the jacket (the star-rover)-第36节

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changes　and　command　the　labour　of　laundresses　to　keep　his　changes

immaculate。　　As　for　the　yang…bans　who　wore　the　pale；　vari…coloured

silks；　they　were　beyond　such　common　yardstick　of　place。



After　resting　in　an　inn　for　several　days；　during　which　time　we

washed　our　garments　and　repaired　the　ravages　of　shipwreck　and

travel；　we　were　summoned　before　the　Emperor。　　In　the　great　open

space　before　the　palace　wall　were　colossal　stone　dogs　that　looked

more　like　tortoises。　　They　crouched　on　massive　stone　pedestals　of

twice　the　height　of　a　tall　man。　　The　walls　of　the　palace　were　huge

and　of　dressed　stone。　　So　thick　were　these　walls　that　they　could

defy　a　breach　from　the　mightiest　of　cannon　in　a　year…long　siege。

The　mere　gateway　was　of　the　size　of　a　palace　in　itself；　rising

pagoda…like；　in　many　retreating　stories；　each　story　fringed　with

tile…roofing。　　A　smart　guard　of　soldiers　turned　out　at　the　gateway。

These；　Kim　told　me；　were　the　Tiger　Hunters　of　Pyeng…yang；　the

fiercest　and　most　terrible　fighting　men　of　which　Cho…Sen　could

boast。



But　enough。　　On　mere　description　of　the　Emperor's　palace　a　thousand

pages　of　my　narrative　could　be　worthily　expended。　　Let　it　suffice

that　here　we　knew　power　in　all　its　material　expression。　　Only　a

civilization　deep　and　wide　and　old　and　strong　could　produce　this

far…walled；　many…gabled　roof　of　kings。



To　no　audience…hall　were　we　sea…cunies　led；　but；　as　we　took　it；　to　a

feasting…hall。　　The　feasting　was　at　its　end；　and　all　the　throng　was

in　a　merry　mood。　　And　such　a　throng！　　High　dignitaries；　princes　of

the　blood；　sworded　nobles；　pale　priests；　weather…tanned　officers　of

high　command；　court　ladies　with　faces　exposed；　painted　KI…SANG　or

dancing　girls　who　rested　from　entertaining；　and　duennas；　waiting

women；　eunuchs；　lackeys；　and　palace　slaves　a　myriad　of　them。



All　fell　away　from　us；　however；　when　the　Emperor；　with　a　following

of　intimates；　advanced　to　look　us　over。　　He　was　a　merry　monarch；

especially　so　for　an　Asiatic。　　Not　more　than　forty；　with　a　clear；

pallid　skin　that　had　never　known　the　sun；　he　was　paunched　and　weak…

legged。　　Yet　he　had　once　been　a　fine　man。　　The　noble　forehead

attested　that。　　But　the　eyes　were　bleared　and　weak…lidded；　the　lips

twitching　and　trembling　from　the　various　excesses　in　which　he

indulged；　which　excesses；　as　I　was　to　learn；　were　largely　devised

and　pandered　by　Yunsan；　the　Buddhist　priest；　of　whom　more　anon。



In　our　sea…garments　we　mariners　were　a　motley　crew；　and　motley　was

the　cue　of　our　reception。　　Exclamations　of　wonder　at　our　strangeness

gave　way　to　laughter。　　The　ki…sang　invaded　us；　dragging　us　about；

making　prisoners　of　us；　two　or　three　of　them　to　one　of　us；　leading

us　about　like　go　many　dancing　boars　and　putting　us　through　our

antics。　　It　was　offensive；　true；　but　what　could　poor　sea…cunies　do？

What　could　old　Johannes　Maartens　do；　with　a　bevy　of　laughing　girls

about　him；　tweaking　his　nose；　pinching　his　arms；　tickling　his　ribs

till　he　pranced？　　To　escape　such　torment　Hans　Amden　cleared　a　space

and　gave　a　clumsy…footed　Hollandish　breakdown　till　all　the　Court

roared　its　laughter。



It　was　offensive　to　me　who　had　been　equal　and　boon　companion　of　Kim

for　many　days。　　I　resisted　the　laughing　ki…sang。　　I　braced　my　legs

and　stood　upright　with　folded　arms；　nor　could　pinch　or　tickle　bring

a　quiver　from　me。　　Thus　they　abandoned　me　for　easier　prey。



〃For　God's　sake；　man；　make　an　impression；〃　Hendrik　Hamel；　who　had

struggled　to　me　with　three　ki…sang　dragging　behind；　mumbled。



Well　might　he　mumble；　for　whenever　he　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　they

crammed　it　with　sweets。



〃Save　us　from　this　folly；〃　he　persisted；　ducking　his　head　about　to

avoid　their　sweet…filled　palms。　　〃We　must　have　dignity；　understand；

dignity。　　This　will　ruin　us。　　They　are　making　tame　animals　of　us；

playthings。　　When　they　grow　tired　of　us　they　will　throw　us　out。

You're　doing　the　right　thing。　　Stick　to　it。　　Stand　them　off。

Command　respect；　respect　for　all　of　us〃



The　last　was　barely　audible；　for　by　this　time　the　ki…sang　had

stuffed　his　mouth　to　speechlessness。



As　I　have　said；　I　had　the　will　and　the　fearlessness；　and　I　racked　my

sea…cuny　brains　for　the　wit。　　A　palace　eunuch；　tickling　my　neck　with

a　feather　from　behind；　gave　me　my　start。　　I　had　already　drawn

attention　by　my　aloofness　and　imperviousness　to　the　attacks　of　the

ki…sang；　so　that　many　were　looking　on　at　the　eunuch's　baiting　of　me。

I　gave　no　sign；　made　no　move；　until　I　had　located　him　and　distanced

him。　　Then；　like　a　shot；　without　turning　head　or　body；　merely　by　my

arm　I　fetched　him　an　open；　back…handed　slap。　　My　knuckles　landed

flat　on　his　cheek　and　jaw。　　There　was　a　crack　like　a　spar　parting　in

a　gale。　　He　was　bowled　clean　over；　landing　in　a　heap　on　the　floor　a

dozen　feet　away。



There　was　no　laughter；　only　cries　of　surprise　and　murmurings　and

whisperings　of　〃Yi　Yong…ik。〃　　Again　I　folded　my　arms　and　stood　with

a　fine　assumption　of　haughtiness。　　I　do　believe　that　I；　Adam　Strang；

had　among　other　things　the　soul　of　an　actor　in　me。　　For　see　what

follows。　　I　was　now　the　most　significant　of　our　company。　　Proud…

eyed；　disdainful；　I　met　unwavering　the　eyes　upon　me　and　made　them

drop；　or　turn　awayall　eyes　but　one。　　These　were　the　eyes　of　a

young　woman；　whom　I　judged；　by　richness　of　dress　and　by　the　half…

dozen　women　fluttering　at　her　back；　to　be　a　court　lady　of

distinction。　　In　truth；　she　was　the　Lady　Om；　princess　of　the　house

of　Min。　　Did　I　say　young？　　She　was　fully　my　own　age；　thirty；　and　for

all　that　and　her　ripeness　and　beauty　a　princess　still　unmarried；　as

I　was　to　learn。



She　alone　looked　me　in　the　eyes　without　wavering　until　it　was　I　who

turned　away。　　She　did　not　look　me　down；　for　there　was　neither

challenge　nor　antagonism　in　her　eyesonly　fascination。　　I　was　loth

to　admit　this　defeat　by　one　small　woman；　and　my　eyes；　turning　aside；

lighted　on　the　disgraceful　rout　of　my　comrades　and　the　trailing　ki…

sang　and　gave　me　the　pretext。　　I　clapped　my　hands　in　the　Asiatic

fashion　when　one　gives　command。



〃Let　be！〃　I　thundered　in　their　own　language；　and　in　the　form　one

addressee　underlings。



Oh；　I　had　a　chest　and　a　throat；　and　could　bull…roar　to　the　hurt　of

ear…drums。　　I　warrant　so　loud　a　command　had　never　before　cracked　the

sacred　air　of　the　Emperor's　palace。



The　great　room　was　aghast。　　The　women　were　startled；　and　pressed

toward　one　another　as　for　safety。　　The　ki…sang　released　the　cunies

and　shrank　away　giggling　apprehensively。　　Only　the　Lady　Om　made　no

sign　nor　motion　but　continued　to　gaze　wide…eyed　into　my　eyes　which

had　returned　to　hers。



Then　fell　a　great　silence；　as　if　all　waited　some　word　of　doom。　　A

multitude　of　eyes　timidly　stole　back　and　forth　from　the　Emperor　to

me　and　from　me　to　the　Emperor。　　And　I　had　wit　to　keep　the　silence

and　to　stand　there；　arms　folded；　haughty　and　remote。



〃He　speaks　our　language；〃　quoth　the　Emperor　at　the　last；　and　I　swear

there　was　such　a　relinquishment　of　held　breaths　that　the　whole　room

was　one　vast　sigh。



〃I　was　born　with　this　language；〃　I　replied；　my　cuny　wits　running

rashly　to　the　first　madness　that　prompted。　　〃I　spoke　it　at　my

mother's　breast。　　I　was　the　marvel　of　my　land。　　Wise　men　journeyed

far　to　see　me　and　to　hear。　　But　no　man　knew　the　words　I　spoke。　　In

the　many　years　since　I　have　forgotten　much；　but　now；　in　Cho…Sen；　the

words　come　back　like　long…lost　friends。〃



An　impression　I　certainly　made。　　The　Emperor　swallowed　and　his　lips

twitched　ere　he　asked：



〃How　explain　you　this？〃



〃I　am　an　accident；〃　I　answered；　following　the　wayward　lead　my　wit

had　opened。　　〃The　gods　of　birth　were　careless；　and　I　was　mislaid　in

a　far　land　and　nursed　by　an　alien　people。　　I　am　Korean；　and　now；　at

last；　I　have　come　to　my　home。〃



What　an　excited　whispering　and　conferring　took　place。　　The　Emperor

himself　interrogated　Kim。



〃He　was　always　thus；　our　speech　in　his　mouth；　from　the　time　he　came

out　of　the　sea；〃　Kim　lied　like　the　good　fellow　he　was。



〃Bring　me　yang…ban's　garments　as　befits　me；〃　I　interrupted；　〃and　you

shall　see。〃　　As　I　was　led　away　in　compliance；　I　turned　on　the　ki…

sang。　　〃And　leave　my　slaves　alone。　　They　have　journeyed　far　and　are

weary。　　They　are　my　faithful　slaves。〃



In　another　room　Kim　helped　me　change；　sending　the　lackeys　away；　and

quick　and　to　the　point　was　the　dress…rehearsal　he　gave　me。　　He　knew

no　more　toward　what　I　drove　than　did　I；　but　he　was　a　good　fellow。



The　funny　thing；　once　back　in　the　crowd　and　spouting　Korean　which　I

claimed　was　rusty　from　long　disuse；　was　that　Hendrik　Hamel　and　the

rest；　too　stubborn…tongued　to　learn　new　speech；　did　not　know　a　word

I　uttered。



〃I　am　of　the　blood　of　the　house　of　Koryu；〃　I　told　the　Emperor；　〃that

ruled　at　Songdo　many　a　long　year　agone　when　my　house　arose　on　the

ruins　of　Silla。〃



Ancient　history；　all；　told　me　by　Kim　on　the　long　ride；　and　he

struggled　with　his　face　to　hear　me　parrot　his　teachin