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Page 14
For this purpose he therefore detained the Chief of Bowmen when the
others departed, and complimented him, with many expressive phrases,
on the excellence of his appearance, as the thought occurred to him
that by this means, without disclosing the full measure of his
ignorance, the person in question might be encouraged to speak
unrestrainedly of the nature of his exploits, and perchance thereby
explain the use of the appliances employed and the meaning of the
various words of order, in all of which details the Commander was as
yet most disagreeably imperfect. In this, however, he was
disappointed, for the Chief of Bowmen, greatly to Ling's surprise,
received all his polished sentences with somewhat foolish smiles of
great self-satisfaction, merely replying from time to time as he
displayed his pigtail to greater advantage or rearranged his gold-
embroidered cloak:
"This person must really pray you to desist; the honour is indeed too
great."
Disappointed in his hope, and not desiring after this circumstance to
expose his shortcomings to one who was obviously not of a highly-
refined understanding, no matter how great his valour in war or his
knowledge of military affairs might be, Ling endeavoured to lead him
to converse of the bowmen under his charge. In this matter he was more
successful, for the Chief spoke at great length and with evilly-
inspired contempt of their inelegance, their undiscriminating and
excessive appetites, and the frequent use which they made of low words
and gestures. Desiring to become acquainted rather with their methods
of warfare than with their domestic details, Ling inquired of him what
formation they relied upon when receiving the foemen.
"It is a matter which has not engaged the attention of this one,"
replied the Chief, with an excessive absence of interest. "There are
so many affairs of intelligent dignity which cannot be put aside, and
which occupy one from beginning to end. As an example, this person may
describe how the accomplished Li-Lu, generally depicted as the Blue-
eyed Dove of Virtuous and Serpent-like Attitudes, has been scattering
glory upon the Si-chow Hall of Celestial Harmony for many days past.
It is an enlightened display which the high-souled Ling should
certainly endeavour to dignify with his presence, especially at the
portion where the amiable Li-Lu becomes revealed in the appearance of
a Peking sedan-chair bearer and describes the manner and likenesses of
certain persons--chiefly high-priests of Buddha, excessively round-
bodied merchants who feign to be detained within Peking on affairs of
commerce, maidens who attend at the tables of tea-houses, and those of
both sexes who are within the city for the first time to behold its
temples and open spaces--who are conveyed from place to place in the
chair."
"And the bowmen?" suggested Ling, with difficulty restraining an
undignified emotion.
"Really, the elegant Ling will discover them to be persons of
deficient manners, and quite unworthy of occupying his well-bred
conversation," replied the Chief. "As regards their methods--if the
renowned Ling insists--they fight by means of their bows, with which
they discharge arrows at the foemen, they themselves hiding behind
trees and rocks. Should the enemy be undisconcerted by the cloud of
arrows, and advance, the bowmen are instructed to make a last
endeavour to frighten them back by uttering loud shouts and feigning
the voices of savage beasts of the forest and deadly snakes."
"And beyond that?" inquired Ling.
"Beyond that there are no instructions," replied the Chief. "The
bowmen would then naturally take to flight, or, if such a course
became impossible, run to meet the enemy, protesting that they were
convinced of the justice of their cause, and were determined to fight
on their side in the future."
"Would it not be of advantage to arm them with cutting weapons also?"
inquired Ling; "so that when all their arrows were discharged they
would still be able to take part in the fight, and not be lost to us?"
"They would not be lost to us, of course," replied the Chief, "as we
would still be with them. But such a course as the one you suggest
could not fail to end in dismay. Being as well armed as ourselves,
they would then turn upon us, and, having destroyed us, proceed to
establish leaders of their own."
As Ling and the Chief of Bowmen conversed in this enlightened manner,
there arose a great outcry from among the tents, and presently there
entered to them a spy who had discovered a strong force of the enemy
not more than ten or twelve li away, who showed every indication of
marching shortly in the direction of Si-chow. In numbers alone, he
continued, they were greatly superior to the bowmen, and all were well
armed. The spreading of this news threw the entire camp into great
confusion, many protesting that the day was not a favourable one on
which to fight, others crying that it was their duty to fall back on
Si-chow and protect the women and children. In the midst of this
tumult the Chief of Bowmen returned to Ling, bearing in his hand a
written paper which he regarded in uncontrollable anguish.
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