes a formal petition, doubt the deathless strength of her affection.Cheerfully, in order to avert the matter in question, or even to saveher lover the anguish of unavailing and soul-eating remorse, would sheconsign herself to a badly-constructed and slow-consuming fire or exposeher body to various undignified tortures. Happy are those even to whomis left a little ash to be placed in a precious urn and diligentlyguarded, for it, in any event, truly represents all that is left of theonce living person, whereas after an honourable and spotless existencemy illustrious but unthinking lord will be blended with a variety ofbaser substances and passed from hand to hand, his immaculate organsserving to reward murderers for their deeds and to tempt the weak andvicious to all manner of unmentionable crimes."
So overcome was Ling by the distressing nature of the oversight he hadpermitted 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, butto some undiscriminating worker in metals who will fashion out of hisbeautiful and symmetrical stomach an elegant food-dish, so that from theultimate developments of the circumstance may arise the fact that hisown descendants, instead of worshipping him, use his internal organsfor this doubtful if not absolutely unclean purpose, and thereby suffernumerous well-merited afflictions, to the end that the finally-despisedLing and this discredited person, instead of founding a vigorous andprolific generation, become the parents of a line of feeble-minded andphysically-depressed lepers."
"Oh, my peacock-eyed one!" exclaimed Ling, in immeasurable distress, "soproficient an exhibition of virtuous grief crushes this misguided personcompletely to the ground. Rather would he uncomplainingly lose hispigtail than--"
"Such a course," said a discordant voice, as the unpresentable personWang stepped forth from behind a hanging curtain, where, indeed, he hadstood concealed during the entire conversation, "is especially forbiddenby 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 stillcloser embrace. "Having disposed of your incomparable body after death,surely an adequate amount of liberty and seclusion remains to us duringlife."
"Nevertheless," interposed the dog-like Wang, "the refined person inquestion must not attempt to lose or to dispose of his striking andinvaluable pigtail; for by such an action he would be breaking throughhis spoken and written word whereby he undertook to be ruled by thethings to be done and not to be done; and he would also be robbing theingenious-minded Chang-ch'un."
"Alas!" lamented the unhappy Ling, "that which appeared to be the end ofall this person's troubles is obviously simply the commencement of a newand more extensive variety. Understand, O conscientious but exceedinglyinopportune Wang, that the words which passed from this person's mouthdid not indicate a fixed determination, but merely served to show theunfeigned depth of his emotion. Be content that he has no intention ofevading the definite principles of the things to be done and not tobe done, and in the meantime honour this commonplace establishment byretiring to the hot and ill-ventilated chamber, and there partaking of asuitable 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 hadinterrupted. In this way he explained to her the reason of Wang'spresence, and assured her that by reason of the arrangement he had madewith that person, his near existence would not be so unsupportable tothem as might at first appear to be the case.
While they were still conversing together, and endeavouring to diverttheir minds from the objectionable facts which had recently come withintheir notice, an attendant entered and disclosed that the train ofservants and merchandis
e which Ling had preceded on the journey wasarriving. At this fresh example of her lover's consistent thoughtfor her, Mian almost forgot her recent agitation, and eagerly lendingherself to the entrancing occupation of unfolding and displaying thevarious objects, her brow finally lost the last trace of sadness.Greatly beyond the imaginings of anticipation were the expensivearticles with which Ling proudly surrounded her; and in examining andlearning the cost of the set jewels and worked metals, the ornamentalgarments for both persons, the wood and paper appointments for thehouse--even incenses, perfumes, spices and rare viands had not beenforgotten--the day was quickly and profitably spent.
When the hour of sunset arrived, Ling, having learned that certainpreparations which he had commanded were fully carried out, took Mian bythe hand and led her into the chief apartment of the house, where wereassembled all the followers and attendants, even down to the illiterateand superfluous Wang. In the centre of the room upon a table of thefinest ebony stood a vessel of burning incense, some dishes of the mosthighly-esteemed fruit, and an abundance of old and very sweet wine.Before these emblems Ling and Mian placed themselves in an attitude ofdeep humiliation, and formally expressed their gratitude to the ChiefDeity for having called them into existence, to the cultivated earthfor supplying them with the means of sustaining life, to the Emperor forproviding the numerous safeguards by which their persons were protectedat all times, and to their parents for educating them. This adequateceremony being completed, Ling explicitly desired all those present toobserve the fact that the two persons in question were, by that fact andfrom that time, made as one being, and the bond between them, incapableof severance.
When the ruling night-lantern came out from among the clouds, Ling andMian became possessed of a great desire to go forth with pressed handsand look again on the forest paths and glades in which they had spentmany hours of exceptional happiness before Ling's journey to Canton.Leaving the attendants to continue the feasting and drum-beating in acompletely unrestrained manner, they therefore passed out unperceived,and wandering among the trees, presently stood on the banks of theHeng-Kiang.
"Oh, my beloved!" exclaimed Mian, gazing at the brilliant and unruffledwater, "greatly would this person esteem a short river journey, such aswe often enjoyed together in the days when you were recovering."
Ling, to whom the expressed desires of Mian were as the word of theEmperor, instantly prepared the small and ornamental junk which wasfastened near for this purpose, and was about to step in, when apresumptuous and highly objectionable hand restrained him.
"Behold," remarked a voice which Ling had some difficulty in ascribingto any known person, so greatly had it changed from its usual tone,"behold how the immature and altogether too-inferior Ling observes hisspoken and written assertions!"
At this low-conditioned speech, Ling drew his well-tempered swordwithout further thought, in spite of the restraining arms of Mian,but at the sight of the utterly incapable person Wang, who stood nearsmiling meaninglessly and waving his arms with a continuous and backwardmotion, he again replaced it.
"Such remarks can be left to fall unheeded from the lips of one whobears every indication of being steeped in rice spirit," he said withunprovoked dignity.
"It will be the plain duty of this expert and uncorruptible personto furnish the unnecessary, but, nevertheless, very severe andself-opinionated Chang-ch'un with a written account of how thetraitorous and deceptive Ling has endeavoured to break through thethirty-fourth vessel of the liquids to be consumed and not to beconsumed," continued Wang with increased deliberation and an entireabsence of attention to Ling's action and speech, "and how by thisrefined person's unfailing civility and resourceful strategy he has beenfrustrated."
"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 wasto him as a blank leaf, "there may even be some small portion of thatwhich is accurate in his statement. In what manner," he continued,addressing the really unendurable person, who was by this time preparingto pass the night in the cool swamp by the river's edge, "does thisone endanger any detail of the written and sealed parchment by such anaction?"
"Inasmuch," replied Wang, pausing in the process of removing hisouter garments, "as the seventy-ninth--the intricate name givento it escapes this person's tongue at the moment--but theninety-seventh--experLingknowswhamean--provides that any person, with orwithout, attempting or not avoiding to travel by sea, lake, or river,or to place himself in such a position as he may reasonably andintelligently be drowned in salt water, fresh water, or--or honourablerice spirit, shall be guilty of, and suffer--complete loss of memory."With these words the immoderate and contemptible person sank down in avery profound slumber.
"Alas!" said Ling, turning to Mian, who stood near, unable to retireeven had she desired, by reason of the extreme agitation into whichthe incident had thrown her delicate mind and body, "how intenselyaggravating a circumstance that we are compelled to entertain sodissolute a one by reason of this person's preoccupation when the matterwas read. Nevertheless, it is not unlikely that the detail he spoke ofwas such as he insisted, to the extent of making it a thing not to bedone to journey in any manner by water. It shall be an early endeavourof this person to get these restraining details equitably amended; butin the meantime we will retrace our footsteps through the wood, andthe enraptured Ling will make a well-thought-out attempt to lighten thepassage by a recital of his recently-composed verses on the subject of'Exile from the Loved One; or, Farewell and Return.'"