the wallet of kai lung-第43节

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seized　the　most　select　and　engaging　of　the　unsuspecting　prey　in　its



hungry　jaws。　With　the　expiring　cry　of　the　innocent　victim　the　entire



box　was　immediately；　and　in　the　most　unexpected　manner；　involved　in　a



profound　darkness；　which　cleared　away　as　suddenly　and　revealed　the



forms　of　the　despoiler　and　the　victim　lying　dead　by　each　other's　side。







Tung　Fel　came　forward　to　receive　the　well…selected　compliments　of　all



who　had　witnessed　the　entertainment。







〃It　may　be　objected；〃　he　remarked；　〃that　the　play　is；　in　a　manner　of



expressing　one's　self；　incomplete；　for　it　is　unrevealed　by　whose　hand



the　act　of　justice　was　accomplished。　Yet　in　this　detail　is　the



accuracy　of　the　representation　justified；　for　though　the　time　has



come；　the　hand　by　which　retribution　is　accorded　shall　never　be



observed。〃







In　such　a　manner　did　Tung　Fel　come　to　Ching…fow　on　the　seventh　day　of



the　month　of　Winged　Dragons；　throwing　aside　all　restraint；　and　no



longer　urging　prudence　or　delay。　Of　all　the　throng　which　stood　before



him　scarcely　one　was　without　a　deep　offence　against　Ping　Siang；　while



those　who　had　not　as　yet　suffered　feared　what　the　morrow　might



display。







A　wandering　monk　from　the　Island　of　Irredeemable　Plagues　was　the　first



to　step　forth　in　response　to　Tung　Fel's　plainly　understood　suggestion。







〃There　is　no　necessity　for　this　person　to　undertake　further　acts　of



benevolence；〃　he　remarked；　dropping　the　cloak　from　his　shoulder　and



displaying　the　hundred　and　eight　scars　of　extreme　virtue；　〃nor；〃　he



continued；　holding　up　his　left　hand；　from　which　three　fingers　were



burnt　away；　〃have　greater　endurances　been　neglected。　Yet　the　matter



before　this　distinguished　gathering　is　one　which　merits　the　favourable



consideration　of　all　persons；　and　this　one　will　in　no　manner　turn



away；　recounting　former　actions；　while　he　allows　others　to　press



forward　towards　the　accomplishment　of　the　just　and　divinely…inspired



act。〃







With　these　words　the　devout　and　unassuming　person　in　question



inscribed　his　name　upon　a　square　piece　of　rice…paper；　attesting　his



sincerity　to　the　fixed　purpose　for　which　it　was　designed　by　dipping



his　thumb　into　the　mixed　blood　of　the　slain　animals　and　impressing



this　unalterable　seal　upon　the　paper　also。　He　was　followed　by　a　seller



of　drugs　and　subtle　medicines；　whose　entire　stock　had　been　seized　and



destroyed　by　order　of　Ping　Siang；　so　that　no　one　in　Ching…fow　might



obtain　poison　for　his　destruction。　Then　came　an　overwhelming　stream　of



persons；　all　of　whom　had　received　some　severe　and　well…remembered



injury　at　the　hands　of　the　malicious　and　vindictive　Mandarin。　All



these　followed　a　similar　observance；　inscribing　their　names　and



binding　themselves　by　the　Blood　Oath。　Last　of　all　Yang　Hu　stepped　up；



partly　from　a　natural　modesty　which　restrained　him　from　offering



himself　when　so　many　more　versatile　persons　of　proved　excellence　were



willing　to　engage　in　the　matter；　and　partly　because　an　ill…advised



conflict　was　taking　place　within　his　mind　as　to　whether　the　extreme



course　which　was　contemplated　was　the　most　expedient　to　pursue。　At



last；　however；　he　plainly　perceived　that　he　could　not　honourably



withhold　himself　from　an　affair　that　was　in　a　measure　the　direct



outcome　of　his　own　unendurable　loss；　so　that　without　further



hesitation　he　added　his　obscure　name　to　the　many　illustrious　ones



already　in　Tung　Fel's　keeping。







When　at　length　dark　fell　upon　the　city　and　the　cries　of　the　watchmen；



warning　all　prudent　ones　to　bar　well　their　doors　against　robbers；　as



they　themselves　were　withdrawing　until　the　morrow；　no　longer　rang



through　the　narrow　ways　of　Ching…fow；　all　those　persons　who　had



pledged　themselves　by　name　and　seal　went　forth　silently；　and　came



together　at　the　place　whereof　Tung　Fel　had　secretly　conveyed　them



knowledge。　There　Tung　Fel；　standing　somewhat　apart；　placed　all　the



folded　papers　in　the　form　of　a　circle；　and　having　performed　over　them



certain　observances　designed　to　insure　a　just　decision　and　to　keep



away　evil　influences；　submitted　the　selection　to　the　discriminating



choice　of　the　Sacred　Flat　and　Round　Sticks。　Having　in　this　manner



secured　the　name　of　the　appointed　person　who　should　carry　out　the　act



of　justice　and　retribution；　Tung　Fel　unfolded　the　paper；　inscribed



certain　words　upon　it；　and　replaced　it　among　the　others。







〃The　moment　before　great　deeds；〃　began　Tung　Fel；　stepping　forward　and



addressing　himself　to　the　expectant　ones　who　were　gathered　round；　〃is



not　the　time　for　light　speech；　nor；　indeed；　for　sentences　of　dignified



length；　no　matter　how　pleasantly　turned　to　the　ear　they　may　be。　Before



this　person　stand　many　who　are　undoubtedly　illustrious　in　various　arts



and　virtues；　yet　one　among　them　is　pre…eminently　marked　out　for



distinction　in　that　his　name　shall　be　handed　down　in　imperishable



history　as　that　of　a　patriot　of　a　pure…minded　and　uncompromising



degree。　With　him　there　is　no　need　of　further　speech；　and　to　this　end　I



have　inscribed　certain　words　upon　his　namepaper。　To　everyone　this



person　will　now　return　the　paper　which　has　been　entrusted　to　him；



folded　so　that　the　nature　of　its　contents　shall　be　an　unwritten　leaf



to　all　others。　Nor　shall　the　papers　be　unfolded　by　any　until　he　is



within　his　own　chamber；　with　barred　doors；　where　all；　save　the　one　who



shall　find　the　message；　shall　remain；　not　venturing　forth　until



daybreak。　I；　Tung　Fel；　have　spoken；　and　assuredly　I　shall　not　eat　my



word；　which　is　that　a　certain　and　most　degrading　death　awaits　any　who



transgress　these　commands。〃







It　was　with　the　short　and　sudden　breath　of　the　cowering　antelope　when



the　stealthy　tread　of　the　pitiless　tiger　approaches　its　lair；　that



Yang　Hu　opened　his　paper　in　the　seclusion　of　his　own　cave；　for　his



mind　was　darkened　with　an　inspired　inside　emotion　that　he；　the　one



doubting　among　the　eagerly　proffering　and　destructively　inclined



multitude；　would　be　chosen　to　accomplish　the　high　aim　for　which；



indeed；　he　felt　exceptionally　unworthy。　The　written　sentence　which　he



perceived　immediately　upon　unfolding　the　paper；　instructing　him　to



appear　again　before　Tung　Fel　at　the　hour　of　midnight；　was；　therefore；



nothing　but　the　echo　and　fulfilment　of　his　own　thoughts；　and　served　in



reality　to　impress　his　mind　with　calmer　feelings　of　dignified



unconcern　than　would　have　been　the　case　had　he　not　been　chosen。　Having



neither　possessions　nor　relations；　the　occupation　of　disposing　of　his



goods　and　making　ceremonious　and　affectionate　leavetakings　of　his



family；　against　the　occurrence　of　any　unforeseen　disaster；　engrossed



no　portion　of　Yang　Hu's　time。　Yet　there　was　one　matter　to　which　no



reference　has　yet　been　made；　but　which　now　forces　itself　obtrusively



upon　the　attention；　which　was　in　a　large　measure　responsible　for　many



of　the　most　prominent　actions　of　Yang　Hu's　life；　and；　indeed；　in　no



small　degree　influenced　his　hesitation　in　offering　himself　before　Tung



Fel。







Not　a　bowshot　distance　from　the　place　where　the　mountain　path　entered



the　outskirts　of　the　city　lived　Hiya…ai…Shao　with　her　parents；　who



were　persons　of　assured　position；　though　of　no　particular　wealth。　For



a　period　not　confined　to　a　single　year　it　had　been　the　custom　of　Yang



Hu　to　offer　to　this　elegant　and　refined　maiden　all　the　rarest　pieces



of　jade　which　he　could　discover；　while　the　most　symmetrical　and



remunerative　she…goat　in　his　flock　enjoyed　the　honourable　distinction



of　bearing　her　incomparable　name。　Towards　the　almond　garden　of　Hiya's



abode　Yang　Hu　turned　his　footsteps　upon　leaving　his　cave；　and　standing



there；　concealed　from　all　sides　by　the　white　and　abundant　flower…laden



foliage；　he　uttered　a　sound　which　had　long　been　an　agreed　signal



between　them。　Presently　a　faint　perfume　of　choo…lan　spoke　of　her　near



approach；　and　without　delay　Hiya　herself　stood　by　his　side。







〃Well…endowed　one；〃　said　Yang　Hu；　when　at　length　they　had　gazed　upon



each　other's　features　and　made　renewals　of　their　protestations　of



mutual　regard；　〃the　fixed　intentions　of　a　person　have　often　been　fitly



likened　to　the　seed　of　the　tree…peony；　so　ineffectual　are　their



efforts　among　the　winds　of　constantly　changing　circumstance。　The



definite　hope　of　this　person　had　long　pointed　towards　a　small　but



adequate　habitation；　surrounded　by　sweet…smelling　olive…trees　and　not



far　distant　from　the　jade　cliffs　and　pastures　which　would　afford　a



sufficient　remuneration　and　a　means　of　living。　This　entrancing　picture



has　been　bl