the wallet of kai lung-第6节

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honourable　regard　for　himself；　a　high…minded　desire　that　the　affair



might　end　profitably　on　his　account；　and　an　amiable　hope　that　they



should　meet　again；　when　these　subjects　could　be　expressed　more　clearly



between　them。







In　the　meantime　Ling　had　become　at　a　disadvantage；　for　the　time



occupied　in　speaking　and　in　making　the　necessary　number　of　bows　in



reply　to　her　entrancing　glance　had　given　the　other　persons　an



opportunity　of　arranging　their　charms　and　sacred　written　sentences　to



greater　advantage；　and　of　occupying　the　most　favourable　ground　for　the



encounter。　Nevertheless；　so　great　was　the　force　of　the　new　emotion



which　had　entered　into　Ling's　nature　that；　without　waiting　to　consider



the　dangers　or　the　best　method　of　attack；　he　rushed　upon　them；　waving



his　sword　with　such　force　that　he　appeared　as　though　surrounded　by　a



circle　of　very　brilliant　fire。　In　this　way　he　reached　the　rebels；　who



both　fell　unexpectedly　at　one　blow；　they；　indeed；　being　under　the



impression　that　the　encounter　had　not　commenced　in　reality；　and　that



Ling　was　merely　menacing　them　in　order　to　inspire　their　minds　with



terror　and　raise　his　own　spirits。　However　much　he　regretted　this　act



of　the　incident　which　he　had　been　compelled　to　take；　Ling　could　not



avoid　being　filled　with　intellectual　joy　at　finding　that　his　own



charms　and　omens　were　more　distinguished　than　those　possessed　by　the



rebels；　none　of　whom；　as　he　now　plainly　understood；　he　need　fear。







Examining　these　things　within　his　mind；　and　reflecting　on　the　events



of　the　past　few　days；　by　which　he　had　been　thrown　into　a　class　of



circumstances　greatly　differing　from　anything　which　he　had　ever



sought；　Ling　continued　his　journey；　and　soon　found　himself　before　the



southern　gate　of　Si…chow。　Entering　the　town；　he　at　once　formed　the



resolution　of　going　before　the　Mandarin　for　Warlike　Deeds　and



Arrangements；　so　that　he　might　present；　without　delay；　the　papers　and



seals　which　he　had　brought　with　him　from　Canton。







〃The　noble　Mandarin　Li　Keen？〃　replied　the　first　person　to　whom　Ling



addressed　himself。　〃It　would　indeed　be　a　difficult　and　hazardous



conjecture　to　make　concerning　his　sacred　person。　By　chance　he　is　in



the　strongest　and　best…concealed　cellar　in　Si…chow；　unless　the



sumptuous　attractions　of　the　deepest　dry　well　have　induced　him　to　make



a　short　journey〃；　and；　with　a　look　of　great　unfriendliness　at　Ling's



dress　and　weapons；　this　person　passed　on。







〃Doubtless　he　is　fighting　single…handed　against　the　armed　men　by　whom



the　place　is　surrounded；〃　said　another；　〃or　perhaps　he　is　constructing



an　underground　road　from　the　Yamen　to　Peking；　so　that　we　may　all



escape　when　the　town　is　taken。　All　that　can　be　said　with　certainty　is



that　the　Heaven…sent　and　valorous　Mandarin　has　not　been　seen　outside



the　walls　of　his　well…fortified　residence　since　the　trouble　arose；



but；　as　you　carry　a　sword　of　conspicuous　excellence；　you　will



doubtless　be　welcome。〃







Upon　making　a　third　attempt　Ling　was　more　successful；　for　he　inquired



of　an　aged　woman；　who　had　neither　a　reputation　for　keen　and　polished



sentences　to　maintain；　nor　any　interest　in　the　acts　of　the　Mandarin　or



of　the　rebels。　From　her　he　learned　how　to　reach　the　Yamen；　and



accordingly　turned　his　footsteps　in　that　direction。　When　at　length　he



arrived　at　the　gate；　Ling　desired　his　tablets　to　be　carried　to　the



Mandarin　with　many　expressions　of　an　impressive　and　engaging　nature；



nor　did　he　neglect　to　reward　the　porter。　It　was　therefore　with　the



expression　of　a　misunderstanding　mind　that　he　received　a　reply　setting



forth　that　Li　Keen　was　unable　to　receive　him。　In　great　doubt　he



prevailed　upon　the　porter；　by　means　of　a　still　larger　reward；　again　to



carry　in　his　message；　and　on　this　occasion　an　answer　in　this　detail



was　placed　before　him。







〃Li　Keen；〃　he　was　informed；　〃is　indeed　awaiting　the　arrival　of　one



Ling；　a　noble　and　valiant　Commander　of　Bowmen。　He　is　given　to



understand；　it　is　true；　that　a　certain　person　claiming　the　same



honoured　name　is　standing　in　somewhat　undignified　attitudes　at　the



gate；　but　he　is　unable　in　any　way　to　make　these　two　individuals　meet



within　his　intellect。　He　would　further　remind　all　persons　that　the



refined　observances　laid　down　by　the　wise　and　exalted　Board　of　Rites



and　Ceremonies　have　a　marked　and　irreproachable　significance　when　the



country　is　in　a　state　of　disorder；　the　town　surrounded　by　rebels；　and



every　breathing…space　of　time　of　more　than　ordinary　value。〃







Overpowered　with　becoming　shame　at　having　been　connected　with　so



unseemly　a　breach　of　civility；　for　which　his　great　haste　had　in



reality　been　accountable；　Ling　hastened　back　into　the　town；　and　spent



many　hours　endeavouring　to　obtain　a　chair　of　the　requisite　colour　in



which　to　visit　the　Mandarin。　In　this　he　was　unsuccessful；　until　it　was



at　length　suggested　to　him　that　an　ordinary　chair；　such　as　stood　for



hire　in　the　streets　of　Si…chow；　would　be　acceptable　if　covered　with



blue　paper。　Still　in　some　doubt　as　to　what　the　nature　of　his　reception



would　be；　Ling　had　no　choice　but　to　take　this　course；　and　accordingly



he　again　reached　the　Yamen　in　such　a　manner；　carried　by　two　persons



whom　he　had　obtained　for　the　purpose。　While　yet　hardly　at　the



residence　a　salute　was　suddenly　fired；　all　the　gates　and　doors　were；



without　delay；　thrown　open　with　embarrassing　and　hospitable　profusion；



and　the　Mandarin　himself　passed　out；　and　would　have　assisted　Ling　to



step　down　from　his　chair　had　not　that　person；　clearly　perceiving　that



such　a　course　would　be　too　great　an　honour；　evaded　him　by　an



unobtrusive　display　of　versatile　dexterity。　So　numerous　and　profound



were　the　graceful　remarks　which　each　made　concerning　the　habits　and



accomplishments　of　the　other　that　more　than　the　space　of　an　hour　was



passed　in　traversing　the　small　enclosed　ground　which　let　up　to　the



principal　door　of　the　Yamen。　There　an　almost　greater　time　was



agreeably　spent；　both　Ling　and　the　Mandarin　having　determined　that　the



other　should　enter　first。　Undoubtedly　Ling；　who　was　the　more　powerful



of　the　two；　would　have　conferred　this　courteous　distinction　upon　Li



Keen　had　not　that　person　summoned　to　his　side　certain　attendants　who



succeeded　in　frustrating　Ling　in　his　high…minded　intentions；　and　in



forcing　him　through　the　doorway　in　spite　of　his　conscientious　protests



against　the　unsurmountable　obligation　under　which　the　circumstance



placed　him。







Conversing　in　this　intellectual　and　dignified　manner；　the　strokes　of



the　gong　passed　unheeded；　tea　had　been　brought　into　their　presence



many　times；　and　night　had　fallen　before　the　Mandarin　allowed　Ling　to



refer　to　the　matter　which　had　brought　him　to　the　place；　and　to　present



his　written　papers　and　seals。







〃It　is　a　valuable　privilege　to　have　so　intelligent　a　person　as　the



illustrious　Ling　occupying　this　position；〃　remarked　the　Mandarin；　as



he　returned　the　papers；　〃and　not　less　so　on　account　of　the　one　who



preceded　him　proving　himself　to　be　a　person　of　feeble　attainments　and



an　unendurable　deficiency　of　resource。〃







〃To　one　with　the　all…knowing　Li　Keen's　mental　acquisitions；　such　a



person　must　indeed　have　become　excessively　offensive；〃　replied　Ling



delicately；　〃for；　as　it　is　truly　said；　'Although　there　exist　many



thousand　subjects　for　elegant　conversation；　there　are　persons　who



cannot　meet　a　cripple　without　talking　about　feet。'〃







〃He　to　whom　I　have　referred　was　such　a　one；〃　said　Li　Keen；



appreciating　with　an　expression　of　countenance　the　fitness　of　Ling's



proverb。　〃He　was　totally　inadequate　to　the　requirements　of　his



position；　for　he　possessed　no　military　knowledge；　and　was　placed　in



command　by　those　at　Peking　as　a　result　of　his　taking　a　high　place　at



one　of　the　examinations。　But　more　than　this；　although　his　three　years



of　service　were　almost　completed；　I　was　quite　unsuccessful　in



convincing　him　that　an　unseemly　degradation　probably　awaited　him



unless　he　could　furnish　me　with　the　means　with　which　to　propitiate　the



persons　in　authority　at　Peking。　This　he　neglected　to　do　with　obstinate



pertinacity；　which　compelled　this　person　to　inquire　within　himself



whether　one　of　so　little　discernment　could　be　trusted　with　an



important　and　arduous　office。　After　much　deliberation；　this　person



came　to　the　decision　that　the　Commander　in　question　was　not　a　fit



person；　and　he　therefore　reported　him　to　the　Imperial　Board　of



Punishment　at　Peking　as　one　subject　to　frequent　and　periodical



eccentr