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diff --git a/37766-h/37766-h.htm b/37766-h/37766-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f15497 --- /dev/null +++ b/37766-h/37766-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5063 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Strange Stories From The Lodge Of Leisures, by Pu Songling</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + + blockquote { + text-align:justify; + } + + body { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + } + + .booktitle { + letter-spacing:3px; + } + + .center { + text-align:center; + font-weight:bold; + } + + div.center { + text-align:center; + } + + div.center table { + margin-left:auto; + margin-right:auto; + text-align:left; + } + + .h1, .h2, .h3, .h5 { + font-weight:bolder; + text-align:center; + text-indent:0; + } + + h1, h2, h3 { + text-align:center; + } + + .h2 { + font-size:1.5em; + margin:.75em 0; + } + + .h3 { + font-size:1.17em; + margin:.83em 0; + } + + .h5 { + font-size:.83em; + margin:1.5em 0 ; + } + + hr.chapter { + margin-top:6em; + margin-bottom:4em; + } + + hr.tb { + margin:2em 25%; + width:50%; + } + + p { + text-align:justify; + margin-top:.75em; + margin-bottom:.75em; + text-indent:0; + } + + p.spacer { + margin-top:2em; + margin-bottom:3em; + } + + .pagenum { + visibility:hidden; + position:absolute; + right:2%; + font-size:75%; + color:gray; + background-color:inherit; + text-align:right; + text-indent:0; + font-style:normal; + font-weight:normal; + font-variant:normal; + } + + .smcap { + font-variant:small-caps; + } + + .tdl { + text-align:left; + } + + .tdr { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + } + + .tdrfirst { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + font-size:80%; + } + + </style> + +</head> + +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold;'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Strange Stories from the Lodge of Leisures, by Pu Songling</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Strange Stories from the Lodge of Leisures</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Pu Songling</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Translator: George Soulié</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October 16, 2011 [eBook #37766]<br /> +[Most recently updated: February 22, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: David Starner, Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES FROM THE LODGE OF LEISURES ***</div> + +<h1 class="booktitle">STRANGE STORIES +FROM THE +LODGE OF LEISURES</h1> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h3">TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE BY<br /> +GEORGE SOULIÉ<br /> +OF THE FRENCH CONSULAR SERVICE IN CHINA</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h3">BOSTON AND NEW YORK<br /> +HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY<br /> +1913</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h5">PRINTED BY<br /> +HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD.,<br /> +LONDON AND AYLESBURY,<br /> +ENGLAND.</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[v]</span></p> + +<h2 id="PREFACE">PREFACE</h2> + +<p>The first European students who undertook +to give the Western world an +idea of Chinese literature were misled by +the outward and profound respect affected +by the Chinese towards their ancient +classics. They have worked from generation +to generation in order to translate +more and more accurately the thirteen +classics, Confucius, Mengtsz, and the others. +They did not notice that, once out of +school, the Chinese did not pay more attention +to their classics than we do to ours: if +you see a book in their hands, it will never +be the "Great Study" or the "Analects," +but much more likely a novel like the +"History of the Three Kingdoms," or a +selection of ghost-stories. These works that<span class="pagenum">[vi]</span> +everybody, young or old, reads and reads +again, have on the Chinese mind an influence +much greater than the whole bulk +of the classics. Notwithstanding their great +importance for those who study Chinese +thought, they have been completely left +aside. In fact, the whole of real Chinese +literature is still unknown to the Westerners.</p> + +<p>It is a pity that it should be so. The +novels and stories throw an extraordinary +light on Chinese everyday life that foreigners +have been very seldom, and now will +never be, able to witness, and they illustrate +in a striking way the idea the +Chinese have formed of the other world. +One is able at last to understand what is +the meaning of the <i>huen</i> or superior soul, +which leaves the body after death or during +sleep, but keeps its outward appearance and +ordinary clothes; the <i>p'aï</i> or inferior soul +which remains in the decaying body, and +sometimes is strong enough to prevent it +from decaying, and to give it all the appearances<span class="pagenum">[vii]</span> +of life. The magicians of the Tao +religion, or Taoist priests, play a great +part in these stories, and the Buddhist +ideas of metempsychosis give the opportunity +of more complicated situations than we +dream of.</p> + +<p>Among the most celebrated works, I +have chosen the "Strange Stories from +the Lodge of Leisures," <i>Leao chai Chi yi</i>. +It was written in the second half of the +eighteenth century by P'ou Song-lin (P'ou +Lieou-hsien), of Tsy-cheou, in the Chantong +province.</p> + +<p>The whole work is composed of more +than three hundred stories. I have selected +twenty-five among the most characteristic.</p> + +<p>This being a literary work, and having +nothing scientific to boast of, I have tried +to give my English readers the same +literary impression that the Chinese has. +<i>Tradutore traditore</i>, say the Italians; I hope +I have not been too much of a traitor.</p> + +<p>A translation is always a most difficult<span class="pagenum">[viii]</span> +work; if it is materially exact, word for +word and sentence by sentence, the so-called +scientific men are satisfied, but all +the charm, beauty, and interest of the +original are lost. Very often, too, such +translation is obscure and unintelligible. +Each nation has an heirloom of traditions, +customs, or religion to which its literature +constantly refers. If the reader is +not acquainted with that literature, these +references will convey no meaning to his +mind, or they may even convey a false one. +In Chinese, this difficulty is greater than +in any other language; the Far Eastern +civilisation has had a development of its +own, and its legends and superstitions have +nothing in common with the Western folklore. +The Chinese mind is radically different +from ours, and has grown, in every generation, +more different by reason of a different +training and a different ideal in life. The +Chinese writing, moreover, has strengthened +those differences; it represents the ideas<span class="pagenum">[ix]</span> +themselves, instead of representing the +words; each Chinese sign may be rightly +translated by either of the three or more +words by which our language analytically +describes every aspect of one same idea. +The sign which is read <i>Tao</i>, for instance, +must be, according to the sentence, translated +by any of the words: direction, rule, +doctrine, religion, way, road, word, verb; +all of them being the different forms of the +same idea of direction, moral or physical.</p> + +<p>Some French sinologists, aware of this +difficulty, now translate the texts literally, +and try to explain the meaning by a number +of notes, which sometimes leave only +one or two lines of text in a page. This +method seems at first more scientific; it +explains everything in the most careful way, +and is very useful for the translation of +inscriptions or of certain obscure passages +in historical books. But for real literature, +it is the greatest possible error, leaving +out, as it does, all the impression and<span class="pagenum">[x]</span> +illusion the author intended to convey. +Besides, the necessity of going, at every +word, down the page in order to find the +meaning in a note, tires the reader and +takes away all the pleasure he should derive +from the book.</p> + +<p>One may even say that a materially +exact translation is, in reality, a false one; +the words we use in writing and speaking +being mere technical signs by which we +represent our ideas. For instance, the word +"cathedral" will certainly not convey the +same idea to two men, one of whom has +only seen St. Paul's, and the other only +Notre-Dame de Paris; for the first, cathedral +means a dome; for the other it means +two towers and a long ogival nave. Below +the outward appearance of the words +there lie so many different images that it +is absolutely necessary to know the mentality +of a nation in order to master its +language. In fact, a true translation will +be the one that, though sometimes materially<span class="pagenum">[xi]</span> +inexact, will give the reader the same +impression he would have if he were reading +the original text.</p> + +<p>Since I first went to China, in 1901, I have +had many opportunities of acquainting myself +with all the superstitions of the lower +classes, with all the splendid mental and +intellectual training of the learned. My +experience has helped me to perceive what +was hidden beneath the words; and in my +translation I have sometimes supplied what +the author only thought necessary to imply. +In many places the translation is literal; +in other places it is literary, it being impossible +for a Western writer to retain all +the long and useless talking, all the repetitions +that Chinese writing and Chinese +taste are equally fond of.</p> + +<p> +<span class="smcap">George Soulié.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[xiii]</span></p> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td class="tdrfirst">Page</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_GHOST_IN_LOVE"><i>THE GHOST IN LOVE</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">1</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_FRESCO"><i>THE FRESCO</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">10</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_DWARF_HUNTERS"><i>THE DWARF HUNTERS</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">18</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_CORPSE_THE_BLOOD-DRINKER"><i>THE CORPSE THE BLOOD-DRINKER</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">22</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#LOVE_REWARDED"><i>LOVE REWARDED</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">30</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_WOMAN_IN_GREEN"><i>THE WOMAN IN GREEN</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">38</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_FAULT_AND_ITS_CONSEQUENCES"><i>THE FAULT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">42</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#DECEIVING_SHADOWS"><i>DECEIVING SHADOWS</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">47</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#PEACEFUL-LIGHT"><i>PEACEFUL-LIGHT</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">54</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#HONG_THE_CURRIER"><i>HONG THE CURRIER</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">61</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#AUTUMN-MOON"><i>AUTUMN-MOON</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">72</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_PRINCESS_NELUMBO"><i>THE PRINCESS NELUMBO</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">79</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_TWO_BROTHERS"><i>THE TWO BROTHERS</i></a> + <span class="pagenum">[xiv]</span></td> + <td class="tdr">84</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_MARBLE_ARCH"><i>THE MARBLE ARCH</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">90</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_DUTIFUL_SON"><i>THE DUTIFUL SON</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">106</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THROUGH_MANY_LIVES"><i>THROUGH MANY LIVES</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">110</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_RIVER_OF_SORROWS"><i>THE RIVER OF SORROWS</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">114</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_MYSTERIOUS_ISLAND"><i>THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">120</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_SPIRIT_OF_THE_RIVER"><i>THE SPIRIT OF THE RIVER</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">125</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE-DEVILS-OF-THE-OCEAN"><i>THE-DEVILS-OF-THE-OCEAN</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">131</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#UNKNOWN_DEVILS"><i>UNKNOWN DEVILS</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">138</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#CHILDLESS"><i>CHILDLESS</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">143</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_PATCH_OF_LAMBS_SKIN"><i>THE PATCH OF LAMB'S SKIN</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">149</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#LOVES-SLAVE"><i>LOVE'S-SLAVE</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">154</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#THE_LAUGHING_GHOST"><i>THE LAUGHING GHOST</i></a></td> + <td class="tdr">162</td> + </tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[1]</span></p> + +<h2><i>Strange Stories from the Lodge of Leisures</i></h2> + +<hr class="chapter" /> + +<h2 id="THE_GHOST_IN_LOVE"><i>THE GHOST IN LOVE</i></h2> + +<p>On the 15th day of the First Moon, in the +second year of the period of "Renewed +Principles," the streets of the town +of the Eastern Lake were thronged with +people who were strolling about.</p> + +<p>At the setting of the sun every shop was +brightly lit up; processions of people moved +hither and thither; strings of boys were +carrying lanterns of every form and colour; +whole families passed, every member of +whom, young or old, small or big, was +holding at the end of a thin bamboo the +lighted image of a bird, an animal, or a +flower.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[2]</span></p> + +<p>Richer ones, several together, were carrying +enormous dragons whose luminous wings +waved at every motion and whose glaring +eyes rolled from right to left. It was the +Fête of the Lanterns.</p> + +<p>A young man, clothed in a long pale green +dress, allowed himself to be pushed about by +the crowd; the passers-by bowed to him:</p> + +<p>"How is my Lord Li The-peaceful?"</p> + +<p>"The humble student thanks you; and +you, how are you?"</p> + +<p>"Very well, thanks to your happy influence."</p> + +<p>"Does the precious student soon pass his +second literary examination?"</p> + +<p>"In two months; ignorant that I am. +I am idling instead of working."</p> + +<p>The fête was drawing to a close when The-peaceful +quitted the main street, and went +towards the East Gate, where the house was +to be found in which he lived alone.</p> + +<p>He went farther and farther: the moving +lights were rarer; ere long he only saw before<span class="pagenum">[3]</span> +him the fire of a white lantern decorated +with two red peonies. The paper globe +was swinging to the steps of a tiny girl +clothed in the blue linen that only slaves +wore. The light, behind, showed the elegant +silhouette of another woman, this one +covered with a long jacket made in a rich pink +silk edged with purple.</p> + +<p>As the student drew nearer, the belated +walker turned round, showing an oval +face and big long eyes, wherein shone a +bright speck, cruel and mysterious.</p> + +<p>Li The-peaceful slackened his pace, +following the two strangers, whose small +feet glided silently on the shining flagstones +of the street.</p> + +<p>He was asking himself how he could +begin a conversation, when the mistress +turned round again, softly smiled, and in a +low, rich voice, said to him:</p> + +<p>"Is it not strange that in the advancing +night we are following the same road?"</p> + +<p>"I owe it to the favour of Heaven," he<span class="pagenum">[4]</span> +at once replied; "for I am returning to +the East Gate; otherwise I should never +have dared to follow you."</p> + +<p>The conversation, once begun, continued +as they walked side by side. The student +learned that the pretty walker was called +"Double-peony," that she was the daughter +of Judge Siu, that she lived out of the city +in a garden planted with big trees, on the +road to the lake.</p> + +<p>On arriving at his house The-peaceful +insisted that his new friend should enter +and take a cup of tea. She hesitated; then +the two young people pushed the door, +crossed the small yard bordered right and +left with walls covered with tiles, and disappeared +in the house....</p> + +<p>The servant remained under the portal.</p> + +<p>Daylight was breaking when the young +girl came out again, calling the servant, +who was asleep. The next evening she +came again, always accompanied by the +slave bearing the white lantern with two<span class="pagenum">[5]</span> +red peonies. It was the same each day +following.</p> + +<p>A neighbour who had watched these +nocturnal visits was inquisitive enough to +climb the wall which separated his yard +from that of the lovers, and to wait, +hidden in the shade of the house.</p> + +<p>At the accustomed hour the street-door, +left ajar, opened to let in the visitors.</p> + +<p>Once in the courtyard, they were suddenly +transformed, their eyes became flaming +and red; their faces grew pale; their +teeth seemed to lengthen; an icy mist +escaped from their lips.</p> + +<p>The neighbour did not see any more: +terrified, he let himself slide to the ground +and ran to his inner room.</p> + +<p>The next morning he went to the student +and told him what he had seen. The lover +was paralysed with fear: in order to reassure +himself he resolved to find out everything +he could about his mistress.</p> + +<p>He at once went outside the ramparts,<span class="pagenum">[6]</span> +on the road to the lake, hoping to find the +house of Judge Siu. But at the place +he had been told of there was no habitation; +on the left, a fallow plain, sown +with tombs, went up to the hills; on the +right, cultivated fields extended as far as +the lake.</p> + +<p>However, a small temple was hidden +there under big trees. The student had +given up all hope; he entered, notwithstanding, +into the sacred enclosure, knowing +that travellers stayed there sometimes +for several weeks.</p> + +<p>In the first yard a bonze was passing +in his red dress and shaven head; he stopped +him.</p> + +<p>"Do you know Judge Siu? He has a +daughter——"</p> + +<p>"Judge Siu's daughter?" asked the +priest, astonished. "Well—yes—but wait, +I will show her to you."</p> + +<p>The-peaceful felt his heart overflowing +with joy; his beloved one was living; he<span class="pagenum">[7]</span> +was going to see her by the light of day. +He quickly followed his companion.</p> + +<p>Passing the first court, they crossed a +threshold and found themselves in a yard +planted with high pine-trees and bordered by +a low pavilion. The bonze, passing in first, +pushed a door, and, turning round, said:</p> + +<p>"Here is Judge Siu's daughter!"</p> + +<p>The other stopped, terrified; on a trestle +a heavy black lacquered coffin bore this +inscription in golden letters: "Coffin of +Double-peony, Judge Siu's daughter."</p> + +<p>On the wall was an unfolded painting +representing the little maid; a white +lantern decorated with two red peonies was +hung over it.</p> + +<p>"Yes, she has been there for the last +two years; her parents, according to the +rite, are waiting for a favourable day to +bury her."</p> + +<p>The student silently turned on his heel +and went back, not deigning to reply to +the mocking bow of the priest.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[8]</span></p> + +<p>Evening arrived; he locked himself in, +and, covering his head with his blankets, he +waited; sleep came to him only at daybreak.</p> + +<p>But he could not cease to think of her +whom he no longer saw; his heart beat as +if to burst, when in the street he perceived +the silhouette of a woman which reminded +him of his friend.</p> + +<p>At last he was incapable of containing +himself any longer; one evening he stationed +himself behind the door. After a +few minutes there was a knock; he opened +the door; it was only the little maid:</p> + +<p>"My mistress is in tears; why do you +never open the door? I come every evening. +If you will follow me, perhaps she +will forgive you."</p> + +<p>The-peaceful, blinded by love, started at +once, walking by the light of the white +lantern.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>The next day the neighbours, seeing<span class="pagenum">[9]</span> +that the student's door was open, and +that his house was empty, made a declaration +to the governor of the town.</p> + +<p>The police made an inquest; they collected +the evidence of several people who +had been watching the nightly visitors +the student had received. The bonze of +the temple outside the city walls came to +say what he knew. The chief of the police +went to the road leading to the lake; he +crossed the threshold of the little edifice, +passed the first yard and at last opened the +door of the pavilion.</p> + +<p>Everything was in order, but under the +lid of the heavy coffin one could see the +corner of the long green dress of the student.</p> + +<p>In order to do away with evil influences +there was a solemn funeral.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>Ever since this time, on light clear nights, +the passers-by often meet the two lovers +entwined together, slowly walking on the +road which leads to the lake.</p> +<hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[10]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_FRESCO"><i>THE FRESCO</i></h2> + +<p>In the Great Highway of Eternal +Fixity, Mong Flowing-spring and his +friend Choo Little-lotus were slowly walking, +clothed in the long light green dress of +the students.</p> + +<p>They had both just passed with success +their third literary examination, and were +enjoying the pleasures of the capital before +returning to their distant province.</p> + +<p>As they were both of small means, they +were looking now (and at the same time +filling their eyes with the movement of the +street) for a lodging less expensive than the +inn where they had put up on arriving at +Pekin.</p> + +<p>Leaving the Great Highway, they strolled +far into a labyrinth of lanes more and +more silent. They soon lost themselves.<span class="pagenum">[11]</span> +Undecided, they had stopped, when they +spied out the red lacquered portal of a +temple of the Mysterious-way.</p> + +<p>Pushing the heavy sides of the door, +they entered; an old man with his hair +tightly drawn together in a black cap, +majestic in his grey dress, stood behind the +door and appeared to be waiting for them.</p> + +<p>"Your coming lightens my humble dwelling," +he said in bowing. "I beg you will +enter."</p> + +<p>"I do not dare! I do not dare!" murmured +the two students, bowing in their +turn.</p> + +<p>They nevertheless entered, crossing the +yard on which the portal opened, which +was closed, at the end, by the little +temple in open woodwork close under the +mass of roofs of green tiles.</p> + +<p>They went up three steps, then, pushing +a narrow and straight door, they entered. +In the half-shadow they distinguished on +the white altar a statue of Tche Kong The-Supreme-Lord,<span class="pagenum">[12]</span> +with a golden face and +griffins' feet like the claws of an eagle.</p> + +<p>The walls on each side of the altar were +painted in frescoes; on the wall on the +right you saw goddesses in the midst of +flowers. One of these young girls, with a +low chignon, was gathering a peony and +was slightly smiling. Her mouth, like a +cherry, seemed as if it were really opening; +one would have sworn that her eyelids +fluttered.</p> + +<p>Mong Flowing-spring, his eyes fixed on +the painting, remained a long time without +moving, absorbed in his admiration of the +work of art, and disturbed beyond expression +by the beauty of the goddess with +the low chignon.</p> + +<p>"Why is she not living?" said he. "I +would willingly give my life for a moment +of her love!"</p> + +<p>Suddenly he started; the young goddess +raised herself upright, bursting with laughter, +and got down from the wall. She crossed the<span class="pagenum">[13]</span> +door, went down the staircase, stepped over +the yard and left the place.</p> + +<p>Flowing-spring followed her without reflecting. +He saw her going away with a +light step, and turn down the first lane; +the young student ran behind her.</p> + +<p>As he turned the corner, he saw her +stop at the entrance of a small house. +She was gracefully waving her hand, and, +with sly glances, made him signs to come.</p> + +<p>He hastened forward and entered in his +turn. In the silent house there was nobody, +no one but the goddess standing in +her long mauve dress and nibbling the +flower that she had picked and that she +still held in her hand.</p> + +<p>"I bow down," said the student, who +knelt to salute her.</p> + +<p>"Rise! you exceed the rites prescribed," +she replied.</p> + +<p>"I bend my head, not being able to bear +the splendour of your beauty."</p> + +<p>As she did not seem to be discontented<span class="pagenum">[14]</span> +he continued telling her his admiration +and his desire. He approached, touched +her hand; she started, but did not draw +back. He then took her in his arms; she +did not make much resistance.</p> + +<p>The moments passed rapidly. They spoke +to each other in a low voice, when, suddenly +in the street, a noise of heavy boots resounded; +steps stopped before the door; +the lock was shaken; oaths were heard.</p> + +<p>The young girl grew pale; she told +Flowing-spring to hide himself under the +bed. The student felt his heart become +quite small; he crouched down in the +shadow, not even being able to breathe. +From the depth of his hiding-place, he +saw an officer enter, his face in black lacquer, +covered with a golden cuirass and surrounded +by a troop of young girls in long dresses of +bright colours.</p> + +<p>"I smell an odour of human flesh!" +grumbled the officer, walking heavily and +going round the room.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[15]</span></p> + +<p>"Hide yourself well!" the goddess +murmured to her lover, raising herself +from the bed and white with terror. "If +you can escape from him, wait till we have +left, and open the little door at the end of +the garden; then run away quickly!"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[16]</span></p><p>"There is a man here! I smell him! +He must be delivered to me! If not, I +shall punish the person who has hidden +him."</p> + +<p>"We know nothing!" all the young +women said together.</p> + +<p>"Very well! Let us go out."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[17]</span></p><p>Then, following the gracious troop which +the goddess had joined, he crossed the +threshold.</p> + +<p>Flowing-spring, hidden under the bed, +waited till the noise of the boots had gone +away. Then he glided with caution from +his refuge.</p> + +<p>Half bent, listening with anxiety in fear +of being surprised, he flew from the room +and crossed the garden.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[18]</span></p> + +<p>During this time Choo Little-lotus, +having remained in the temple, had not +remarked the departure of his friend. +But, turning round and not any longer +seeing him, he questioned the old magician.</p> + +<p>"Your friend is not far off," he replied.</p> + +<p>Then, showing him the wall, he said:</p> + +<p>"Look! here he is!"</p> + +<p>And, indeed, in the centre of the fresco, +the image of Flowing-spring was painted; +he was crouched in among the flowers, +straining his ear. The image moved, and, +suddenly, the student separated himself +from the wall and advanced, looking sad +and anxious.</p> + +<p>Choo Little-lotus, terrified, was looking +at him. The other told him his adventure. +As he spoke a terrible clap of thunder was +heard. The two friends instinctively shut +their eyes; when they opened them, their +glance fell on the fresco: the goddesses +had taken their places there again, in +the midst of the flowers; but the young<span class="pagenum">[19]</span> +girl with the low chignon was no longer +there.</p> + +<p>The magician smiled at Flowing-spring:</p> + +<p>"Love has touched her. She has become +a woman and is waiting for you in your +village."</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[20]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_DWARF_HUNTERS"><i>THE DWARF HUNTERS</i></h2> + +<p>The heavy summer in the South is +particularly hard to bear for those +who are ill. The damp heat keeps them +awake, and thousands of insects trouble +their rest.</p> + +<p>Wang Little-third-one, stretched on his +bed made of bamboo laths, where a low +fever kept him, complained of it to all +those who came to see him, especially to his +friend the magician officiating priest of the +little temple situated in the neighbouring +crossway.</p> + +<p>The magician knew something of medicine; +he prescribed a calming potion and +retired.</p> + +<p>When Little-third-one had drunk the +potion, his fever fell and he was able to +enjoy a little sleep. He was awakened by<span class="pagenum">[21]</span> +a slight noise; night had come on; the +room was lighted by the full moon, which +threw a bright gleam by the open door.</p> + +<p>All the insects were moving and flying +hither and thither; white ants who gnaw +wood, bad-smelling bugs, enormous cockroaches, +mosquitoes, innumerable and various +flies.</p> + +<p>As Little-third-one was looking, his attention +was drawn by a movement on the +threshold: a small man, not bigger than +a thumb, advanced with precautious steps; +in his hand he held a bow; a sword was +hanging at his side.</p> + +<p>Little-third-one, on looking closer, saw +two dogs as big as shirt-buttons running +before the man with the bow; they suddenly +stopped: the archer approached, +held out his weapon, and discharged the +arrow. A cockroach who was crawling +before the dogs made a bound, fell on its +back, moved again, then remained motionless; +the arrow had run through it.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[22]</span></p> + +<p>Behind the first huntsman others had +come; some were on horseback, armed +with swords; some on foot.</p> + +<p>From that time it was a pursuit without +intermission; hundreds of insects were +shot. At first the mosquitoes escaped; +but as they cannot fly for long, every time +that one remained still it was transpierced +by the huntsmen.</p> + +<p>Soon nothing was left of all the insects +who broke the silence with their buzzing, +their gnashing of teeth, or their falling.</p> + +<p>A horseman then was seen galloping over +the room, looking from right to left. He +then gave the signal; all the huntsmen +called their dogs, went towards the door, +and disappeared.</p> + +<p>Little-third-one had not moved, in order +not to disturb the hunt. At last he +peacefully went to sleep, henceforth sure +of not being awakened by a sting or a +bite. He awoke late the next day almost +cured.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[23]</span></p> + +<p>When his friend the magician came to +see him, he told him his experience: the +other smiled. Wang understood that the +mysterious hunters came from the little +temple.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[24]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_CORPSE_THE_BLOOD-DRINKER"><i>THE CORPSE THE BLOOD-DRINKER</i></h2> + +<p>Night was slowly falling in the narrow +valley. On the winding path cut +in the side of the hill about twenty mules +were following each other, bending under +their heavy load; the muleteers, being +tired, did not cease to hurry forward their +animals, abusing them with coarse voices.</p> + +<p>Comfortably seated on mules with large +pack-saddles, three men were going along +at the same pace as the caravan of which +they were the masters. Their thick dresses, +their fur boots, and their red woollen hoods +protected them from the cold wind of the +mountain.</p> + +<p>In the darkness, rendered thicker by a +slight fog, the lights of a village were shining, +and soon the mules, hurrying all together,<span class="pagenum">[25]</span> +jostling their loads, crowded before the +only inn of the place.</p> + +<p>The three travellers, happy to be able +to rest, got down from their saddles when +the innkeeper came out on the step of +his door and excused himself, saying all his +rooms were taken.</p> + +<p>"I have still, it is true, a large hall the +other side of the street, but it is only a +barn, badly shut. I will show it to you."</p> + +<p>The merchants, disappointed, consulted +each other with a look; but it was too +late to continue their way; they followed +their landlord.</p> + +<p>The hall that was shown to them was big +enough and closed at the end by a curtain. +Their luggage was brought; the bed-clothes +rolled on the pack-saddles were spread out, +as usual, on planks and trestles.</p> + +<p>The meal was served in the general +sitting-room, in the midst of noise, laughing, +and movement—smoking rice, vegetables +preserved in vinegar, and lukewarm wine<span class="pagenum">[26]</span> +served in small cups. Then every one went +to bed; the lights were put out and profound +silence prevailed in the sleeping village.</p> + +<p>However, towards the hour of the Rat, +a sensation of cold and uneasiness awoke +one of the three travellers named Wang +Fou, Happiness-of-the-kings. He turned +in his bed, but the snoring of his two companions +annoyed him; he could not get +to sleep. Again, seeing that his rest was +finished, he got up, relit the lamp which +was out, took a book from his baggage, and +stretched himself out again. But if he +could not sleep, it was just as impossible +to read. In spite of himself, his eyes +quitted the columns of letters laid out in +lines and searched into the darkness that +the feeble light did not contrive to break +through.</p> + +<p>A growing terror froze him. He would +have liked to awaken his companions, but +the fear of being made fun of prevented +him.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[27]</span></p> + +<p>By dint of looking, he at last saw a slight +movement shake the big curtain which +closed the room. There came from behind +a crackling of wood being broken. Then a +long, painful threatening silence began again.</p> + +<p>The merchant felt his flesh thrill; he +was filled with horror, in spite of his efforts +to be reasonable.</p> + +<p>He had put aside his book, and, the coverlet +drawn up to his nose, he fixed his enlarged +eyes on the shadowy corners at the end +of the room.</p> + +<p>The side of the curtain was lifted; a +pale hand held the folds. The stuff, thus +raised, permitted a being to pass, whose +form, hardly distinct, seemed penetrated +by the shadow.</p> + +<p>Happiness-of-kings would have liked to +scream; his contracted throat allowed no +sound to escape. Motionless and speechless, +he followed with his horrified look the +slow movement of the apparition which +approached.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[28]</span></p> + +<p>He, little by little, recognised the silhouette +of a female, seen by her short +quilted dress and her long narrow jacket. +Behind the body he perceived the curtain +again moving.</p> + +<p>The spectre, in the meantime bending +over the bed of one of the sleeping travellers, +appeared to give him a long kiss.</p> + +<p>Then it went towards the couch of the +second merchant. Happiness-of-kings distinctly +saw the pale figure, the eyes, from +which a red flame was shining, and sharp +teeth, half-exposed in a ferocious smile, +which opened and shut by turns on the +throat of the sleeper.</p> + +<p>A start disturbed the body under the +cover, then all stopped: the spectre was +drinking in long draughts.</p> + +<p>Happiness-of-kings, seeing that his turn +was coming, had just strength enough to +pull the coverlet over his head. He heard +grumblings; a freezing breath penetrated +through the wadded material.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[29]</span></p> + +<p>The paroxysm of terror gave the merchant +full possession of his strength; with a +convulsive movement he threw his coverlet +on the apparition, jumped out of his bed, +and, yelling like a wild beast, he ran as +far as the door and flew away in the night.</p> + +<p>Still running, he felt the freezing breath +in his back, he heard the furious growlings +of the spectre.</p> + +<p>The prolonged howling of the unhappy +man filled the narrow street and awoke +all the sleepers in their beds, but none of +them moved; they hid themselves farther +and farther under their coverlets. These +inhuman cries meant nothing good for +those who should have been bold enough +to go outside.</p> + +<p>The bewildered fugitive crossed the village, +going faster and faster. Arriving at +the last houses, he was only a few feet in +advance and felt himself fainting.</p> + +<p>The road at the extremity of the village +was bordered with narrow fields shaded with<span class="pagenum">[30]</span> +big trees. The instinct of a hunted animal +drove on the distracted merchant; he +made a brisk turn to the right, then to the +left, and threw himself behind the knotted +trunk of a huge chestnut-tree. The freezing +hand already touched his shoulder; he +fell senseless.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>In the morning, in broad daylight, two +men who came to plough in this same field +were surprised to perceive against the +tree a white form, and, on the ground, a +man stretched out. This fact coming after +the howling in the night appeared strange +to them; they turned back and went to +find the Chief of the Elders. When they +returned, the greater part of the inhabitants +of the village followed them.</p> + +<p>They approached and found that the +form against the tree was the corpse of a +young woman, her nails buried in the +bark; from her mouth a stream of blood +had flowed and stained her white silk<span class="pagenum">[31]</span> +jacket. A shudder of horror shook the +lookers-on: the Chief of the Elders recognised +his daughter dead for the last six +months whose coffin was placed in a barn, +waiting for the burial, a favourable day +to be fixed by the astrologers.</p> + +<p>The innkeeper recognised one of his +guests in the man stretched on the ground, +whom no care could revive.</p> + +<p>They returned in haste to find out in +what condition the coffin was: the door +of the barn was still open. They went +in; a coverlet was thrown on the ground +near the entrance; on two beds the great +sun lit up the hollow and greenish aspect +of the corpses whose blood had been emptied.</p> + +<p>Behind the drawn curtain the coffin +was found open. The corpse of the young +woman evidently had not lost its inferior +soul, the vital breath. Like all beings +deprived of conscience and reason, her +ferocity was eager for blood.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[32]</span></p> + +<h2 id="LOVE_REWARDED"><i>LOVE REWARDED</i></h2> + +<p>Lost in the heart of Peking, in one +of the most peaceful neighbourhoods +of the Yellow City, the street of Glowing-happiness +was sleeping in the silence and +in the light.</p> + +<p>On the right and left of the dusty road +was some waste ground, where several red +mangy, and surly dogs were sleeping. Five +or six low houses, their white walls forming +a line not well defined, whose low roofs +were covered with grey tiles, bordered the +road.</p> + +<p>In the first year of the Glorious-Strength, +four hundred years ago, a young man with +long hair tied together under the black +gauze cap of the scholars, clothed in a pink +dress with purple flowers, was walking in +the setting sun, stepping cautiously in<span class="pagenum">[33]</span> +order not to cover with dust his shoes with +thick felt soles.</p> + +<p>When the first stars began to shine in +the darkening sky, he entered one of the +houses. A wick in a saucer, soaking in +oil, burning and smoking, vaguely lighted +an open book on the table: one could +only guess, in the shadow, the form of a +chair, a bed in a corner, and a few +inscriptions hanging on the whitewashed +walls.</p> + +<p>The scholar seated himself before his +table and resumed, as he did every evening, +his reading of the Classics, of which +he sought to penetrate the entire meaning. +Late passers-by in this lonely thoroughfare +still saw his lamp shining across the trellises +of the windows far into the night.</p> + +<p>Golden-dragon lived alone. Now, on that +evening an inexplicable languor made him +dreamy; his eyes followed in vain the text; +his rebellious thoughts were scattered.</p> + +<p>Impatiently at last he was just going<span class="pagenum">[34]</span> +to put out his lamp and go to bed, when he +heard some one knocking at the door.</p> + +<p>"Come in!" he cried.</p> + +<p>The door grinding on its hinges, a young +woman appeared clothed in a long gown +of bright green silk, gracefully lifting her +foot to cross the threshold, and bowing with +her two hands united. Golden-dragon, hurriedly +rising to reply, waved in his turn his +fists joined together at the same height +as his visage and said, according to the +ritual: "Be kind enough to be seated! +What is your noble name?" The visitor +did not pronounce a word; her large black +eyes, shadowed by long eyelashes, were +fixed on the face of her host, while she +tried to regain her panting breath.</p> + +<p>As she advanced, Golden-dragon felt a +strange feeling of admiration and love.</p> + +<p>He did not think such a perfect beauty +could exist. As he remained speechless, +she smiled, and her smile had on him the +effect of a strong drink on a hungry man;<span class="pagenum">[35]</span> +troubled and dazed, he lost the conscience +of his personality and his acts.</p> + +<p>The next morning the sun was shining +when he awoke, asking himself if he had +not been dreaming. He thought all day +long of his strange visitor, making thousands +of suppositions.</p> + +<p>Evening coming on, she suddenly entered, +and it was as it had been the night before.</p> + +<p>Two months passed; then the young +girl's visits abruptly ceased. The night +covered everything with its black veil, but +nobody appeared at the door. Golden-dragon +the first night, waited for her till +the hour of the Rat; at last he went to his +couch and fell asleep. Almost immediately +he saw her carried away by two horny <i>yecha</i>; +she was calling him:</p> + +<p>"My beloved, I am drawn away towards +the inferior regions. I shall never be able +to get away if prayers are not said for +me. My body lies in the next house."</p> + +<p>He started out of sleep in the efforts he<span class="pagenum">[36]</span> +made to fly to her, and could not rest +again in his impatience to assert what she +had said.</p> + +<p>As soon as the sun was up, he ran towards +the only house that was next to his. He +knocked; no one replied. Pushing the +door, he entered. The house seemed to be +recently abandoned, the rooms were empty, +but in a side hall a black lacquered coffin +rested on trestles; on a table the "Book +of Liberation" was open at the chapter +of "The great recall."</p> + +<p>Golden-dragon doubted no longer; he +sang in a high voice the entire chapter, shut +the book, and returned home full of a strange +peacefulness.</p> + +<p>Every evening from that time, at the +hour when she had appeared to him, he +lit a lantern, went to the house next door +and read a chapter of the holy text.</p> + +<p>Years passed by; he got beyond his +fiftieth year, grew bent, and walked with +difficulty, but he never missed performing<span class="pagenum">[37]</span> +the duty he had imposed on himself for +his unknown friend.</p> + +<p>The house where the coffin was placed +had successively been let to several families; +but he had arranged that the funereal room +should never be touched. The lodgers +bowed to the scholar when he came, and +talked to him; the whole town was entertained +with this touching example of such +everlasting love.</p> + +<p>"So much constancy and such fidelity +cannot remain without reward," they +said.</p> + +<p>But time slipped by and nothing came +to change the regular life of the old man.</p> + +<p>On his seventieth birthday, as he went +to his neighbours, he remarked a violent +excitement.</p> + +<p>"My wife has just had a child," said the +chief of the family, going to meet him. +"Come and wish her happiness; she does +not cease to ask for you."</p> + +<p>"Is it a boy?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[38]</span></p> + +<p>"No, unhappily, a girl, but such a pretty +little thing."</p> + +<p>Followed by the happy father, the scholar +with white hair penetrated into the room; +the mother smiled, holding out the baby +to him. Golden-dragon suddenly started; +the child held out her arms to him and on +her little lips, hardly formed, hovered the +shadow of a disappeared smile, the smile +of the unknown woman.</p> + +<p>And as he looked an extraordinary +sensation troubled him; he felt he was +growing younger, more vigorous. Soon, +in the midst of the cries of admiration of +the whole family, the bent old man grew +straight again; his grey hair turned +black, and the change continued; he became +a young man, a boy, and soon a child.</p> + +<p>When the Bell of the great Tower struck +the hour of the Rat, he was a fat pink baby +playing and laughing with the little girl.</p> + +<p>The governor of the town, being informed, +personally directed an inquiry. It was<span class="pagenum">[39]</span> +discovered that the coffin had disappeared +at the same hour when the transformation +had happened.</p> + +<p>The Emperor, on the report of the governor, +ordered the two children to receive +a handsome dowry.</p> + +<p>As to them, they grew up, loved each +other, and lived happy and well as far as +the limits of human longevity.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[40]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_WOMAN_IN_GREEN"><i>THE WOMAN IN GREEN</i></h2> + +<p>At this time, in the Pavilion-of-the-guests, +in the Monastery-of-the-healing-springs, +the most celebrated of the +Fo-kien province, lived a young scholar +whose name was Little-cypress.</p> + +<p>As soon as the sun rose he was at his +work, seated near the trellised window. +When night fell, his lamp still lit the outline +of the wooden trellis.</p> + +<p>One morning a shadow darkened his +book; he raised his eyes: a young woman +with a long green skirt, her face of matchless +beauty, was standing outside the window +and was looking at him.</p> + +<p>"You are then always working, Lord +Little-cypress?" she said.</p> + +<p>She was so bewitching that he knew her<span class="pagenum">[41]</span> +immediately for a goddess; but all the +same he asked her where she lived and +what was her name.</p> + +<p>"Your lordship has looked on his humble +wife; he has known her as a goddess. +What is the use of so many questions?"</p> + +<p>Little-cypress, satisfied with this reply, +invited her to enter the house. She came +in; her waist was so small, one would almost +have thought that her body was divided +in two.</p> + +<p>He invited her to sit down; they talked +and laughed together a long time.</p> + +<p>He asked her to sing, and, with a low +voice, which filled her friend with rapture, +she sang:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"On the trees the bird pursues his companion; +Oppressed slaves free themselves with love. +How has my Lord lived alone, +Without enjoying all the pleasures of married life?"</p></blockquote> + +<p>The sound vibrated like a thread of silk; +it penetrated the ear and troubled the +heart. As she finished, she suddenly arose.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[42]</span></p> + +<p>"A man is standing near the window, +he is listening to us ... he is going round +... he is trying to see."</p> + +<p>"Since when does a goddess fear a +man?" replied Little-cypress, laughing.</p> + +<p>"I am troubled without knowing why; +my heart beats. I wish to go."</p> + +<p>She went to open the door, but abruptly +shut it.</p> + +<p>"I do not know why I am thus upset. +Will you accompany me as far as the +entrance gate?"</p> + +<p>Little-cypress held her up till they got +to the gate; he had just left her and +turned his head, when he heard her call +for help in a voice full of anguish. He +hurriedly turned round; no one was to +be seen.</p> + +<p>As he was looking for her with stupefaction +his eyes fell on a big cobweb, +stretched in the corner of the wall. The +ugly and gigantic insect held in its claws a +dragon-fly who was struggling and dolefully<span class="pagenum">[43]</span> +crying. Affected by this sight, he +hastened to deliver it.</p> + +<p>The pretty insect immediately flew in +the direction of the Pavilion-of-the-guests. +Little-cypress saw it go in at the window +and alight on the stone for grinding the ink.</p> + +<p>Then it arose again and alighted on the +paper which was placed on the table; +there it oddly crawled, retracing its steps, +returning, advancing, and stopping. After +a moment it took its flight and disappeared +in the sky.</p> + +<p>Little-cypress, much puzzled, approached +and looked; on the paper was written in +big strokes the word "Thanks."</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[44]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_FAULT_AND_ITS_CONSEQUENCES"><i>THE FAULT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES</i></h2> + +<p>When Dawning-colour was on the +point of dying, he called his mother +to him.</p> + +<p>"Mother," he said, "I am going to die. +I do not wish White-orchid, my young +wife, to feel herself bound to keep the +widowhood. When her mourning will be +finished, she will marry again: our son is +only three years old; you will keep him +with you."</p> + +<p>Now, the mourning was not yet finished +and the coffin was still in the house waiting +for a favourable day, when the young widow +began to find the solitude weigh upon her.</p> + +<p>A rich sluggard of the village, named +Adolescent, had several times sent proposals<span class="pagenum">[45]</span> +to her through a neighbour; she at last +was unwise enough to agree to an interview +with him. When evening came, +Adolescent jumped over the neighbour's +wall and went to her room.</p> + +<p>He had not been there half an hour +when there arose a great noise in the hall +where the coffin was; it seemed as if the +cover was violently thrown to the ground. +A little slave who was called afterwards as +a witness told how she ran into the yard +and saw her master's corpse brandishing +a sword and jumping towards the room +where the lovers were to be found.</p> + +<p>A few instants after, she saw the young +widow come out screaming and run to the +garden. Adolescent followed her, covered +with blood; he crossed the threshold and +disappeared in the night.</p> + +<p>Now, Adolescent, flying from danger, +pushed the first door that he came across +in the street; it was that of a young couple; +the husband, named Wang, was absent<span class="pagenum">[46]</span> +and only expected to return the next day. +The young wife, hearing a noise, thought +it was her husband returning.</p> + +<p>"Is that you?" she asked, without +quite waking up.</p> + +<p>Adolescent, who knew Madame Wang +was pretty, answered "Yes" in a low +voice, taking advantage of her error.</p> + +<p>A short time after, at Wang's turn to +enter, he struck a light, saw a man in +his room, and, furious, seized a pike. +Adolescent tried to hide himself under the +bed, but the husband transpierced him +several times. He wished to kill his wife, +but she so much begged him not to that he +spared her.</p> + +<p>The cries and supplications which came +from the room had, however, awoke the +neighbours, who came in; they pulled +Adolescent's body from under the bed; he +died almost directly.</p> + +<p>There was a silence; the affair was +serious. Then one of the assistants said:</p><p><span class="pagenum">[47]</span></p> + +<p>"The judges won't believe that you +were in your right of outraged husband; +you ought to have killed your wife also. +As it is, you will be condemned."</p> + +<p>Thereupon, Wang killed the unhappy +woman.</p> + +<p>During this time Dawning-colour's +mother, having heard the screams of her +daughter-in-law, thought there was a burglar +in the house; she cried for help and +tried to light a lamp, but she was trembling, +and her curtains caught fire.</p> + +<p>Some neighbours arrived in haste; while +a few of them extinguished the fire, the +others, armed with crossbows, ran through +the house and garden in search of the +thief.</p> + +<p>At the bottom of the orchard they saw +a white mass moving at the foot of the +wall. Without waiting to ascertain what +it was, they shot several arrows; everything +was still. The archers approached +and lit a torch; they saw the body of<span class="pagenum">[48]</span> +White-orchid transpierced in the head +and chest.</p> + +<p>Horrified by what they had done, they +informed the old woman, who said nothing.</p> + +<p>But this was not all. The elder brother +of White-orchid, furious at the tragic +death of his sister, had a lawsuit with the +archers and the old woman.</p> + +<p>As usual, the judges ruined both parties; +they condemned Dawning-colour's mother +and the archers to receive five hundred +bamboo strokes. The latter were not strong +enough to bear this punishment, and died +under the stick. And thus the affair +ended.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[49]</span></p> + +<h2 id="DECEIVING_SHADOWS"><i>DECEIVING SHADOWS</i></h2> + +<p>Night was falling when the horseshoes +of the mules of my caravan +resounded on the slippery flagstones of the +village.</p> + +<p>Tired by a long day of walking, I directed +my steps towards the large hall of the +inn, with the intention of resting a moment +while my repast was being prepared.</p> + +<p>In the darkened room the glimmer of a +small opium-lamp lit up the pale and +hollow face of an old man, occupied in +holding over the flame a small ball of the +black drug, which would soon be transformed +into smoke, source of forgetfulness and +dreams.</p> + +<p>The old man returned my greeting, and +invited me to lie down on the couch opposite<span class="pagenum">[50]</span> +to him. He handed me a pipe already +prepared and we began talking together. +As ordered by the laws of politeness, I +remarked to my neighbour that he seemed +robust for his age.</p> + +<p>"My age? Do you, then, think I am so +old?"</p> + +<p>"But, as you are so wise, you must have +seen sixty harvests?"</p> + +<p>"Sixty! I am not yet thirty years +old! But you must have come from a +long way off, not to know who I am."</p> + +<p>And while rolling the balls with dexterity +in the palm of his hand, and making them +puff out to the heat of the lamp, he told +me his story.</p> + +<p>His name was Liu Favour-of-heaven. +Born and brought up in the capital, he had +been promoted six years before to the +post of sub-prefect in the town on which +our refuge was dependent.</p> + +<p>When coming to take his post, he stopped +at the inn, the same one where we were.<span class="pagenum">[51]</span> +The house was full; but he had remarked, +on entering, a long pavilion which seemed +uninhabited. The landlord, being asked, +looked perplexed; he ended by saying +that the pavilion had been shut for the last +two years; all the travellers had complained +of noises and strange visions; +probably mischievous spirits lived there.</p> + +<p>Favour-of-heaven, having lived in the +capital, but little believed in phantoms. +He found the occasion excellent to establish +his reputation in braving imaginary +dangers.</p> + +<p>His wife and his children implored him +in vain; he persisted in his intention of +remaining the night alone in the haunted +house.</p> + +<p>He had lights brought; installed himself +in a big armchair, and placed across his +knees a long and heavy sword.</p> + +<p>Hours passed by; the sonorous noise +of the gong struck by the watchman announced +successively the hours, first of the<span class="pagenum">[52]</span> +Pig, then of the Rat. He grew drowsy. +Suddenly, he was awakened by the gnashing +of teeth. All the lights were out; the +darkness, however, was not deep enough +to prevent his being able to distinguish +everything confusedly. Anguish seized him; +his heart beat with violence; his staring +eyes were fixed on the door.</p> + +<p>By the half-opened door he perceived +a round white mass, the deformed head of +a monster, who, appearing little by little, +stretched long hands with twisted fingers +and claws.</p> + +<p>Favour-of-heaven mechanically raised his +weapon; his blood frozen in his veins, he +tried to strike the head, whose indistinct +features were certainly dreadful. Without +doubt the blow had struck, for a frightful cry +was heard; all the demons of the inferior +regions seemed let loose with this yell; calls +were heard from all sides. The trellised +frames of the windows were shaken with +violence. The monster gained the door.<span class="pagenum">[53]</span> +Favour-of-heaven pursued him and threw +him down.</p> + +<p>His terror was such that he felt he must +strike and kill. Hardly had he finished +than there entered, rolling from side to +side, a little being, quite round, brandishing +unknown weapons at the end of innumerable +small hands. The prefect, with +one blow, cut him in two like a watermelon.</p> + +<p>However, the windows were shaken with +growing rage; unknown beings entered +by the door without interruption; the +prefect threw them down one after another: +a black shadow first, then a head balancing +itself at the end of a huge neck, then the +jaw of a crocodile, then a big bird with +the chest and feet of a donkey.</p> + +<p>Trembling all over, the man struck right +and left, exhausted and panting; a cold +perspiration overwhelmed him; he felt his +strength gradually giving way, when the +cock crowed at last the coming of the day.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[54]</span></p> + +<p>Little by little, grey dawn designed the +trellis of the windows, then the sun suddenly +appeared above the horizon and +darted its rays across the rents in the +paper.</p> + +<p>Favour-of-heaven felt his heart stand +still; on the floor inundated with blood, +the bodies lying there had human forms, +forms that he knew: this one looked like +his second wife, and this one, this little +head that had rolled against the foot of +the table, he would have sworn that it was +his last son.</p> + +<p>With a mad cry he threw away his +weapon and ran to open the door, through +which the sun poured in.</p> + +<p>An armed crowd was moving in the yard.</p> + +<p>"My family! my family! where is my +family?"</p> + +<p>"They are all with you in the pavilion!"</p> + +<p>But as they were speaking they saw +with stupor the hair of the young man +becoming white, and the wrinkles of age<span class="pagenum">[55]</span> +cover his face, while he remained motionless +as well as insensible.</p> + +<p>They drew near; he rolled fainting on +the ground. "And thus," ended the sub-prefect +in the silence of the dark hall, +where only the little light of the opium-lamp +was shining, "I remained several days +without knowledge of anything. When I +came to myself, I had to bear the sorrow +of having killed my whole family in these +atrocious circumstances. I resigned my +post: I had magnificent tombs built for +all those who were killed this fatal night, +and, since then, I smoke without ceasing the +agreeable drug, in order to fly away from +the remembrance, which will haunt me until +my last day."</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[56]</span></p> + +<h2 id="PEACEFUL-LIGHT"><i>PEACEFUL-LIGHT</i></h2> + +<p>In the time when the Shining Dynasty +had just conquered the throne, the +eastern coasts of the Empire were ravaged +by the rapid junks commanded by the +cruel inhabitants of the Japanese islands, +the irresistible <i>Wo tsz</i>.</p> + +<p>Now, it happened that the <i>Wo tsz</i> Emperor +lost his first wife; knowing the beauty of +Chinese women, he charged one of his +officers to bring back some of them.</p> + +<p>The officer, at the head of a numerous +troop, landed not far from the town of +The-Smoky-wall. No resistance was possible; +the population was given the example +of flight by the functionaries, at least it +was thus said in the Annals of the prefecture.</p> + +<p>The country being far from the big centres,<span class="pagenum">[57]</span> +the women were not great coquettes; only +one, named Peaceful-light, had always +been careful, since childhood, not to allow +her feet to become naturally large; they +were constantly bound up, so much so that +she could hardly walk.</p> + +<p>Her large soft eyes were shaded with +heavy eyelashes; one of the literati of +the place took delight in quoting the poets +of antiquity on them:</p> + +<blockquote><p>Under the willow of her eyelashes +The tranquil river of her eyes shines forth. +I bend and see my image reflected in them. +Could she be deceitful like the deep water?</p></blockquote> + +<p>When the pirates were coming, she +begged her family to leave her, and to fly +without the risk of being delayed by +her.</p> + +<p>"It is the just punishment for my coquetry," +she told them. "Fear nothing for +me, however. I am going to take a strong +dose of the paste extracted from the flowers +of Nao-yang which makes one sleep. The<span class="pagenum">[58]</span> +pirates will think I am dead, and will leave +me."</p> + +<p>The family allowed themselves to be +persuaded, and departed. As to Peaceful-light, +she was asleep almost directly after +taking the drug, and she remained motionless +on her bed.</p> + +<p>The pirates, entering everywhere, at +last arrived in the house and remained +struck with admiration by her beauty. The +officer who was called, at first thought +her dead and was much grieved, but, +touching her hand and finding it warm +and limp, he resolved to carry her away.</p> + +<p>When the ravishers were re-embarked, +the strong sea-air and the motion of the +boat revived the young girl; she awoke, and +was horrified to find herself surrounded +by strangers. The one who seemed the +chief spoke to her in Chinese language +in order to reassure her:</p> + +<p>"Fear nothing. No harm will come to +you. On the contrary, the highest destiny<span class="pagenum">[59]</span> +awaits you; my Lord The Emperor designs +you to the honour of his couch."</p> + +<p>Seeing that no one troubled her, Peaceful-light +was reassured; she resolved to wait, +confident in her destiny, and knowing that +she had still, ready in her sleeve, in case +of necessity, a narcotic dose strong enough +to kill her.</p> + +<p>As soon as she landed, she was taken in +great haste to the Palace. The Emperor, +greatly satisfied with her beauty, conferred +on her at once the rank of first favourite.</p> + +<p>But all the luxury and love which surrounded +her could not make her forget +her family and her country; she resolved +to run away.</p> + +<p>In order to manage it, she complained +to her master how sad it was for her never +to be able to speak her own language with +companions from her country. The Emperor, +happy to be able to please her, gave +orders to fit out a sea-junk, in order to go +to the Chinese coast.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[60]</span></p> + +<p>The day when all was ready the young +girl found means of pouring into her master's +drink a dose of her narcotic. Then, when +he was asleep, she took his private seal and, +going out of the room, she called the intendant +of the Palace and said to him:</p> + +<p>"The Emperor has ordered me to go to +China to fetch a magician, a member of +my family, who has great power on water +and wind. Here is the seal, proof of my +mission. The ship must be almost ready."</p> + +<p>The intendant knew that a junk had +been specially prepared to go to China; he +saw the seal; what suspicion could he +have? He had a palanquin brought as +quickly as possible; two hours after, the +wood of the junk groaned under the blows +of the unfurling waves.</p> + +<p>Arriving in sight of the coast, on the +pretext of not frightening the population, +the young girl begged the officer who accompanied +her to send a messenger to the +prefect of the town, bearing a letter that<span class="pagenum">[61]</span> +she had prepared. The officer, without +distrust, sent one of his men.</p> + +<p>The letter of Peaceful-light showed a +whole scheme to which the prefect could +but give his consent. The messenger returned, +bringing to the officer and to the +men an invitation to take part in the +feast that was being prepared for them, +their intentions not being bad.</p> + +<p>Peaceful-light retired into her family, +who welcomed her with a thousand demonstrations +of joy.</p> + +<p>In the wine that was freely poured out +for the strangers they had dissolved the +flowers of Nao-yang. The effects were not +long in being felt; a torpor that they +attributed to the table excesses seized +them one after another. They were soon +all sleeping deeply. Men arrived with +swords, glided near them, and, a signal +being given, cut off their heads.</p> + +<p>While these events were passing in China, +others still more serious were happening<span class="pagenum">[62]</span> +in Japan. Soon after the departure of +Peaceful-light, the Emperor's brother penetrated +into the room where the sovereign +was left sleeping. This brother was ambitious; +he profited by the occasion, +killed the unhappy Mikado, took possession +of the seals of the State, and, calling +his partisans in haste, proclaimed himself +Chief of the State. Only a part of the +princes followed him; the others, filled with +indignation by the crime that had been +accomplished, united their troops to crush +the usurper; civil war tore the whole of +Japan to pieces.</p> + +<p>As to Peaceful-light, by order of the +authorities she received public congratulations +and gifts of land which allowed her +to marry and be happy, as she merited.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[63]</span></p> + +<h2 id="HONG_THE_CURRIER"><i>HONG THE CURRIER</i></h2> + +<p>"In the time when the Justice of +Heaven was actively employed with +the affairs of the earth, one of my ancestors +had an adventure to which we owe our +present fortune, and of which few men of +to-day have seen the equal."</p> + +<p>Thus began my friend Hong; reclining +on the red cushions of the big couch, he +fanned himself gracefully with an ivory +fan painted all over.</p> + +<p>"Our family, as you know, originally +came from the town of The-Black-chain in +the province of The-Foaming-rivers. Our +ancestor Hong The-just was a currier by +trade; he cut and scraped the skins that +were entrusted to him. His family was +composed only of his wife, who helped him +as well as she could.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[64]</span></p> + +<p>"Notwithstanding this persistent labour, +they were very poor; no furniture ornamented +the three rooms in the small +house that they hired in the Street-of-the-golden-flowers.</p> + +<p>"When the last days of the twelfth moon +in that year arrived, they found they were +owing six strings of copper cash to ten +different creditors. With all they possessed, +there only remained 400 cash. What were +they to do? They reflected for a long +time. Hong The-just at last said to his +wife:</p> + +<p>"'Take these 400 cash; you will be able +to buy rice to live on. As to me, as I +cannot pay my debts before the first day of +the first moon, I am going to leave the +town and hide myself in the mountain. +My creditors, not seeing me, will believe +you when you tell them that I have been +to find money in the neighbouring town. +Once the first day of the first moon passed, +as law ordains to wait till the following term,<span class="pagenum">[65]</span> +I shall then come back, and we shall continue +to live as well as we can.'</p> + +<p>"It was indeed the wisest thing to do. His +wife made him a parcel of a blanket and a +few dry biscuits. She wept at seeing him +go away quite bent, walking with difficulty +on the slippery flagstones of the street.</p> + +<p>"The snow was falling in thick flakes and +already covered the grey tiled roofs, when +Hong The-just left the city gate and directed +his steps to a cave that he knew of in a lonely +valley.</p> + +<p>"He arrived at last, and, throwing his +heavy load on the ground, he glanced around +him in order to choose the place where he +would sleep.</p> + +<p>"An exclamation of stupor escaped from +him when he saw, seated motionless on a +stone, a man clothed in a long sable cloak, +with a cap of the same fur, looking at him +in a mournful, indifferent way.</p> + +<p>"'How strange!' at last said Hong, +laughing. 'Dare I ask your noble name<span class="pagenum">[66]</span> +and the reason that brings you to this +remote refuge? How is it that you are +not with your friends, drinking hot wine +and rejoicing in the midst of the luxuriance +of the tables covered with various eatables +and brilliant lights?'</p> + +<p>"'My name is Yang Glow-of-dawn. And +you, what is your precious name?' replied +mechanically the first occupant.</p> + +<p>"'I am called Hong The-just, and I am +here to escape from my creditors.'</p> + +<p>"'You, also?' sneered Glow-of-dawn. +'The strokes of Fate do not vary much. +As for me, I deal in European goods; my +correspondents have not settled my accounts +and I am in want of nearly a hundred +thousand ounces of silver to close the year. +None of my friends could advance me the +sum, and here I am, obliged to fly away from +my creditors.'</p> + +<p>"'A hundred thousand ounces!' cried +The-just. 'With a sum like that I should +pass the rest of my days in plenty. Anyhow,<span class="pagenum">[67]</span> +struck by the same misfortune, we +are thus united; let us try to pass cheerfully +the last day of the year, and attempt +to imagine that these humble cakes are +refined food.'</p> + +<p>"When they were eating their pastry +and drinking water from the near torrent, +Glow-of-dawn suddenly said:</p> + +<p>"'But you, how much do you owe? I +have here a few ounces of silver; maybe you +could balance your accounts with them.'</p> + +<p>"'My debts do not exceed six strings of +copper cash. But how could I dare accept +your offer?'</p> + +<p>"'Not at all! take these ten ounces; +you will pay your debts and bring me here +food and wine; that will help me to wait +till the end of the festivals.'</p> + +<p>"The-just, reiterating his thanks, took the +ingots that were offered him and went +down as quickly as possible towards the +town.</p> + +<p>"His wife, on seeing him and hearing<span class="pagenum">[68]</span> +his story, could not restrain her joy. She +hurried to go and buy provisions of all +kinds. Her husband tried to light the +stove, but they had not lit a fire for a +long time; he found the chimney filled with +soot and dust.</p> + +<p>"Hong tried to sweep it with a big broom, +but the masonry gave way, filling the room +with the bricks and rubbish.</p> + +<p>"'How very annoying!' grumbled the +currier. 'Now the stove is destroyed let us +take away what remains, and we will make +the fire beneath the opening in the roof!'</p> + +<p>"When his wife returned, he was still +working. She put down her basket and +helped to raise a huge stone that formed +the bottom of the hearth. What was their +astonishment in seeing a chest, half-broken, +from which big ingots of gold were falling!</p> + +<p>"'What are we to do with this?' said +his wife. 'If we sell this gold, everybody +will think that we have stolen it, and we +shall be put in prison.'</p><p><span class="pagenum">[69]</span></p> + +<p>"'We have only one thing to do,' replied +Hong. 'Let us entrust our fortune to my +companion in the cave; he is a good man. +We shall save him, and he will make our +money prosper; I will hurry and tell him.'</p> + +<p>"When Hong arrived, it was nearly nightfall; +Yang was standing under flakes of +snow at the entrance of the grotto; he +received him with reproaches:</p> + +<p>"'You have come so late that my eyes +are sore in looking out for you in vain!'</p> + +<p>"'Do not abuse me, Old Uncle; drink +this wine and eat these cakes that are still +warm, and I will tell you what delayed me.'</p> + +<p>"And while Glow-of-dawn ate and drank, +the other told him of his adventure and of +his intentions about the treasure.</p> + +<p>"Surprised and touched, the merchant did +not know how to express his wonder and +gratitude. They talked over the best way +of proceeding to bring the gold and settle +the business.</p> + +<p>"Then, by the glimmer of a bad lantern,<span class="pagenum">[70]</span> +they returned to the town and entered the +merchant's house. There the currier washed +himself, did his hair, and clothed himself +in rich garments. A sedan-chair was +waiting for him, followed by sturdy servants; +he went away....</p> + +<p>"The next day Glow-of-dawn's creditors +presented themselves at the house of their +debtor. He was standing at the entrance, +and bowed in wishing them a thousand +times happiness. They entered; tea was +brought in by busy servants. They at last +discussed the settlement of their yearly +accounts. The master of the house found +out that he owed 180,000 ounces of silver.</p> + +<p>"'We have been informed that larger +sums of silver are due to you, but you know +the custom; you must settle everything +to-day. In order to save you, we are +content to make an estimate of your wealth, +your goods and lands.'</p> + +<p>"'Do not give yourselves such a trouble,' +replied the merchant, laughing and waving<span class="pagenum">[71]</span> +his hand. 'I thought you would be relentless, +so I have been to speak to my elder +brother, who has an immense fortune; he +has put at my disposal several hundred +thousand ounces. But here! I hear the +cry of the bearers; it must be him with +the chests of white metal.'</p> + +<p>"The major domo came hurrying in, carrying +high in the air the huge red card with +the names and surnames written in black.</p> + +<p>"'The venerable Old Great Uncle The-just +has arrived!'</p> + +<p>"'Allow me?' said Yang, getting up, +and going towards the door, of which both +sides were open. Hong entered. They +made each other a thousand affectionate +greetings, as all brothers do who are animated +with right feelings.</p> + +<p>"'Dear elder brother! here are the gentlemen +who have come for the settlement of +my accounts about which I spoke to you.'</p> + +<p>"'Gentlemen!' and the currier bowed, +not without a certain grace that his new<span class="pagenum">[72]</span> +fortune had already given him. 'Well! +how much is the total amount? I have +brought you ten thousand ounces of gold, +which is nearly 350,000 ounces of silver. +Will you have enough?'</p> + +<p>"While he was speaking, bearers were +trooping in, and laid down on the ground +heavy chests, the lids of which being raised, +one could see the bars of precious metal.</p> + +<p>"The merchants, thunderstruck by all +these riches and generosity, remained silent +for a moment; then they bowed low and +bade the currier sit in the place of honour.</p> + +<p>"Many delicate and exquisite dishes were +brought in of which The-just did not even +know the names; sweet wines were handed +round in small transparent china cups.</p> + +<p>"At last the secretaries counted the ingots, +and they all returned home paid. When +every one had retired, Glow-of-dawn knelt +before the currier and, striking the earth +with his forehead, he said:</p> + +<p>"'Now you are my elder brother. You<span class="pagenum">[73]</span> +have rescued me, and I henceforth wish you +to live here. My house, my properties, +everything I possess belongs to you. Your +wife is my sister-in-law.'</p> + +<p>"The currier hurried to raise him up and, +much moved, said:</p> + +<p>"'I do not forget that it is you who saved +me when you were still in misfortune. +Your good genius has rewarded you. I am +only the instrument of Fate.'"</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[74]</span></p> + +<h2 id="AUTUMN-MOON"><i>AUTUMN-MOON</i></h2> + +<p>In the town of Sou-tcheou a young +man lived called Lake-of-the-Immortals; +he was wise and generous. His +business consisted in going to fetch goods +from neighbouring towns, which he afterwards +brought back to his native city. He +was thus obliged to be absent for lengthy +periods, during which he left his house to +the care of an elder brother, a celebrated +scholar, who was married, and whom he +tenderly loved.</p> + +<p>Once he had been by the Grand Canal +as far as Chen-kiang; the goods he was +going to take not being ready, he waited, +and to while away the time he visited the +Golden Island, whose temples with yellow-tiled +roofs show in the verdure above the<span class="pagenum">[75]</span> +yellow water of the river, nearly opposite +to the town; he passed the night there, as +visitors did usually.</p> + +<p>When he had just fallen asleep, he saw in +a dream a young girl, fourteen or fifteen +years old, her visage regular and pure.</p> + +<p>On the second night he had the same +dream. Surprised, he awoke; it was no +dream; the young girl was there, near to +him. At a glance he saw she was no human +being; he hastened to get up and, saluting, +to ask her the ordinary questions.</p> + +<p>"My name is Autumn-moon," she replied. +"My father was a celebrated magician. +When I died, he worked out my +future destiny and wrote it down with +powerful incantations; this charm has been +put into my coffin, so that the inferior +authorities should not make any mistake. +It was written that, thirty years after my +death, I should be called again to life and +marry Lake-of-the-Immortals. There you +are, and I have come to know my husband."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[76]</span></p> + +<p>As she said the last words she slowly +vanished in the night. The next day, as +the young man, disturbed and preoccupied +by this strange adventure, was sitting in +his room, thinking of her, she appeared +suddenly before his eyes and said:</p> + +<p>"Come quickly! something important +for you is going to happen at the prefect's +palace. We have not a minute to lose."</p> + +<p>Lake-of-the-Immortals questioned her, +but she would not answer. Then they both +crossed the river and walked as fast as they +could up to the yamen.</p> + +<p>As they arrived at the gate, four soldiers, +dragging a prisoner, were on the point of +entering. Lake-of-the-Immortals recognised +his elder brother in the person of the prisoner; +he drew near, threw himself on his neck, and +pressed him to his heart.</p> + +<p>"How is it that you are here? why this +arrest? And you, soldiers, where do you +take him?"</p> + +<p>"We have orders: what means this interference?"<span class="pagenum">[77]</span> +And they pushed the young +man aside. Lake-of-the-Immortals was of a +violent temper and had a strong affection for +his brother; he could not let him go, and +answered to the brutality of the soldiers by +such a tempest of thumping and kicking +that these honest but prudent soldiers asked +no more and fled.</p> + +<p>"What have you done?" said Autumn-moon. +"Hitting soldiers is serious; we +must fly."</p> + +<p>And all three, running, arrived at the +beach, jumped into a small boat, and rowed +with all their strength.</p> + +<p>When day appeared, they were safely +lodged in a small inn, several lis from Chen-kiang. +Lake-of-the-Immortals, exhausted, +went to sleep immediately. When he awoke, +his two companions had disappeared. He +asked the innkeeper; nobody had seen them +go out.</p> + +<p>Distressed and sad, the young man did +not dare to show himself outside. He<span class="pagenum">[78]</span> +remained solitary in his room. When twilight +came, his door opened and a woman +entered:</p> + +<p>"I bring you a message from Autumn-moon; +she has been arrested. If you wish +to see her, you must follow me; I will +show you the way."</p> + +<p>"And my brother? do you know anything?"</p> + +<p>"Your brother is safe in Sou-tcheou now. +But come and follow me."</p> + +<p>They started and soon arrived before a +wall, which they got over by helping one +another. Through a window giving on the +yard they fell in, the lover perceived +Autumn-moon on a bed. Two soldiers +were trying to tease her, saying:</p> + +<p>"What is the use of resisting us, as you +will be executed to-morrow morning?"</p> + +<p>Lake-of-the-Immortals did not hear any +more; he rushed into the room, threw +himself on the soldiers, tore a sword from +them, and laid them on the ground. Before<span class="pagenum">[79]</span> +the wretched men had time to make a +gesture of defence, he carried away the girl +and flew.</p> + +<p>At this moment he started violently, and +found himself in his same room in the +Golden Island. A servant entered, bringing +the breakfast he had ordered when arriving +for the first time, the night before, on the +island.</p> + +<p>As he was asking himself the meaning of +such a vivid dream, he heard a noise in +the courtyard. Going out, he saw several +men surrounding the body of a girl stretched +before his door.</p> + +<p>"Where does she come from?" asked +some one.</p> + +<p>"We have never seen her!" said another.</p> + +<p>Lake-of-the-Immortals came nearer; it was +the body, seemingly senseless, of Autumn-moon. +He had her brought immediately +into his room. A doctor who had been +called declared she was still alive, but +needed very careful nursing.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[80]</span></p> + +<p>When she awoke at last she smiled feebly +to the young man.</p> + +<p>"No, it is no dream," she replied to his +questions. "Your brother was called before +the King of Hells; you saved him. You +have saved me also from eternal disappearance, +and I am called again to life; the +prediction of my father was true."</p> + +<p>A fortnight later she was able to get up; +they started together and arrived safely +at Sou-tcheou. When they got to his +brother's house, his sister-in-law told them +there had been illness in the house; her +husband had been in grave danger of +death; he was quite well now.</p> + +<p>When they were all together, Lake-of-the-Immortals +told what he had seen and done. +They all listened to him in silence. The +family henceforth lived united and happy.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[81]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_PRINCESS_NELUMBO"><i>THE PRINCESS NELUMBO</i></h2> + +<p>Gleam-of-day was sleeping; his +round face and high forehead denoted +the scholar's right intelligence.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden he saw a man standing +before his bed who appeared to be +waiting.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" inquired the sleeper, +getting up.</p> + +<p>"The prince is asking for you."</p> + +<p>"Which prince?"</p> + +<p>"The prince of the neighbouring territory."</p> + +<p>Gleam-of-day, grumbling, got up, put on +his court dress and followed his guide. +Palanquins were waiting; they started +rapidly, and their retinue was soon passing +in the midst of innumerable pavilions and +towers with pointed roofs.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[82]</span></p> + +<p>They at last stopped in the courtyard +of the palace; young girls with bright +clothing were seen, and looked inquiringly +at the new-comer, who was announced with +great pomp.</p> + +<p>At last Gleam-of-day reached the audience +hall. The prince was seated on the throne; +he descended the steps and welcomed his +guest according to the rites.</p> + +<p>"You perfume this neighbourhood," he +said. "Your reputation has come to me, +and I wished to know you."</p> + +<p>The servants brought wine; they began +to converse nobly and brilliantly. At last +the prince asked:</p> + +<p>"Among the flowers, tell me which one +you prefer."</p> + +<p>"The nelumbo," he replied, without +hesitating.</p> + +<p>"The nelumbo? it is precisely my +daughter's surname. What a curious coincidence! +The princess must absolutely +know you."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[83]</span></p> + +<p>And he made a sign to one of the attendants, +who at once went out. A few minutes +after, the princess appeared. She was between +sixteen and seventeen years old. +Nothing could equal her admirable beauty.</p> + +<p>Her father ordered her to bow to the +scholar and said:</p> + +<p>"Here is my daughter Nelumbo."</p> + +<p>Gleam-of-day, looking at her, felt troubled +to the depth of his soul. The prince spoke +to him; he hardly heard, and replied awkwardly. +When the princess had retired, +the conversation languished; the prince at +last rose and put an end to the interview.</p> + +<p>During all the way back the young man +was ashamed at the same time with his +emotion before the girl, as well as his +rudeness towards the prince. He was so +much troubled that he ordered his +retinue to go back to the palace.</p> + +<p>When he entered the audience hall, he +threw himself to the ground before the prince +and begged to be excused for his rudeness.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[84]</span></p> + +<p>"You need not excuse yourself; the +sentiment that I read in your eyes is powerful +and the thought of it is not unpleasant +to me."</p> + +<p>While Gleam-of-day, happy with this +encouragement, was still excusing himself, +twenty young girls came running:</p> + +<p>"A monster has entered the palace; it is +a python ten thousand feet long. It has +already devoured thirteen hundred persons; +its head is like a mountain peak."</p> + +<p>Every one got up; the frightened guard +and the courtiers ran hither and thither, +looking where they could hide themselves. +The princess and her maids-in-waiting were +crying for help.</p> + +<p>Gleam-of-day at last said to the prince:</p> + +<p>"I have only three miserable rooms in +a cottage, but you will be safe in them. +Will you fly there with your daughter?"</p> + +<p>"Let us go as quickly as possible," +replied the prince, seizing the princess by +the wrist.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[85]</span></p> + +<p>They all three ran across the deserted +streets. When they arrived, Nelumbo threw +herself on the bed, without being able to +stop weeping.</p> + +<p>Gleam-of-day was so moved that he +suddenly awoke: everything was a dream.</p> + +<p>Just then he heard a scream in the next +room, where his father slept; there was a +struggle, blows, and at last a sigh of satisfaction.</p> + +<p>The door opened, and the old man was +seen pushing an enormous serpent at the +end of a stick. When Gleam-of-day turned +back to his bed, he found it covered with +bees; on the pillow the queen had alighted.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[86]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_TWO_BROTHERS"><i>THE TWO BROTHERS</i></h2> + +<p>In the town of Sou-tcheou there lived +two brothers. The elder, surnamed +Merchant, was very rich; the younger, +named Deceived-hope, very poor. They +lived side by side, and their houses, the +paternal inheritance, were only separated +by a low wall. They were both married.</p> + +<p>This year, the harvest having been bad, +Deceived-hope could not afford the necessary +rice for his family to live upon. His +wife said to him:</p> + +<p>"Let us send our son to your brother: +he will be touched and will give us something, +without any doubt."</p> + +<p>Deceived-hope hesitated, but at last +decided to take this step which hurt his +pride. When the child returned from his<span class="pagenum">[87]</span> +uncle's, his hands were empty. They questioned +him:</p> + +<p>"I told my uncle that you were without +rice; he hesitated and looked at my aunt. +She then said to me: 'The two brothers live +separately; their food also is separate.'"</p> + +<p>Deceived-hope and his wife did not say +a word; they fetched the bale of rice that +was still in their corn-loft and lived thus.</p> + +<p>Now, in the town, two or three vagabonds +who knew the riches of Merchant +broke open his door one night, and tied +him up as well as his wife. As he would +not show his treasure, they began burning +his hands and feet. Merchant and his +wife screamed for help. Deceived-hope +heard them and got up in order to run to +their house, but his wife held him back, +and, approaching the wall which separated +them, cried:</p> + +<p>"The two brothers live separately; their +food also is separate."</p> + +<p>However, as their cries increased, Deceived-hope<span class="pagenum">[88]</span> +could not contain himself, and, +seizing a weapon, leapt over the wall, fell +on the thieves, and dispersed them. Then, +when his brother and his sister-in-law were +delivered and quieted, he returned home, +saying to his wife:</p> + +<p>"They are certain to give us a present."</p> + +<p>But, the next day and the days following, +they waited in vain! Deceived-hope could +not resist the temptation to relate everything +to his friends. The same thieves heard +of it and, thinking that he would not interfere +any more, broke open the door of Merchant +the same evening and began again to +torture him as well as his wife.</p> + +<p>Deceived-hope, indeed, did not wish to +interfere. However, his heart and his liver +were upset by the painful cries of his brother. +He could not forbear running to his help.</p> + +<p>The brigands, disconcerted, flew again, +but this time Merchant and his wife were +severely burnt; they lost the use of their +hands and feet.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[89]</span></p> + +<p>The next day Merchant said to his wife:</p> + +<p>"My brother has saved our lives; without +him we should be ruined; I am going +to give him a part of what we have."</p> + +<p>"Do nothing of the kind," replied his +wife; "if he had come sooner, he would have +saved our hands and feet; now, thanks to +him, we are infirm."</p> + +<p>And they did nothing. Deceived-hope, +however, wanting money, made an act of +sale of his house and sent it to his brother, +hoping that he would be touched by his +misery and would send back the deed with +a present.</p> + +<p>In fact Merchant was going to send him +some silver ingots, but his wife stopped +him:</p> + +<p>"Let us take his house; we shall be +able to make ours bigger, and it will be +much more convenient."</p> + +<p>Merchant hesitated a little, but he ended +by accepting the act, and sent the price +agreed on. Deceived-hope went and settled<span class="pagenum">[90]</span> +in another part of the town; with his +small capital, he opened a vegetable-shop, +which soon prospered.</p> + +<p>The brigands, having heard that Merchant +was now living alone, broke open his door +very quietly, tortured him, and then killed +him, taking away all he had. In leaving the +place, they cried all over the town:</p> + +<p>"Merchant's corn-loft is open! Let all +the poor go and take the rice!"</p> + +<p>They thus went, one by one, silently, +all the poor of the neighbourhood, taking +away as much of the heaped-up rice as +they could. Soon there was nothing left.</p> + +<p>Deceived-hope being informed, wished +to revenge his brother; he pursued the +brigands and killed two of them.</p> + +<p>From this time it was he who every day +attended to the needs of his sister-in-law, +now in misery. Some months afterwards, +exhausted, she died.</p> + +<p>Deceived-hope came back and was soon +settled in the patrimony that he had recovered.<span class="pagenum">[91]</span> +One night he was soundly sleeping, +when he saw his brother.</p> + +<p>"You have saved us twice, and we have +been ungrateful. I should not be dead if +I had not acted badly with you. I wish to +make amends. Under the stone of the +hearth you will find five hundred ounces of +gold that I had hidden, and of the existence +of which my wife was ignorant."</p> + +<p>Deceived-hope started from his sleep; he +told his dream to his wife. She at once +got up, drew out the stone of the hearth, +and found the mass of gold. Henceforth, +happy and rich, they lived long and were +charitable and friendly with every one.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[92]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_MARBLE_ARCH"><i>THE MARBLE ARCH</i></h2> + +<p>When the troubles began to break out +in Hankow, many families were +alarmed. Those who were not ignorant of +the powerful organisation of the revolutionists +left the town as soon as possible, +anticipating that it would soon be plundered +and burnt.</p> + +<p>The retired prefect, Kiun, was amongst +the first to embark in order to go down +the river. His house was situated at +several lis from the river, on the confines +of the suburbs, outside the fortified +enclosure. He had only been married a +short time, and was living with his father +and mother.</p> + +<p>When the baggage at last was ready, +the bearers fixed it in the middle of<span class="pagenum">[93]</span> +their long bamboos and set off two by +two, grumbling under the heavy load. +The two old people followed; Kiun and +his young wife, the charming Seaweed, +helped them as well as they could.</p> + +<p>In order to avoid crossing the centre of +the town, they followed the crenellated wall +by an almost deserted road. A young +man and woman alone were sauntering in +the same direction, carrying parcels on their +shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going to?" they asked, +as it is the custom to do between travellers.</p> + +<p>"As far as the river," replied Kiun. +"And you?"</p> + +<p>"We also," said the young man. "What +is your precious name?"</p> + +<p>"My contemptible name is Kiun. But +you, deign to inform me about your +family?"</p> + +<p>"My name is Wang The-king. We are +flying from the insurrection."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[94]</span></p> + +<p>They thus talked while walking in company.</p> + +<p>Seaweed took the advantage of a moment +when the new-comers were a little in front +to bend towards her husband.</p> + +<p>"Do not let us get in the same junk +with these strangers. The man has looked +at me several times in a rude way; his eyes +are unsteady and fickle; I am afraid of +him."</p> + +<p>Kiun made a sign of assent. But when +they had arrived on the quay, Wang The-king +gave himself so much trouble to find +a junk and help to embark the luggage +that the prefect, bound by the rites, could +not avoid asking him to get on board the +boat with him.</p> + +<p>They unmoored; Wang The-king established +himself on the prow with his wife, +near the mariners; he spoke a long time +with them while they were passing the last +houses of the large city.</p> + +<p>When night fell, they were in a part of<span class="pagenum">[95]</span> +the river where it got broader to such an +extent that you could no longer distinguish +the banks. The wind was blowing rather +violently and the unfurling waves projected +heavy showers on the mats which covered +the quarter-deck.</p> + +<p>Kiun, uneasy, went to the prow of the +boat in order to question the master. The +bright moon was rising, lighting the dark +line of the bank. They approached in +order to throw the anchor.</p> + +<p>Wang The-king was on the narrow bridge; +when Kiun came to his side, he coolly +pushed the poor prefect overboard. Kiun's +father was two paces behind; Wang ran to +him and threw him also into the tumultuous +waters of the rapid current. Kiun's mother, +hearing a cry and a struggle, went to see +what was happening, and she also was +precipitated into the foaming river.</p> + +<p>Seaweed, from the cabin, had seen all; +but she took good care not to go outside; +she moaned:</p><p><span class="pagenum">[96]</span></p> + +<p>"Alas! my father-in-law and my mother-in-law +are dead! My husband has been +killed! I am going to die, too!"</p> + +<p>While she was crying, Wang The-king +entered the cabin.</p> + +<p>"Fear nothing," said he; "forget those +people who are no more and won't come +back. I am going to take you home to +the city of The-Golden-tombs. There I +have fields and houses belonging to me; I +will give them to you."</p> + +<p>The young woman kept back her sobs +and said nothing; she thought it wise +not to provoke the murderer.</p> + +<p>Wang The-king, very satisfied with his +prospects, went back to the mariners, gave +them the greater part of what his victims +had brought in silver and luggage; then he +quietly took his dinner and retired to his +cabin with his wife. The woman had a +strange look, but she did not say anything, +and they went to sleep.</p> + +<p>Towards the hour of the Rat, the woman<span class="pagenum">[97]</span> +began to groan; then she started out of her +sleep and cried to her husband:</p> + +<p>"Kill me, repudiate me! I can no +longer stay with you! Thunder and lightning +will strike you! I have dreamt it; +I will no longer be the wife of a murderer +and a thief!"</p> + +<p>Wang, furious, struck her. But as she +continued, he took her in his arms and +threw her into the river.</p> + +<p>On the second day the boat arrived at +The-Golden-tombs. Wang took Seaweed +to his family. When his old mother asked +what he had done with his first wife, he +replied:</p> + +<p>"She fell in the river, and I will marry +this one."</p> + +<p>They were soon settled in the house. +Wang wished to take liberties with Seaweed, +who gently drove him back.</p> + +<p>"We must not neglect the rites. Do not +let us forget to empty first the marriage +cup."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[98]</span></p> + +<p>Wang joyously accepted; and soon, +seated opposite each other, they began +exchanging cups of wine in the ritual +way.</p> + +<p>Seaweed, however, pretended to drink, +and tried to make her lover tipsy; she +contrived this little by little.</p> + +<p>Wang, rendered sleepy by the wine, undressed +himself, got on the bed, and ordered +the young woman to put out the lamps and +come to him.</p> + +<p>She carefully blew the lamps and said:</p> + +<p>"I will come in a minute!"</p> + +<p>Then she quickly went to her luggage, +took out a sword she had hidden there, and +came back. Feeling with her hands in the +darkness, she found the throat of the man +and struck him as hard as she could: the +man screamed and tried to get up; she +struck again and again: there was a +moaning, a gurgle, and then silence.</p> + +<p>However, Wang's mother, having heard +some noise, came with a lantern. Seaweed<span class="pagenum">[99]</span> +killed her before the old woman could +even say a word.</p> + +<p>Then the young woman, having avenged +her family, tried to cut her own throat, in +order to join her husband. The sword was +blunt and she was only able to scratch +herself. She then remembered that, outside +the house, there was a fairly big +pond; she ran out and threw herself into the +water.</p> + +<p>Some neighbours saw her and ran to her +help; other people came; lanterns were +brought forth; the poor girl at last was +taken out of the pond, and brought back +to her house. But, when the new-comers +entered the room, they saw the bodies and +the blood.</p> + +<p>"Murder! Murder!" cried they.</p> + +<p>And they immediately sent a boy to call +the police. The constables came and looked +all over the room; they soon found in Seaweed's +luggage a note prepared by the +unfortunate woman and stating the truth<span class="pagenum">[100]</span> +about her family's death. The assistants +were loud in their praise of her act:</p> + +<p>"She avenged her husband; she has +been witty enough to beguile the murderer; +and now she has killed herself! Such an act +of courage and virtue has not been heard +of for centuries. We must ask the authorities +to build her a marble arch to +commemorate her history, and be an +example to future generations."</p> + +<p>While all this was going on, they tried +to revive the woman; everything was done, +but in vain. A coffin was then brought in, +and the girl transferred to it, covered with +her best garments and jewels. The lid +was screwed on, and everybody left the +house.</p> + +<p>We must now come back to the evening +when Wang pushed into the water Seaweed's +husband. Kiun was a strong man and a +very good swimmer; surprised by this +sudden attack, all he could do at first was +to keep his head out of the tumultuous<span class="pagenum">[101]</span> +water. He then thought to go back to the +boat, but, on the foaming expanse nothing +was to be seen; the rapid current had +driven him too far. At last the water +brought him to a curving beach, where he +was able to land.</p> + +<p>Walking disconsolately on the sand, he +saw a human body rolled by the surge; +he approached, and recognised his father; +farther on he saw his mother; both he +dragged out of the water. Most uneasy +about his wife, he walked on the river's +edge, straining his eyes; the moon was +shining; he saw at last a human being +holding a big piece of wood. He swam to +her, pushed her to the beach, and took her +he thought was his wife to the dry sand. +He undid the upper garment in order to +rub her members; when he saw she was +not so cold, he wiped her hair out of her +face. His stupor was immense in recognising +Wang's wife.</p> + +<p>The sun rose at last and warmed them.<span class="pagenum">[102]</span> +The young woman sighed, opened her eyes, +and, completely herself again, told Kiun +what she had seen:</p> + +<p>"My husband is a murderer. In a +dream I saw the King-of-Shadows himself +sitting behind his tribunal and writing his +name on the death-list. Besides, he is +in love with your wife. If you wish it, we +will go together straight to The Golden-tombs +and do what we can to avenge +ourselves."</p> + +<p>Kiun, seeing a man coming to work in a +field not far from there, went to him and +told him in a few words what had happened; +the man led them to his landlord, a rich +man, who gave them food and warm dresses, +sent men to bring the drowned bodies to a +side house and have them properly buried. +Then he advanced a certain sum of money +to Kiun, who agreed to send it back when he +should get to a place where he could find +a correspondent of his bankers.</p> + +<p>Then Kiun and his companion engaged a<span class="pagenum">[103]</span> +small boat and went down the river. When +they got to The Golden-tombs, they questioned +the people in the street about Wang. +A month had elapsed since the events we +have told of; the first man they questioned +looked at them in wonder:</p> + +<p>"How is it you don't know what +happened? Wang is dead; he has been +killed by a virtuous woman whose family +he had murdered and who killed herself +afterwards. You have only to go on; in +the first street to your right you will see a +new marble arch which has just been erected +to commemorate virtuous Seaweed's courageous +death."</p> + +<p>Kiun thought his heart would burst; he +dragged his companion to the marble arch +and read the inscription. Then he bought +a bundle of those imitations of gold and +silver ingots made with paper which people +burn on the tombs in order to send some +money to the dead; he went to the tomb +in the place indicated by the inscription.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[104]</span></p> + +<p>There he reverently knelt, and, after +having knocked the ground with his forehead, +he burnt the paper-ingots, rose, and +went away with Wang's wife.</p> + +<p>When they were back in their boat, they +discussed their plans and resolved to go +down the river to Shanghai.</p> + +<p>They were leaving the harbour, when a +small boat crossed their way; two women +sat on the bench. One of them reminded +Kiun strangely of his late wife. The woman +had looked up at him and seemed surprised. +The retired prefect, moved by a mysterious +strength, pronounced aloud a sentence which +used to make his wife laugh when they +were together happy in Hankow:</p> + +<p>"I see wild geese flying high in the +sky."</p> + +<p>Seaweed, when she was alive, used to +answer by a phrase which had nothing to do +with the first sentence, and had made them +laugh very often by its stupidity. The +woman in the boat said it too:</p><p><span class="pagenum">[105]</span></p> + +<p>"The dog wants the cat's biscuit; you +quickly shut it in the house."</p> + +<p>Kiun, wondering whether it was Seaweed's +ghost, asked the mariners to go +alongside the other boat; he jumped in it; +the woman threw her arms round his neck, +and they wept together.</p> + +<p>"Are you alive? or is it only your ghost +I hold in my arms?" asked he.</p> + +<p>"I am alive!"</p> + +<p>Then she told him her adventures; when +she was put into the coffin, she had some +jewels on. One of the assistants resolved +to steal them; he waited till everybody +was gone and the house empty; then he +deliberately unscrewed the coffin's lid and +rifled what he could. He was trying to +take a ring off her hand, when the supposed +corpse rose and screamed.</p> + +<p>The poor man thought his last hour had +come and did not move. Seaweed, seeing +her jewels in his hands, and seeing the coffin +she was in, grasped the situation at a glance.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[106]</span></p> + +<p>"You want my jewels! Have them if +you like; you saved my life, and without +you I would have been stifled in this gruesome +box."</p> + +<p>The man at first dared not accept; then +he said:</p> + +<p>"In exchange for your kindness, I will +tell you something. In the third house in +the first street lives a rich widow; she is +alone and would like to adopt a girl; go +to her and tell her everything. She will be +happy to give you a home."</p> + +<p>Then he helped her to get out of the coffin, +screwed the lid again, and disappeared. +Seaweed went straight to the house. The +widow received her with the greatest kindness, +and asked of her to let everybody +believe she was dead; if not, there would +have been a lawsuit.</p> + +<p>Both women, now united by the closest +affection, had been out on the river for +pleasure's sake when they saw Kiun's +bark. The widow, when the explanations<span class="pagenum">[107]</span> +were finished, opened her arms to Kiun; +she called him her son-in-law. Seaweed +asked Wang's wife to be the second wife +of her husband. And they all lived long +and happy.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[108]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_DUTIFUL_SON"><i>THE DUTIFUL SON</i></h2> + +<p>At the foot of the Oriental-Perfume-Mountain, +in one of the most beautiful +places of this celebrated district, the +passers-by could see a small lodge. Chou +The-favourable lived there with his mother. +He was still young, being only thirty years +old, and earned his living in the way so +highly praised by the ancient Classics; he +cultivated a small field by his house, and +every week went to the next market to +exchange what he had for what he wanted.</p> + +<p>Both were very happy, when a calamity +befell them; the old mother one morning +felt a pain in her right leg. Two or three +days afterwards she had there an ulcer that +no remedies could cure; everything was +tried and everything failed. Day and<span class="pagenum">[109]</span> +night she was moaning, turning over in her +hard wooden bed.</p> + +<p>The-favourable forgot to drink and eat, +in his anxiety to give his mother the +medicines the doctor advised.</p> + +<p>Several months wore on; the ulcer did +not heal. The despair of the son was +greater every day; at last, overcome by +his fatigue, he fell asleep and dreamt that +he saw his father. The old man told +him:</p> + +<p>"You have been a dutiful son. But I +must tell you that your mother will not +recover if you can't apply to her ulcer a +piece of man's fat."</p> + +<p>Then everything was dissolved like a +smoke in the wind.</p> + +<p>The-favourable awoke and, thinking over +his dream, he found it very strange.</p> + +<p>"What can I do?" thought he. "Man's +fat is not easily found in the market. My +father would not have appeared to me if +this extraordinary medicine was not really<span class="pagenum">[110]</span> +the only thing that will cure my mother. +Well, I will take a piece of fat of my own +body; I have nothing else to do."</p> + +<p>Then, rising from his bed, he took a +sharp knife, and, pulling the skin of his side, +he cut a large piece off. His pain was not +so great as he had expected it to be, and, +what seemed more extraordinary to him, +no blood flowed from the wound.</p> + +<p>He could not see that, from the heaven +above, a messenger had come on a cloud, +was recording this noble feat on his life's +register, and helped him by averting all +ordinary sufferance.</p> + +<p>The-favourable hastened to put the piece +of flesh on his mother's ulcer; the pain +disappeared immediately, and a few days +after the old woman could walk as she +used to do; on her leg there remained only +a red scar.</p> + +<p>When she asked what medicine had been +employed, The-favourable eluded the +answer. But somehow the truth was known<span class="pagenum">[111]</span> +in the neighbourhood; the prefect sent a +report to the Throne and came himself +with a decree of the Emperor, giving a title +and an allowance to the dutiful son.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[112]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THROUGH_MANY_LIVES"><i>THROUGH MANY LIVES</i></h2> + +<p>Some people remember every incident +of their former existences; it is a +fact which many examples can prove. +Other people do not forget what they +learned before they died and were born +again, but remember only confusedly what +they were in a precedent life.</p> + +<p>Wang The-acceptable, of the Yellow-peach-blossom +city, when people discussed +such questions before him, used to narrate +the experience he had had with his first son.</p> + +<p>The boy, at the time he spoke of, was +three or four years old. He did not say +many words, and some people thought he +was dumb. One day, The-acceptable was +writing a letter, when he was disturbed by a +friend. He put his writing-brush down on<span class="pagenum">[113]</span> +the table and left the room. When he +came back, his letter was finished, and +written much more correctly than he +would have believed himself able to do. +Besides, he did not remember having +finished it. The puzzle did not trouble him +very much.</p> + +<p>Another day the same thing occurred; +he left the room, leaving a letter unfinished +on the table; when he came back, the +letter was nearly ended. Nobody but the +boy had been in the room. Troubled and +suspicious, he rose and feigned to go away; +but he came back immediately and noiselessly. +From the door, he saw his boy +kneeling on the stool and writing the letter.</p> + +<p>The little man suddenly saw his father +and asked to be forgiven. The father of +course laughed:</p> + +<p>"We all thought you were dumb; if +you are such a learned man, the family +happiness will be great! How could we +punish you?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[114]</span></p> + +<p>From that date he had good lessons +given to the boy, who very early passed +successfully his third degree examination +and became one of the most celebrated +"Entered among the learned" of his time.</p> + +<p>When his father asked him whether he +remembered what he had been before being +what he now was, the boy said that the +first life he could remember was that of +a young student; he lived in a monastery +to save as much as he could of his income. +When he died, the King-of-the-Darkness +punished him for his stinginess and condemned +him to become a donkey in the +same monastery he had lived in.</p> + +<p>He wanted to die, but did not know +what to do; the priests loved him and +were very careful. One day he was on a +mountain road and was tempted to throw +himself downhill; but he had a man on his +back and was afraid of the punishment +the King-of-the-Darkness would inflict upon +him if he killed that man. So he went on.<span class="pagenum">[115]</span> +Many years passed; he died at last, and +was born again as a peasant. But, as he +had forgotten nothing of his former lives, +he was able to speak a few days after his +birth. His father and mother judged the +thing highly suspicious and killed him.</p> + +<p>After that, he was born in the family of +Wang The-acceptable. Appreciating the +surroundings, and bearing in mind that he +had last been killed because he spoke too +early, he was very careful this time not +to utter a single word. But when he saw +the paper and ink he could not resist his +love of literature and finished the letter.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[116]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_RIVER_OF_SORROWS"><i>THE RIVER OF SORROWS</i></h2> + +<p>Along the path leading to the city +of All-virtues, in the obscure night, +a poor coolie, grumbling under a heavy +load of salt, was trudging on as fast as he +could.</p> + +<p>"I shall never get there before the hour +of the Rat, and my wife will say again; +'Wang The-tenth has drunk too many cups +of wine.' She does not know the weight +of that stuff!"</p> + +<p>As he was thus thinking, two men suddenly +jumped from either side of the road +and held him by the arms.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" cried the poor +man. "I am only an unhappy carrier, +and my load is only salt, very common +salt."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[117]</span></p> + +<p>"We don't want your salt, and you had +better throw it down. We are sent from +the Regions below and we want you to +come down with us."</p> + +<p>"Am I dead already?" asked The-tenth. +"I did not know. I must tell my +wife. Can't you come again to-morrow +night?"</p> + +<p>"Impossible to wait. You must come +immediately. But I don't think you are +dead. It is only to work for a few days +down below."</p> + +<p>"This is rather strange," replied The-tenth. +"With all the people who have died +since the world has been the world you still +want living men? We don't go and ask +you to do our work, do we?"</p> + +<p>While thus arguing, he felt himself suffocated +by a heavy smell and lost consciousness.</p> + +<p>When he awoke, he was on the bank of a +fairly large river. Hundreds of men were +standing in the water; some of them<span class="pagenum">[118]</span> +carried baskets; others, with spades and +different utensils, were dragging out what +they could from the bottom. Soldiers with +heavy sticks struck those who stopped +even for a second.</p> + +<p>On the bank several men were standing, +and a number of others came from time to +time. A magistrate was sitting behind a +big red table, turning over the pages of a +book. At last, he called "Wang The-tenth."</p> + +<p>"Wang The-tenth!" repeated the soldiers. +And they threw the poor man down +in a kneeling position in front of the magistrate, +who looked on the book and said:</p> + +<p>"You have been an undutiful son; do +you remember the day when you told your +father he was a fool?"</p> + +<p>Then speaking to the soldiers, he said:</p> + +<p>"To the river!"</p> + +<p>The guards pushed the man, gave him a +basket, and ordered him to help in the cleaning +of the river.</p> + +<p>The water was red and thick; its stench<span class="pagenum">[119]</span> +was abominable; the bodies of the workmen +were all red, and The-tenth discovered it +was blood. He looked at the first basket +he took to the bank; it was only putrid +flesh and broken bones.</p> + +<p>Thus he worked day by day without +stopping. When he was not going fast +enough, the guards struck him with their +sticks, and their sticks were bones. In +the deep places he had to put his head into +the water and felt the filthy stuff fill his +nostrils and mouth.</p> + +<p>Among the workers he recognised many +people he used to know. A great number +died and were carried away by the stream.</p> + +<p>At last two guards called his name, helped +him to the bank, and suddenly he found +himself again on the path leading to the +city of All-virtues.</p> + +<p>Now, on the night when The-tenth was +taken away, his wife waited for him. +Troubled not to see him, she started as +soon as the sun beamed, and looked for<span class="pagenum">[120]</span> +him on the road. She soon found his body +lying unconscious. Trying in vain to revive +him, she thought him dead, and wept +bitterly.</p> + +<p>Not being strong enough to bring home +his body, she came back to town in order +to ask the help of her family. In the afternoon, +clad in the white dress of mourning, +and accompanied by her four brothers, she +started again.</p> + +<p>What was her astonishment and fear +when, approaching the place where she +had found the body, she saw her husband +walking towards her. He was all covered +with blood, and the stench was so strong +that everybody pinched his nose.</p> + +<p>When he had explained what had happened, +they all returned to the village. +The-tenth knelt reverently before his ancestors' +tablet, offered butter and rice, and +burnt incense.</p> + +<p>This very day he asked a Taoist priest +what was the river he had worked in.<span class="pagenum">[121]</span> +The priest explained to him it was called +the River-of-sorrows. It took its source +in the outer world in every tear that was +shed. The people that killed themselves +out of despair were floated down its stream +to the kingdom of shadows.</p> + +<p>Sometimes the sorrows on earth were so +great that people killed themselves by +thousands and did not shed any tears; the +blood then was too thick to wash away the +decayed remains, and the river-bed had to +be cleaned lest it should overflow and drown +the whole world. Living men alone were +employed in this work, for only living men +can cure living men's sorrows.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[122]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_MYSTERIOUS_ISLAND"><i>THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND</i></h2> + +<p>In the beautiful Chu-san archipelago +there is a small island where the +flowers never cease blooming, and where +the trees grow thick and high. From the +most remote antiquity nobody has been +known to live in the shade of this virgin +forest; the ferns, the creepers, are so entangled +that it is impossible for a man to +cross this wilderness without clearing his +way with a hatchet.</p> + +<p>A young student named Chang, who +lived in the City-over-the-sea, used to rest +himself from his daily labour by going out +to sea in a small junk he managed himself.</p> + +<p>Having heard of the mysterious island, he +resolved to explore it, prepared wine and +food, and sailed out on a beautiful summer's +morning.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[123]</span></p> + +<p>Towards midday he neared the place +where the island was supposed to be. +Soon a delicious perfume of flowers was +brought to him by the hot breeze. He +saw the dark green of the trees over the +light green of the sea, and, when still nearer, +the yellow sand of the beach, where he +resolved to disembark.</p> + +<p>The junk touched the shore; he tied it +to a large fallen tree whose end dipped into +the gentle waves, and proceeded at once to +a hearty meal.</p> + +<p>While he was storing again in the boat +what remained of his provisions, he was +suddenly startled by a subdued laugh. +Turning his head, he saw among the wild +roses of the shore, a young girl covered with +a long blue dress, who looked at him with +dark eyes full of flame.</p> + +<p>"Your servant is most happy to see you +here. I did not suppose I should ever have +the pleasure of meeting you."</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" asked Chang, forgetting,<span class="pagenum">[124]</span> +in his astonishment, the proper forms of +inquiry.</p> + +<p>"I am only a poor singer who has been +brought here by The-Duke-of-the-sea."</p> + +<p>Chang, hearing these words, was afraid +in his heart; The-Duke-of-the-sea was a +renowned pirate who used to plunder every +village of the coast, and was reputed to be +cruel and vindictive. But the girl was so +attractive that he soon forgot everything +in the pleasure of her chatter.</p> + +<p>Seated at the foot of a big tree, they were +laughing, when a noise came from the forest.</p> + +<p>"It is The-Duke-of-the-sea! It is The-Duke-of-the-sea!" +murmured the girl. "I +must be off at once."</p> + +<p>And she disappeared behind the foliage.</p> + +<p>While Chang was asking himself what he +should do, he suddenly saw a huge snake +coming straight to him. Its body was as +thick as a cask, and so long that the end +was still hidden in the forest, while the head +was balancing over the frightened student.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[125]</span></p> + +<p>Chang could not say a word and dared +not move: the snake entwined himself +round a tree and round the man, holding +fast its prisoner's arms. Then, lowering +its head, it threw out its tongue, and, +pricking the student's nose, began to suck +the blood which came out and fell on the +ground.</p> + +<p>Chang saw that, if he did not immediately +free himself, he would certainly die. Feeling +cautiously with his hand round his waist, he +took from his purse a certain poisoned pill +that he kept there and intended to try on +wolves and foxes. With two fingers he +took the pill and threw it into the red pool +at his feet.</p> + +<p>The snake, of course, sucked it with the +blood; it immediately stopped drinking, +straightened its body, and rocked its head +to and fro, knocking the tree-trunks and +hissing desperately.</p> + +<p>Chang, feeble and hardly able to stand, +dragged himself as fast as he could out of<span class="pagenum">[126]</span> +reach on to the beach and quickly untied +his boat. Nevertheless, before going out +to sea, he fetched a sword and went cautiously +into the wood again. The snake +did not move. Chang flourished his sword, +and with a mighty stroke cut the head off +and ran to his boat.</p> + +<p>He returned to the City-over-the-sea, +went to bed and was ill for a month. +When he spoke of his experience, he always +said that, to his mind, it was the beautiful +girl he had seen at first who had come +again in the form of a snake.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[127]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_SPIRIT_OF_THE_RIVER"><i>THE SPIRIT OF THE RIVER</i></h2> + +<p>In a small village along the river Tsz +lived a fisherman named Siu. He +started every night with his nets, and took +very great care not to forget to bring with +him a small jar of spirits. Before throwing +his cast-net, he drank a small cup of the +fragrant liquor and poured some drops into +the slow current, praying aloud:</p> + +<p>"O Spirit-of-the-river, please accept these +offerings and favour your humble servant. +I am poor and I must take some of the +fishes that live in your cold kingdom. +Don't be angry against me and don't +prevent the eels and trouts coming to +me!"</p> + +<p>When every fisherman on the river +brought back only one basket of fishes, he<span class="pagenum">[128]</span> +always proudly bore home a heavy charge +of two or three baskets full to the +brim.</p> + +<p>Once, on a rosy dawn of early spring, +when the sun, still below the horizon, began +to eat with its golden teeth the vanishing +darkness, he said aloud:</p> + +<p>"O Spirit-of-the-river! For many years, +every night I have drunk with you +a good number of wine-cups; but I never +saw your face; won't you favour me with +your presence? We could sit together, and +the pleasure of drinking would be much +greater."</p> + +<p>Hardly had he finished these words when, +from the middle of the stream, emerged a +beautiful young man clothed in pink, who +slowly walked on the smooth surface of +the limpid water, and sat on the boat's end, +saying:</p> + +<p>"Here I am."</p> + +<p>The fisherman, being half-drunk, was +not troubled in any way; he bowed to the<span class="pagenum">[129]</span> +young man, offered him, with his two hands, +a cup of the strong wine, and said:</p> + +<p>"Well! I long wished to receive your +instructions, and I am very glad to see +you. You must be mighty tired of living +in that water; the few drops of wine I +pour every night are quite lost in such a +quantity of tasteless liquid. You had better +come up every night; we will drink together +and enjoy each other's company."</p> + +<p>From this day, when darkness closed in, +the Spirit waited for the fisherman and +partook of his provisions. As soon as the +sun rose above the horizon he suddenly +disappeared. The fisherman did not find +that very convenient; he asked his companion +if he could not arrange to stay with +him sometimes in the daytime.</p> + +<p>"Impossible; we can't do such a thing, +we spirits and ghosts. We belong to the +kingdom of shadows. When the shadows, +fighting the daylight, bring with them the +Night, we are free to go and wander about.<span class="pagenum">[130]</span> +But as soon as the herald of the morn, +the cock, has proclaimed the daily victory +of the sun, we are powerless and must +disappear."</p> + +<p>On the same day the fisherman was sitting +on the bank, smoking a pipe before going +home with his baskets, when he saw a +woman holding a child in her arms and +hastening along the river towards a ford +some hundred yards up stream. She was +already in the water, when she missed her +footing, fell into the river, and was rolled +away by the stream. The child, by some +happy chance, had fallen on the bank and +lay there, crying.</p> + +<p>The fisherman could easily have gone in +his boat and saved the woman, who was +still struggling to regain the bank, but he +was a prudent man:</p> + +<p>"This woman, whom I don't know, seems +to be beautiful," thought he. "Maybe it +is my friend The-Spirit-of-the-river who +has arranged all this, and chosen the girl<span class="pagenum">[131]</span> +to be his wife. If I prevent her going down +to his cold lodgings, he will be angry and +ruin my fishing. All I could do is to adopt +this boy until somebody comes and asks +for him."</p> + +<p>And he did not move, until the poor +woman had disappeared in the yellow +stream; then he took the child. Once +back in the village, he inquired about the +mother; nobody could tell who she was. +The days passed and nobody asked for +the boy. This was strange enough, but, +stranger still, from this day the fisherman +never saw The-Spirit-of-the-river again. +He offered him many cups of wine, and his +fishing was as good as ever, but though he +prayed heartily, his companion of so many +nights did not appear any more.</p> + +<p>When the boy was three years old he +insisted on accompanying his adopted father +in his night fishing. Summer had come; +the cold was no more to be feared. +The man consented to take his adopted son<span class="pagenum">[132]</span> +with him; they started together in the +twilight.</p> + +<p>As soon as the darkness closed, the boy's +voice changed; his appearance was different.</p> + +<p>"What a silly man you are!" said he. +"Don't you know me now? For more +than two years I waited for an opportunity +to tell you who I was. But you always +went out at night and you never came back +before the sun was high in the sky. You +had never failed to present your offerings; +so I could not resist your prayer when you +asked me to stay with you in the daytime. +Now, here I am, till your death; when +the sun is up I shall only be your son, +but when the night closes I shall be your +companion, and we will enjoy together what +longevity the Fate allows you."</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[133]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE-DEVILS-OF-THE-OCEAN"><i>THE-DEVILS-OF-THE-OCEAN</i></h2> + +<p>In the twenty-second year of the period +Eternal-happiness, the population of +Chao-cheou's harbour, awaking on a bright +summer's morning, were extremely surprised +and frightened to see, swaying on the blue +water of the bay, a strange and abnormally +huge ship. The three high masts were +heavily loaded with transversal pieces of +wood, from some of which sails were still +hanging; another mast projected horizontally +from the prow, and three sails +were tightened from this to the foremast.</p> + +<p>A small boat was lowered from the ship's +side and rowed to the quay. Several hundreds +of people were watching the proceedings, +asking one another if it was a<span class="pagenum">[134]</span> +human invention or a ship coming from the +depths of hell.</p> + +<p>The small boat stopped at a short distance +from the bank; one could see that, beside +the rowers, there were three men seated in +the stern; their heads were covered with +extraordinarily long and fluffy grey hair; +they wore big hats with feathers of many +colours. A Chinaman was in the boat and +hailed the people:</p> + +<p>"Ha! Please tell the local authorities +that high mandarins from the ocean want +to speak to them. We are peaceful. But +if you do any harm to our men or ships, +our wrath will be such that we will destroy +in one day the whole town and kill everybody +within ten miles' distance."</p> + +<p>Three or four men belonging to the Yamen +had heard these words; they ran to the +prefect's palace and came back with an +answer they delivered to the new-comers:</p> + +<p>"His Excellency the prefect consents to +receive your visit. If you are peaceful,<span class="pagenum">[135]</span> +no harm will be done to you. But if you +steal anything, or wound or kill anybody, +the laws of our country will be enforced +upon you without mercy."</p> + +<p>Then the boat slowly accosted the quay; +two of the men with feathered hats disembarked +with the Chinaman, while six of the +rowers, leaving their oars in the boat, +shouldered heavy muskets, and cleared the +way, three walking in front of the feathered +hats and three behind. The rowers wore +small caps and had long blue trousers and +very short blue coats.</p> + +<p>The prefect, in his embroidered dress, +awaited them on the threshold of his +reception-room. He bade the new-comers +be seated and asked their names and their +business; the Chinaman translated the questions +and the answers.</p> + +<p>"We come from the other side of the +earth."</p> + +<p>"Well," thought the prefect. "I was +sure of it, the earth being square and flat,<span class="pagenum">[136]</span> +the other side of it is certainly hell. What +am I to do?"</p> + +<p>"We only want to trade with your +countrymen. We will sell you what goods +we have brought; we will buy your country's +productions, and if no harm is done we will +sail away in a few days."</p> + +<p>"Our humble country is very poor," +answered the prefect. "The people are not +rich enough to buy any of the splendid goods +you may have brought. Besides, this country's +products are not worth your giving +any money for them. If I can give you +good advice, you had better sail away to-day +and get to the first harbour of the +northern province; there they are very +rich."</p> + +<p>"We have just come from it; they told +us the very reverse. Here, according to +them, we should be able to find everything +we want. Besides, our mind is settled; +we will remain here long enough to buy +what we want and to sell what we can. We<span class="pagenum">[137]</span> +are very peaceful people as long as one +deals justly with us. But if you try to +beguile us, we will employ all our strength +in the defence of our rights. All we want +is a place on shore where we can store and +show our goods."</p> + +<p>"Well, well; I never intended to do anything +of the sort," said the prefect. "But +the Emperor is the only possessor of the soil. +How could I give you a place even on the +shore?"</p> + +<p>"We don't want very much, and the +Emperor won't know anything. Give us +only the surface of ground covered by a +carpet, and we will be satisfied."</p> + +<p>Chinese carpets are not more than two +or three feet broad and five or six feet wide. +The prefect thought he could not be blamed +to authorise the foreigners to settle on +such a small piece of ground; on the other +hand, if he refused, there would ensue +trouble and he would certainly be cashiered.</p> + +<p>"It is only as a special arrangement<span class="pagenum">[138]</span> +and by greatly compromising with the law +that I can give you this authorisation."</p> + +<p>And the prefect wrote a few words on +one of his big red visiting-cards. The +interpreter carefully perused the document. +Then the foreigners went back to their +ship. The same day a proclamation was +issued and pasted on the walls of the public +edifices, explaining to the people that The-Devils-of-the-ocean +had been authorised +to settle on a piece of ground not bigger +than a carpet and that no harm should be +done to them.</p> + +<p>In compliance with these orders, nobody +dared oppose the foreigners when they +began unrolling on the shore a carpet +ten yards broad and thirty yards long. +When the carpet was unrolled, The-Devils-of-the-ocean +put themselves in ranks with +muskets and swords on the carpet; nearly +five hundred men stood there close to one +another.</p> + +<p>The prefect, who had personally watched<span class="pagenum">[139]</span> +the proceeding, was so angry against the +foreigners for their cunningness that he +immediately ordered troops to drive them +out into the water. But the foreigners had a +devilish energy nobody could resist; they +killed a great many of our people, burned +the greater part of the city, and occupied +for several years all the northern part of +the bay, where they erected a sort of bazaar +and a fortress, which still exist to this +day.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[140]</span></p> + +<h2 id="UNKNOWN_DEVILS"><i>UNKNOWN DEVILS</i></h2> + +<p>Suen Pure-whiteness was privileged +with the possibility of seeing distinctly +all the creatures of the other world, +who, for the greater part of humanity, +remain always mysterious and invisible.</p> + +<p>One night he slept in a mountain monastery; +he had closed and barred the door; +the full moon illuminated the window; +everything was quiet. He had slept an +hour, when he was awakened by the hissing +of the wind; the gate of the monastery +seemed to be thrown open; after a while +the door of his room was shaken, the bar +dropped down, and the heavy wood turned +on its hinges.</p> + +<p>Pure-whiteness thought at first that it +would be better to close his eyes and to<span class="pagenum">[141]</span> +wait; but his curiosity was aroused, he +looked intently; after a few seconds he +could see a big devil, so big that he was +obliged to stoop in order not to break his head +against the ceiling, and who was coming +slowly towards the bed. His face had the +colour and general appearance of an old +melon. His eyes were full of lightning +and his mouth was bigger than a tub. His +teeth were at least three inches long and +his tongue kept moving incessantly, while +he uttered a sound like "Ha-la."</p> + +<p>Pure-whiteness was much afraid; but, +seeing he had no way of escape, he took a +short sword from under his pillow and, with +all his might, thrust it into the devil's breast; +it sounded as if he had struck a stone.</p> + +<p>The devil hissed in a fearful way; he +extended his claws to catch the man. +Pure-whiteness jumped on the right side; +the devil could only catch his dress and +started; the man hastened to unfasten his +dress; he dropped and remained there on<span class="pagenum">[142]</span> +all fours, motionless and mute. When the +devil's steps ceased to be heard he screamed +for help; the priests came with lamps; +everything was in order, but in the bed +Pure-witeness was yelling as in a +nightmare.</p> + +<p>On another day Pure-whiteness was in +the country enjoying the pleasures of +harvest. The golden rice was piled high +and everybody was busy. Some armed men +had been posted here and there, according +to the custom; everybody knows that +when the rice is ripened in a place, people +of the neighbouring villages are always +looking for an opportunity to make the +harvest themselves or to take away what +has been cut by the owners.</p> + +<p>Pure-whiteness, tired by the heat, laid +down behind a rice-stack; after a while +he heard stealthy steps; raising his head, he +saw a big devil more than ten feet high, +with hair and beard of a fierce reddish +colour, who was approaching. Pure-whiteness<span class="pagenum">[143]</span> +yelled for help: men with spears +came to the rescue. The devil bellowed like +the thunder and flew away. Pure-whiteness +told them what he had seen; nobody would +believe him, but they nevertheless started +in pursuit; people working in the fields +all round had not seen anything, so everybody +came back.</p> + +<p>The second day Pure-whiteness was +among four or five men, when he saw the +same devil.</p> + +<p>"He has come back!" cried he, flying +away.</p> + +<p>The other people ran away too. When +they came back, everything was quiet. But +they always kept by their side some spears, +bows and arrows, and swords.</p> + +<p>For two or three days, they had no +trouble; the rice was being stored in the +granaries, when Pure-whiteness, looking up, +screamed:</p> + +<p>"The devil has come back!"</p> + +<p>Everybody ran to his arms. Pure-whiteness<span class="pagenum">[144]</span> +fell down; the devil picked him up, +bit his head, threw him down, and went +away.</p> + +<p>When the man came back, Pure-whiteness +bore the marks of teeth on his head; +he did not know anybody. Taken home +and nursed, he remained unconscious for a +few days and died.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[145]</span></p> + +<h2 id="CHILDLESS"><i>CHILDLESS</i></h2> + +<p>In the city of The-Great-name lived +a rich idler named Tuan Correct-happiness. +He had then attained the age +of forty and still he had no son. His wife, +Peaceful-union, was extremely jealous, so +that he dared not openly buy a concubine, +as law authorised him, to continue his +lineage.</p> + +<p>When he saw that, at forty, he had no +son, he secretly bought a young girl, whom +he carefully left outside his own house.</p> + +<p>A woman is not easily deceived—a +jealous woman especially; Peaceful-union +soon discovered the whole truth. She had +the girl brought before her and took advantage +of an impertinent answer to have her +beaten a hundred blows; after that, she<span class="pagenum">[146]</span> +turned on her husband and drove him nearly +mad with reproaches. What could the +poor man do? He sold his concubine to +a neighbouring family named Liu, and peace +was restored in the house.</p> + +<p>The days and years passed on without +any change in the situation; the nephews +of Correct-happiness, seeing that he was +old already and had no son, began to fawn +upon him, each of them trying to be the +one that would be elected as an adopted +son to continue the family cult, as is the +custom.</p> + +<p>Peaceful-union at last began to see her +error and regretted bitterly what she had +done.</p> + +<p>"You are only sixty years old," said +she to her husband. "Is it too late? Let +us buy two chosen girls who will be your +second wives; maybe one of them will +give you a son."</p> + +<p>The old man smiled sadly; he did not +entertain any great hope; nevertheless,<span class="pagenum">[147]</span> +the concubines were bought. After a year, +to the great surprise and joy of everybody, +both gave birth—one to a girl, the other +to a boy. But both children died a few +months after.</p> + +<p>Correct-happiness, when winter set in, +caught a cold and was soon in a desperate +state of health. His nephews were always +beside him; but, seeing he would adopt +neither of them, they began looting the +house; they found at last the treasure and +took it away openly.</p> + +<p>The moribund was too ill even to know +what they did. Peaceful-union tried in +vain to stop them.</p> + +<p>"Will you leave me to die of hunger? +I am the wife of your uncle. I am entitled +to a part of his riches."</p> + +<p>But they would not hear her.</p> + +<p>"If you had borne a son to our uncle, +or if he had adopted one of us, we would +not have touched a single copper cash of +his treasure; but, through your own fault,<span class="pagenum">[148]</span> +he has nobody to maintain his rights; we +take what is our own."</p> + +<p>When the day ended, the widow found +herself alone in the deserted and emptied +house, crying over the body of her dead +husband.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she heard steps outside the +door; a young man appeared on the +threshold, his eyes full of tears, covered +with the white dress of mourning. He +entered, kneeled beside the corpse, and, +knocking the ground with his forehead, he +began the ritual lamentations.</p> + +<p>Peaceful-union stopped crying and looked +at him with astonishment; she did not +know him.</p> + +<p>"May I ask your noble name? Who +are you to cry over my husband's +death?"</p> + +<p>"I am the deceased's only son."</p> + +<p>The widow started with surprise and a +pang of her old jealousy; would her husband +have had a son without her knowing it?<span class="pagenum">[149]</span> +But the next words of the young man +explained everything.</p> + +<p>Twenty years ago, when she had beaten +and sold away the first concubine of her +husband, she did not know the girl bore +already the fruit of this short union. Six +months later she had a son, to whom she +gave the name of Correct-sadness; but, +bearing in mind the bad treatment she had +received, she asked the Liu family to keep +the child as one of their own. They consented +and sent the boy to school with their +children.</p> + +<p>When Correct-sadness was eighteen, the +chief of the Liu family died; the family +dispersed, and only a small legacy was left +to the young man. Believing he was a +member of the family, he could not understand +what happened, and asked his mother; +she told him the truth. Resenting the +hard treatment inflicted on his mother, he +awaited the death of his father to make +his own identity known.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[150]</span></p> + +<p>Peaceful-union was very happy to hear +this story.</p> + +<p>"I am no more without a son," said she. +"All that my nephews have taken away, +treasure and furniture, they must bring +back again. If not, the magistrate will +send them to die in jail."</p> + +<p>In fact, the nephews refused to give back +anything. The widow began a lawsuit; +everything at last was restored to the +legal heir.</p> + +<p>Peaceful-union hastened to choose him +a wife, and as soon as the matrimonial +festivities were ended she told her daughter-in-law:</p> + +<p>"My dear child, if I were you, I would +ask Correct-sadness to buy immediately one +or two good concubines; if you have a son +and they have also, so much the better, but +you can't realise how difficult to bear it +is to be childless."</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[151]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_PATCH_OF_LAMBS_SKIN"><i>THE PATCH OF LAMB'S SKIN</i></h2> + +<p>In the twenty-fourth year K'ang-hsi +lived in a remote district of the +western provinces, a man who could remember +his former lives. He was now a "tsin-shi," +"entered-among-the-learned," renowned, +and much considered by his +friends.</p> + +<p>When speaking of the existences he had +gone through, he used to say:</p> + +<p>"As far as I remember, I was first a +soldier—it was in the last days of the Ming +dynasty; my regiment was encamped at +The-Divided-roads on the Ten-thousand-miles-great-wall. +My remembrances are not +very clear as to whom we fought with, +but I remember the joy of striking the<span class="pagenum">[152]</span> +enemy, the hissing of the arrows, the yelling +of the charging troops.</p> + +<p>"I was still young when I was killed. +After death, of course I was called before +the tribunal of The-King-of-shadows. Closing +my eyes, I can still see the big caldrons +full of boiling oil for the trying of criminals; +the Judge in embroidered dress seated +behind a red table; the satellites everywhere, +ready to act on the first word,—in +fact, everything exactly the same as in the +worldly tribunals, excepting that, in the +eastern part of the hall, there were huge +wooden stands from which hung skins of +every description—horse-skins, lambs' skins, +dogs' skins, and human skins of every age +and condition; skins of old men, of fat and +important people, of lean and shrivelled +men, of boys and girls.</p> + +<p>"The trial began; the souls, according +to their deeds, were condemned to put on +one of the skins and to come up again to +the Lighted World in this new shape.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[153]</span></p> + +<p>"When my turn came I was sentenced +to put a dog's skin on; and in this low +shape I was thrown again in the stream +of life. But as I had not forgotten my +former condition, I was so ashamed, that the +first day I came on earth I threw myself +under the wheels of a heavy carriage and +died.</p> + +<p>"The-King-of-shadows was extremely +surprised to see me again so soon; the dogs, +as a rule, having no conscience, he could +not suppose I had killed myself, and did +not hold me responsible for it.</p> + +<p>"This time, I was born again as a pig. +Pigs are valuable, and there are always +people to look after them; so I could not +kill myself. I tried to starve myself to +death, but hunger was the strongest, and +I had to endure such a life. Happily, the +butcher soon put a speedy end to it.</p> + +<p>"When my name was called to the +tribunal of Darkness, the King-of-shadows +looked over the pages of the Book and said:</p><p><span class="pagenum">[154]</span></p> + +<p>"'He must be a lamb now.'</p> + +<p>"The runners took a white lamb's skin, +brought it, and began putting it over my +body. While this was going on, the secretary, +who was writing the sentence in the +Book, started and said to the Judge:</p> + +<p>"'Your Honour, there is a mistake. +Please Your Honour read over again; this +soul has to be a man now.'</p> + +<p>"You know that, on the Big Book of +Shadows, all our past deeds are recorded as +well as our future destiny.</p> + +<p>"The Judge looked at it over again and +said:</p> + +<p>"'True! Happily, you saw the mistake.'</p> + +<p>"Then, turning to the runners, he ordered +them to take off the skin, which already +covered more than half my body. They +had to exert all their strength, and even +so, they tore it off into pieces. It hurt me +so much that I thought I could not stand +it and I should die; but I was dead, and +I could not die more than that.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[155]</span></p> + +<p>"At last they left me bleeding and +panting, and I was born again in my present +condition. But they had forgotten a piece +of lamb's skin on my right shoulder, and +I still have it now."</p> + +<p>And he uncovered his arm and shoulder +to show a piece of white woollen hair on +his right shoulder.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[156]</span></p> + +<h2 id="LOVES-SLAVE"><i>LOVE'S-SLAVE</i></h2> + +<p>In the City-between-the-rivers lived a +young student named Lan. He had +just passed successfully his second literary +examination, and, walking in the Street-of-the-precious-stones, +asked himself what +he would now do in life.</p> + +<p>While he was going, looking vacantly +at the passers-by, he saw an old friend of +his father, and hastened to join his closed +fists and to salute him very low, as politeness +orders.</p> + +<p>"My best congratulations!" answered +the old man. "What are you doing in this +busy street?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing at all; I was asking myself +what profession I am now to pursue."</p> + +<p>"What profession? Which one would<span class="pagenum">[157]</span> +be more honourable than that of teacher? +It is the only one an 'elevated man' +<i>Kiu-jen</i> of the second degree, can pursue. +By the by, would you honour my house +with your presence? My son is nearly +eighteen. He is not half as learned as he +should be, and, besides, he has a very bad +temper. I feel very old; if I knew you +would consent to give him the right direction +and be a second father to him, I would +not dread so much to die and leave him +alone."</p> + +<p>Lan bowed and said:</p> + +<p>"I am much honoured by your proposition, +and I accept it readily. I will go to-morrow +to your palace."</p> + +<p>Two hours after, a messenger brought +to the young man a packet containing one +hundred ounces of silver, with a note stating +that this comparatively great sum represented +his first year's salary.</p> + +<p>In the evening he knocked at his pupil's +door and was ushered into the sitting-room.<span class="pagenum">[158]</span> +The old man introduced him to the whole +family: first his son, a lad with a decided +look boding no good; then a young and +beautiful girl of seventeen, his daughter, +called Love's-slave. Lan was struck by +the sweet and refined appearance of his +pupil's sister.</p> + +<p>"The sight of her will greatly help me to +stay here," thought he.</p> + +<p>The next morning, when his first lesson +was ended, he strolled out into the garden, +admiring here a flower and there an artificial +little waterfall among diminutive +mountain-rocks. Behind a bamboo-bush +he suddenly saw Love's-slave and was discreetly +turning back, when she stopped him +by a few words of greeting.</p> + +<p>Every day they thus met in the solitude +of the flowers and trees and grew to love +each other. Lan's task with his pupil +was greater and harder than he had supposed; +but for Love's-slave's sake, he +would never have remained in the house.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[159]</span></p> + +<p>After three months the old man fell +ill; the doctors were unable to cure him; +he died, and was buried in the family ground, +behind the house.</p> + +<p>When Lan, after the funeral, told his +pupil to resume his lessons, he met with such +a reception that he went immediately to his +room and packed his belongings. Love's-slave, +hearing from a servant what had +happened, went straight to her lover's +room and tried to induce him to stay.</p> + +<p>"How can you ask that from me?" +said he. "After such an insult, I would +consider myself as the basest of men if I +stayed. I have 'lost face'; I must go."</p> + +<p>The girl, seeing that nothing could prevail +upon his resolution, went out of the +room, but silently closed and locked the +outer gate.</p> + +<p>Lan left on a table what remained of the +silver given him by the old man, and wrote +a note to inform his pupil of his departure.</p> + +<p>When he tried the gate and found it<span class="pagenum">[160]</span> +locked, he did not know at first what to +do. Then he remembered a place where he +could easily climb over the enclosure, +went there, threw his luggage over the wall, +and let himself out in this somewhat undignified +way.</p> + +<p>Before going back to his house, he went +round to the tomb of the old man and +burnt some sticks of perfume. Kneeling +down, he explained respectfully to the dead +what had happened and excused himself for +having left unfinished the task he had undertaken. +Rising at last, he went away.</p> + +<p>The next morning Love's-slave, pleased +with her little trick, came to the student's +room and looked for him; he was nowhere +to be found. She saw the silver on the +table, and, reading the note he had left, she +understood that he would never come back.</p> + +<p>Her grief stifled her; heavy tears at +last began running down her rosy cheeks. +She took the silver, went straight to her +father's tomb, fastened the heavy metal to<span class="pagenum">[161]</span> +her feet, and unrolled a sash from her +waist. Then, making a knot with the sash +round her neck, she climbed up the lower +branches of a big fir-tree, fastened the other +end of the coloured silk as high as she +could and threw herself down. A few +minutes afterwards she was dead. She +was discovered by a member of the family, +and quietly buried in the same enclosure.</p> + +<p>Lan, who did not know anything, came +back two or three days after to see her. +The servants told him the truth. Silently +and sullenly, he went to the tomb, and long +remained absorbed in his thoughts; dusk +was gathering; the first star shone in the +sky. All of a sudden, hearing a sound as +of somebody laughing, he turned round. +Love's-slave was before his eyes.</p> + +<p>"I was waiting for you, my love," she +said in a strange and muffled voice. "Why +are you coming so late?"</p> + +<p>As he wanted to kiss her, she stopped +him:</p><p><span class="pagenum">[162]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh dear! I am dead. But it is decreed +that I will come again to life if a magician +performs the ceremony prescribed in the +Book-of-Transmutations."</p> + +<p>Immaterial like an evening fog, she +disappeared in the growing darkness.</p> + +<p>Lan returned immediately to the town, +and, entering the first Taoist temple he saw, +he explained to the priest what he wanted.</p> + +<p>"If she has said it is decreed she should +come back to life, we have only to go and +open her tomb, while here my disciples +will sing the proper chapters of the Book. +Let us go now."</p> + +<p>Giving some directions to his companions, +he took a spade and started with +Lan. The moon was shining, so that +without any lantern they were able to perform +their gloomy task.</p> + +<p>Once the heavy lid of the coffin was unscrewed +and taken off, the body of the +young girl appeared as fresh as if she had +been sleeping.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[163]</span></p> + +<p>When the cold night-air bathed her face, +she raised her head, sneezed, and sat up; +looking at Lan, she said in a low voice:</p> + +<p>"At last, you have come! I am recalled +to life by your love. But now I +am feeble; don't speak harshly to me; I +could not bear it."</p> + +<p>Lan, kissing her lovingly, took her in +his arms and brought her to his house. +After some days she was able to walk and +live like ordinary people do.</p> + +<p>They married and lived happily together +for a year. Then, one day, Lan, having +come back half-drunk from a friend's +house, was rebuked by her, and, incensed, +pushed her back. She did not say a word +but, fainting, she fell down. Blood ran +from her nostrils and mouth; nothing could +recall her departing spirit.</p><hr class="chapter" /><p><span class="pagenum">[164]</span></p> + +<h2 id="THE_LAUGHING_GHOST"><i>THE LAUGHING GHOST</i></h2> + +<p>Siu Long-mountain was one of the +most celebrated students of the district +of Perfect-flowers. Having mastered +the mysterious theories of the ancient +Classics, he took a fancy in the researches +of the Taoist magicians, whose temples +may be found in the smallest villages of +the Empire. He soon discovered that, for +the greater number, they were impostors; +and, being proud of his newly acquired +science, he concluded that none of them +possessed any occult power.</p> + +<p>When he came to this somewhat hasty +conclusion, he was seated alone in his +library; the night was already advancing; +a small oil lamp hardly illuminated his +books on the table he was sitting at.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[165]</span></p> + +<p>"Yes, there is no doubt; nothing exists +outside the material appearances. There +is nothing occult in the world, and nothing +can come out of nothingness."</p> + +<p>As he was saying these words half aloud, +he was startled by an unearthly laugh which +seemed to come from behind his back. He +turned quickly round; but nothing was to +be seen.</p> + +<p>His heart beating, he was listening intently; +the laugh came from another +part of the room.</p> + +<p>Long-mountain was brave, but as people +are brave who have only met the ordinary +dangers of civilised life, such as barking +dogs, insulting coolies, or angry dealers +presenting a long-deferred bill. He tried +in vain to believe it was only a joke imposed +on him by some friend; nothing could +prevail upon his growing terror.</p> + +<p>Straining his eyes, he looked at the part +of the room the laugh seemed to come +from. At first he could not see anything,<span class="pagenum">[166]</span> +but by degrees he perceived a black shadow +moving in a corner, then a strange form +with a horse's head and a man's body, all +covered with long black hair; the teeth +were big and sharp as so many mountain-peaks. +The eyes of this dreadful creature +began shining so much that the whole room +was illuminated. Then it began moving +towards the man.</p> + +<p>This was too much; the student screamed +like a dying donkey, and, bursting the door +open, he ran out into the courtyard.</p> + +<p>From an open door in the western pavilion +a ray of light crossed the darkness; four +or five men were playing cards, drinking, +and swearing. Long-mountain ran into +their room, and, panting, explained his +vision.</p> + +<p>The men, being drunk, wanted to see the +Thing; holding lanterns and lamps, they +accompanied their visitor back to his +studio. When they passed the doorway, +Long-mountain screamed again; the Thing +was still there. He would have run away +had not the men, laughing and jesting, +shown him what the Ghost in reality was—a +long dress hung in a corner to a big hook, +on which sat a black cat mewing desperately.</p> + +<p>When the men closed the door and left +him alone, the student was deeply ashamed +of his terror; shaken by his emotion, he +went to bed and tried to sleep. Sleep would +not come; his nervousness seemed to increase. +Starting at the smallest noise, he +remained a long time wide awake; then he +lost consciousness.</p> + +<p>In the silence one only heard the cries +of the night-birds and the buzzing of the +autumn's insects; the lamp was out, but +a brilliant moon began to pour its silver +light through the window.</p> + +<p>The door suddenly creaked; Long-mountain +awoke and sat up on his bed; the door +slowly opened, and the same Thing he had +seen and heard entered the room and advanced +towards the bed, while the same +unearthly laugh came from the long and +unshapely head; the flaming eyes were +fixed on the student.</p> + +<p>When the Thing was near the bed, Long-mountain +fell heavily and did not move +any more.</p> + +<p>The Ghost stopped, put his hand on the +breast of the man, remained in that position +a moment, then went quickly and silently +out of the room.</p> + +<p>A man was standing outside.</p> + +<p>"What did he say?" asked he.</p> + +<p>"Be quiet!" said the Ghost, taking off +his horse's head and discovering a man's very +serious face. "The joke was good. But we +have done it too well. I think he is dead of +terror; we had better be as silent as a +tomb about all this. The magistrate would +never believe in a joke; we would be held +responsible for this death and pay a heavy +penalty."</p> + +<p class="h3">THE END</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h5"><i>Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury, England.</i></p> + +<div style='display:block;margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES FROM THE LODGE OF LEISURES ***</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0;'>This file should be named 37766-h.htm or 37766-h.zip</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0;'>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/7/6/37766/</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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