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Page 33
"Oh, my beloved!" exclaimed Mian, gazing at the brilliant and
unruffled water, "greatly would this person esteem a short river
journey, such as we often enjoyed together in the days when you were
recovering."
Ling, to whom the expressed desires of Mian were as the word of the
Emperor, instantly prepared the small and ornamental junk which was
fastened near for this purpose, and was about to step in, when a
presumptuous and highly objectionable hand restrained him.
"Behold," remarked a voice which Ling had some difficulty in ascribing
to any known person, so greatly had it changed from its usual tone,
"behold how the immature and altogether too-inferior Ling observes his
spoken and written assertions!"
At this low-conditioned speech, Ling drew his well-tempered sword
without further thought, in spite of the restraining arms of Mian, but
at the sight of the utterly incapable person Wang, who stood near
smiling meaninglessly and waving his arms with a continuous and
backward motion, he again replaced it.
"Such remarks can be left to fall unheeded from the lips of one who
bears every indication of being steeped in rice spirit," he said with
unprovoked dignity.
"It will be the plain duty of this expert and uncorruptible person to
furnish the unnecessary, but, nevertheless, very severe and self-
opinionated Chang-ch'un with a written account of how the traitorous
and deceptive Ling has endeavoured to break through the thirty-fourth
vessel of the liquids to be consumed and not to be consumed,"
continued Wang with increased deliberation and an entire absence of
attention to Ling's action and speech, "and how by this refined
person's unfailing civility and resourceful strategy he has been
frustrated."
"Perchance," said Ling, after examining his thoughts for a short
space, and reflecting that the list of things to be done and not to be
done was to him as a blank leaf, "there may even be some small portion
of that which is accurate in his statement. In what manner," he
continued, addressing the really unendurable person, who was by this
time preparing to pass the night in the cool swamp by the river's
edge, "does this one endanger any detail of the written and sealed
parchment by such an action?"
"Inasmuch," replied Wang, pausing in the process of removing his outer
garments, "as the seventy-ninth--the intricate name given to it
escapes this person's tongue at the moment--but the ninety-seventh--
experLingknowswhamean--provides that any person, with or without,
attempting or not avoiding to travel by sea, lake, or river, or to
place himself in such a position as he may reasonably and
intelligently be drowned in salt water, fresh water, or--or honourable
rice spirit, shall be guilty of, and suffer--complete loss of memory."
With these words the immoderate and contemptible person sank down in a
very profound slumber.
"Alas!" said Ling, turning to Mian, who stood near, unable to retire
even had she desired, by reason of the extreme agitation into which
the incident had thrown her delicate mind and body, "how intensely
aggravating a circumstance that we are compelled to entertain so
dissolute a one by reason of this person's preoccupation when the
matter was read. Nevertheless, it is not unlikely that the detail he
spoke of was such as he insisted, to the extent of making it a thing
not to be done to journey in any manner by water. It shall be an early
endeavour of this person to get these restraining details equitably
amended; but in the meantime we will retrace our footsteps through the
wood, and the enraptured Ling will make a well-thought-out attempt to
lighten the passage by a recital of his recently-composed verses on
the subject of 'Exile from the Loved One; or, Farewell and Return.'"
XIV
"My beloved lord!" said Mian sadly, on a morning after many days had
passed since the return of Ling, "have you not every possession for
which the heart of a wise person searches? Yet the dark mark is
scarcely ever absent from your symmetrical brow. If she who stands
before you, and is henceforth an integral part of your organization,
has failed you in any particular, no matter how unimportant, explain
the matter to her, and the amendment will be a speedy and a joyful
task."
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