THE CHINA REVIEW.
Chien said, "Pish, you are in a passion; let me ask you, you have lived ever so many years and how many men have you ever shot ? you are eighteen or nineteen, but you talk like a baby; you make me half-mad." Li-ch'ing said, "If I did kill him it would be only one life, and what is that worth?" Hsi-chen said, "You may throw away your life, but I do not want to lose you; I am over fifty, and I have been looking to you to get a good husband, who may be a support to me; by talking like this you hurt me more than I can express, now the thing is interminable, I can but hand you over to him, I fear all is not quiet, and think how hard this is to hear." Li-ching was quiet for a bit then said, "Your child has a plan ready." Hsi-chen asked what it was.
Li-
eh ing said, **Out of thirty-six plans, that plan for departing is the best; why should we not run off to a hiding place, and you Papa take your child away with you, things having come to this pass." Hsi-chen said, "I fear your plan won't do, my child, for you can't get off; that Hao-chin holds military authority over the five walls and thirteen gates: 800,000 of the guard are there all un- ter hin; if he goes against rae, I cannot escape even if I have wings; recollect of all the men he has wished to ruin only one, Wang Shin, has escaped; ns for your military prowess, think of that fine fellow Lin Chung who was so bothered by him, that he could neither run away from his home nor get out of his country. He will but ase stratagems against you, get you into the meshes of the law, and how can you guard against all be can do. It was well said in olden times, if the nest bo turned over not an egg in it will be whole; when a minister with authority uses his influence, & man cannot say where he may die. My child I cannot let you go, but I cannot tell what will happen to us or where we are to go." Li-ching at first kept her lips firm, but after listening a bit she got frightened, then said, "You cannot mean surely to throw your child into that dung-heap; I am deter-
mined to confrent hin, and if I kill the brute my reputation will be made, but your child cannot abandon you, dear Papa; Jam your child-whatever you want me to do, I will do in the hopes there may now be no trouble. I only want you to be in safety." Thus she spoke, and then pearl-like tears rolled down her face: she beut her knees and wept aloud. Ch'on seeing that his child knew the truth, looked at her for a bit and then with a psha smilingly said, "Got up, and I will tell you the truth." Li-chfing rabbed her eyes and got up. Ch'en told her to sit down and listen. "You say to leave is the best plan, and in this you have guessed aright, I also think we must go, but it is not easy. The associates of Kao Chin are both obatinate and artful; you having got me into this trouble I fear he is sure to be on his guard against our escape, when time comes and we can't get off then the whole affair will come out. If we want to go we ought to go in a day or two to be any good, but it is difficult to arrange. I have to sacrifice,
to burn incantations belonging to the live elements, which will not be finished for fif- teen days; since meeting with this obstruction half my labour is nought, nor do I know how soon I may have another opportunity. I must act as he acts, and invite those creatures to a wine-shop and calm them down with honied words; these fools don't fur- get the mutter and design some evil against Ine. Kao Chin has already been my debtor, and has still a good feeling to me.
Half a month may elapse without his doing any violent act, or there being any need to look out; when that time arrives, I will fly to a distance with you, and what ean he then do to me; this may be called, the calling for tallies when measuring rice plan." ching on hearing this said delightedly, "Papa, how did you contrive just now to quiet him " Ch'en replied, "I said that my daughter's disposition was passionate but that it quickly came round, that if I went home and spoke to her a little sho would beg pardon for her fault to Ya-usi
Li-
THE TANG NOU CHI
whenever he might come to my house. The creature tirmly believed me, said be would be sure to come to my house to pay bis respects and after saying a number of polite things he went off, highly delighted. Sooner or later he is sure to come here bothering, and when he does come you must act as I shall tell you. The beast, though cunning enough, is not likely to find out my trick, but will follow my path.
Do you agree?" Li-ching was much pleased and gave a complete assent. After chatting a bit, a knock was heard at the outside door. Ch'en went out to look, the old woman also went out to open the door when she saw three men come up and ask whether Lieut. Chien was at home, Chien on seeing him recognized Fan Teen-hsi, and ou seeing the other two greeted Fan saying, "You seldom come here, come in and sit down" the three did so, and after ceremonies and each taking their respective places Tai and Chow noticed that Ch'en's eyebrows were like the outline of hills, his eyes were liquid as water in autumn; he was eight feet high, with vermilion lips, and thoroughly bearded all over his face with waving hair; he wore his hair done up with a date tree wood pin and a seven-starred cap: he wore a long crane robe of yellow bound round with a nine-skeined girdle; he wore curling shoes and be moved gracefully as a god; although past fifty he had not a single white hair. Ch'en said, "What are the eminent names of these two gentlemen " Fan said, "Both are called Lí; they are two great friends; this one comes from Kwangsi, that one from He- hing; they live with me and have come here to do some business." Tai and Chou said they had long known the Lieutenant by repu- tation, and it was an unspeakable consolation to them to be able now to pay him their re- spects. Ch'en told the old servant to go and get tea. Ch'en then turned and said with a smile to Fan, "Why do you, who are on such good terms with me, try to deceive me 20? Do you think I don't know that this gentleman is Mr. Tai, of Liang Shan Po?"
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The three were much startled, and Fan said, "I must ask your benevolence to us." Ch'en said, "Don't talk about it more, but come inside." The three much pleased went in, and noticed the excellence of the blue pinewood furniture, The old woman brought tea, and Ch'en said, "You go and look after the door, when I call you, come." She went out and Ch'en said, "That gentle- man I however don't recognize." Tai said.
He is Chou-toong, but where did you ever know me ?" Ch'en said, "Be careful; some years back I went to Chiang Chou on public business together with an official messenger of those parts; we were drinking tea at a music place when I saw you with a criminal drossed for going into punishment, a little dark man; a tall dark man was also there at wine. My dark friend pointed you out to me and said, 'That is Mr Tai; he can go 800 li in a day;' I was frightened, but seeing you so tall wanted to go forward to have a look, but I was prevented by my work and could not act rashly; shortly the tall mau got into a fight with a fisherman and I went away; hence it is I am able to recognise you." The three burst out laughing, and Tai said, “I had lost knowledge of you; the man in prison clothes going into exile was Lord Sung, the timely rain-bringer who was then in Mongsi." Chien said, "I did not then know who he was unfortunately. Yon two gentlemen have come here for some reason: what is it ? Why has Fan come with you?" Fan then read out the letter asking him to join the band which he had received from Hsu-bing, and then said, "These two gentlemen have just seen the attack made on your darling by Ya-nui; the road did not look safe, and they want to help you; but fearing Ya-nei's influence and that his friends might be implicated, and also seeing your darling had gained the vietory, I prevented them by force from assisting. They are however still very uneasy and wanting to come to your house both. first to pay their respects, and secondly to hear what line of conduct you intended to pursue in this mattor : anything
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