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Page 28
"It is not an unworthy or abandoned decision," said the one whose aid
Ling had invoked, "nor a matter in which this person would refrain
from taking part, were there no other and more agreeable means by
which the same results may be attained. A circumstance has occurred
within this superficial person's mind, however: A brother of the one
who is addressing you is by profession one of those who purchase large
undertakings for which they have not the money to pay, and who
thereupon by various expedients gain the ear of the thrifty, enticing
them by fair offers of return to entrust their savings for the purpose
of paying off the debt. These persons are ever on the watch for
transactions by which they inevitably prosper without incurring any
obligation, and doubtless my brother will be able to gather a just
share of the value of your highly-remunerative body without submitting
you to the insufferable annoyance of losing a great part of it
prematurely."
Without clearly understanding how so inviting an arrangement could be
effected, the manner of speaking was exceedingly alluring to Ling's
mind, perplexed as he had become through weighing and considering the
various attitudes of the entire matter. To receive a certain and
sufficient sum of money without his person being in any way mutilated
would be a satisfactory, but as far as he had been able to observe an
unapproachable, solution to the difficulty. In the mind of the amiable
person with whom he was conversing, however, the accomplishment did
not appear to be surrounded by unnatural obstacles, so that Ling was
content to leave the entire design in his hands, after stating that he
would again present himself on a certain occasion when it was asserted
that the brother in question would be present.
So internally lightened did Ling feel after this inspiring
conversation, and so confident of a speedy success had the obliging
person's words made him become, that for the first time since his
return to Canton he was able to take an intellectual interest in the
pleasures of the city. Becoming aware that the celebrated play
entitled "The Precious Lamp of Spotted Butterfly Temple" was in
process of being shown at the Tea Garden of Rainbow Lights and Voices,
he purchased an entrance, and after passing several hours in this
conscientious enjoyment, returned to his chamber, and passed a night
untroubled by any manifestations of an unpleasant nature.
XII
Chang-ch'un, the brother of the one to whom Ling had applied in his
determination, was confidently stated to be one of the richest persons
in Canton. So great was the number of enterprises in which he had
possessions, that he himself was unable to keep an account of them,
and it was asserted that upon occasions he had run through the
streets, crying aloud that such an undertaking had been the subject of
most inferior and uninviting dreams and omens (a custom observed by
those who wish a venture ill), whereas upon returning and consulting
his written parchments, it became plain to him that he had indulged in
a very objectionable exhibition, as he himself was the person most
interested in the success of the matter. Far from discouraging him,
however, such incidents tended to his advantage, as he could
consistently point to them in proof of his unquestionable commercial
honourableness, and in this way many persons of all classes, not only
in Canton, or in the Province, but all over the Empire, would
unhesitatingly entrust money to be placed in undertakings which he had
purchased and was willing to describe as "of much good." A certain
class of printed leaves--those in which Chang-ch'un did not insert
purchased mentions of his forthcoming ventures or verses recording his
virtues (in return for buying many examples of the printed leaf
containing them)--took frequent occasion of reminding persons that
Chang-ch'un owed the beginning of his prosperity to finding a written
parchment connected with a Mandarin of exalted rank and a low caste
attendant at the Ti-i tea-house among the paper heaps, which it was at
that time his occupation to assort into various departments according
to their quality and commercial value. Such printed leaves freely and
unhesitatingly predicted that the day on which he would publicly lose
face was incomparably nearer than that on which the Imperial army
would receive its back pay, and in a quaint and gravity-removing
manner advised him to protect himself against an obscure but
inevitable poverty by learning the accomplishment of chair-carrying--
an occupation for which his talents and achievements fitted him in a
high degree, they remarked.
In spite of these evilly intentioned remarks, and of illustrations
representing him as being bowstrung for treacherous killing, being
seized in the action of secretly conveying money from passers-by to
himself and other similar annoying references to his private life,
Chang-ch'un did not fail to prosper, and his undertakings succeeded to
such an extent that without inquiry into the detail many persons were
content to describe as "gold-lined" anything to which he affixed his
sign, and to hazard their savings for staking upon the ventures. In
all other departments of life Chang was equally successful; his chief
wife was the daughter of one who stood high in the Emperor's favour;
his repast table was never unsupplied with sea-snails, rats' tongues,
or delicacies of an equally expensive nature, and it was confidently
maintained that there was no official in Canton, not even putting
aside the Taotai, who dare neglect to fondle Chang's hand if he
publicly offered it to him for that purpose.
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