CHAPTER XV.
NICHOLAS DISCOVERS A CONSPIRACY, AND MAKES AN UNPLEASANT ENTRY INTOPEKIN.
The next morning they laughed heartily when the innkeeper told them thatthe bonzes of the monastery in the suburbs had taken some rogues who hadbeen found concealed in the pagoda before the police tribunal, and thatthe mandarin had ordered all of them a severe bambooing.
Greatly as he enjoyed this news, Nicholas was too wise to wish to remainin the city any longer than possible, for he knew that the enraged junkcaptain would leave no effort untried to retake them; he, therefore,engaged a passage for himself and Chow in a barge that was proceeding toTching-Kiang.
Once on board the passage boat and floating down along the royal canal,they felt secure, for surely no mishap could now happen to interrupttheir journey; and so, indeed, they arrived at Tching-Kiang, where, asthis city was on the banks of the Yang-tse, which here interrupts thecourse of the canal, they were compelled to disembark and remain onenight.
The next morning Nicholas sent Chow to purchase a sword, a bow, and somearrows, in place of those taken from him in the prison. During hisabsence, he sat talking to the wife of the innkeeper, for amongst thelower classes, the women are permitted to have greater intercourse, asindeed is necessary, to enable them to assist in earning the familyliving. He had not been chatting for any length of time when there arosea great hubbub in the street, and, looking out of the window, what washis surprise to see Chow running, as if for his life, followed by an oldgentleman, who stopped every now and then to take breath and shake hisfists angrily at the mob, who, believing it to be a race, shouted formere fun. A glance, however, made Nicholas aware of the true characterof the pursuer, and he begged of the woman to aid him in saving the lifeof his friend, who was being hunted by a madman, who if he caught him,he would kill him.
Before she could reply, Chow ran up to the door; the woman opened it,let him in, and shut it again in the face of the old gentleman, whosestomach, being of extreme protuberance and what his countrymen call fullmeasure, received such a blow that, what with loss of breath andfullness of indignation, his big body toppled over his short legs, andhe lay upon the ground with his little head turned upward, like a turtlegasping at falling heat drops.
"Truly we are lost, for the old rat is the physician," said Chow.
"Can the worthy woman aid us?" said Nicholas, fairly baffled.
"Let the youths follow," said the good-natured Woman; adding, "Whitherwould they be taken?"
"To the river," replied Nicholas, not knowing where else to say.
Then conducting them to the back of the house, where stood several sedanchairs that her husband let out for hire, the woman told them to jumpinto one of them, gave instructions to two Coolies who were waiting fora job, wished them a prosperous journey, drew the curtains, and thus, inabout an hour's time, the boys were set down upon the banks of the greatYang-tse, when, having rewarded the Coolies for their trouble, theywalked leisurely along in search of a boatmen to carry them to theopposite side.
"Truly, O Chow, thou wert born in an unfortunate hour," said Nicholas.
"My master's words are true; still, the hundred families' lock must havebeen hung around thy servant's neck, or he could not have escaped sogreat a danger as this."
"Open thy lips to a good purpose, and say how this matter happened,"said Nicholas, laughing.
"Well, having made the purchases, I came to the quay where thepassage-boats discharge their passengers, when, _may I be punished forforgetting my masters affair_, I could think of nothing but the villainwho slew my noble parent, and who, I thought, might possibly be amongthe soldiers who had just arrived from Pekin, and were embarking to goto Nankin, which, they say, is even now besieged by the rebels. Thenotion, fit only as it was for the head of a goose, could not be helped,and I stood gazing at the war-tigers. Well, thy servant had not beenlong looking, when an old gentleman seized him by the arm, saying,'Thou dog, thou stolest both my patient and my gen-seng;' and, seeingthat it was the physician, I jerked off his hand, took to my heels, and,fearing for the safety of my master should the crowd stop me, Ifrightened them by calling out, 'Beware, my brethren, of the madman,'and as that made the frightened people stand aside, I was enabled toreach the inn in safety."
"Truly this was well done," said Nicholas; but as, at that moment, theyhad arrived at a great swamp of paddy, or rice-fields, which stretchedfor miles inland down to the very edge of the river, and was coveredwith water of sufficient depth to enable the shallow boats to sail formiles into the interior, their progress was stopped, when Nicholas said,as he pointed to a multitude of men, women, and children, who, at somelittle distance, with their trousers tucked up to the knees, appeared tobe amusing themselves with paddling about in the water, "Let us catchthe eyeballs of one of yonder shrimp hunters."
These people were a species of jacks-in-the-water, who, as they stalkedabout every now and then pulled their legs out of the mud, and takingsomething from it, deposited it in a small bag which they had by theirsides. They were mud fishers in search for prawn, shrimps, and othersmall fish, which, when felt by the foot, they dexterously seizedbetween the toes. This is only one instance in which these poor peopleshow themselves as clever with the foot as the hand and another proofof the old axiom, that necessity is the mother of invention.
For some time they endeavored to call the attention of one of thesepeople without avail; then, holding up a copper coin and shouting, a mancame to them, and soon after fetched a boatman, who, for a small sum,engaged to row them in search of a ferry-boat.
The little boat paddled through the fields, past men engaged in wildgeese catching, and huge duck boats, from the sides of which, downinclined boards, hundreds of those birds were waddling into the fields,as industriously earning their living among the rice stubble as the mudfishers.
These duck keepers are a class peculiar to the Chinese. Their boats arelarge and roomy, with a broad board extending around the sides for apromenade for the birds, which are as dear to their masters as the pigis to the Irishman. The birds have the largest apartment of the floatinghouse. In the morning the ducks waddle round the promenade at theirpleasure, except after the rice harvest has been gathered, when theboards are inclined, and they walk up and down the slope at their will;and so well are they brought up, that, if hundreds of them are out upona cruise, they will instantly return to the boat at their master'swhistle.
Once in the boat, Nicholas had no wish to leave it, till he had crossedthe river. This he had some difficulty in persuading the man to do, forit was three leagues broad at that part. The sight, however of a pieceof silver strengthened his courage, and, fixing up his little sail ofbamboo matting, he made the attempt, when, after some hours, theyreached the opposite banks, dismissed the boatman, and felt as pleasedas a fugitive between whom and the bloodhounds a vast water track haspassed.
Having crossed the great river, they had no fear of further pursuit, so,hiring two sedan chairs, they reached Kin-Chow the same evening. Thenext morning they again took passage upon the Royal Canal, down whichthey traveled for some days, till they arrived at Yang-Chow, a citycelebrated for its manufacture of salt and singing girls. These poorcreatures are matter of commerce with the merchants, who have taughtthem to sing, paint, and play on musical instruments, when they can sellthem for very large sums of money to the great lords, who purchase themfor the recreation of their households.
Resting at this city for one day, they again started upon their journey,and in a few weeks arrived at Tien-sin, from which place they proceededby a small canal to Tsing-Chow, the nearest place to Pekin, where theylanded.
"Thanks be to Tien, my master, we shall soon be in the venerable cityitself."
"Thou art fond of Pekin, Chow?"
"The tombs of thy servant's ancestors are near its walls," said Chow,gloomily.
"Why, in the name of the social relations, art thou as dull as atailless peacock?" said Nicholas.
"It is filial pity, for last night I dreamt t
hat I should discover inPekin the dog who slew my venerable parent, and should I die withoutsearching him out, the tombs of my ancestors would refuse to hold me."
"These are wild words and foolish fancies, Chow," said Nicholas; adding,as he beheld the boy stare in the faces of the passers-by, "Moreover, ifthy manners are so barbarous, thou wilt surely get into trouble;" and,believing that occupation or a mission would drive these thoughts fromChow's mind, he stopped at the house of a dealer in horses, and, havingbargained for two, said, "Thou art well informed of the ins and outs ofPekin, Chow?"
"Every rat-hole, my master," was the reply.
"Then for fear that the hour may be too late ere I reach the city, takeone of these horses and hasten to the great square, where thou wilt findone Yang, a wealthy merchant; seek his presence, and inform him that theson of his correspondent, the great merchant of the south, would beg alodging of him while he remains in the capital."
"Thy commands shall be obeyed," said Chow, turning a sumersault on tothe back of one of the horses, and in another instant was at full galloptoward Pekin.
Nicholas then sought a house of refreshment, and, having regaled himselfwith a cup of hot tea and rice cakes, mounted the other animal,intending to follow Chow.
The distance, however, was longer than he had calculated; moreover hetook the longest road, so that by the time he reached within view of thewalls, towers, and yellow roofs, of the imperial city, the gates wereclosed for the night, and none would be permitted to pass without asearching scrutiny; so, although much vexed, he determined to seek alodging at an inn he had passed on the road. However, the innkeeperaddressing him, rudely said, "How is this, that a mere boy should bewithout the walls at this hour? Has he no respect for his parents, whowill assuredly be punished for their neglect?"
"Is the worthy innkeeper of barbarian parents, that he would refuse tolodge a youth, who, tired and weary, has but just arrived from a longjourney, and is willing to pay handsomely?" said Nicholas, showing himabout an ounce of silver.
"Truly the vision of thy servant must have been dull, that he could notbefore perceive that the youth before him was nobly allied and of greatrespectability," said the man, now that he greedily eyed the preciousmetal. "Yet," he added, "it is not possible that the noble youth canlodge beneath this roof, for the inn is already crowded with merchants,who enter Pekin at daylight."
"Then will I trouble the most perfect of innkeepers no longer," repliedNicholas, believing the man to be an extortioner.
"The words of thy servant are as true as the sacred books, but if thenoble youth will bestow a fee upon the porter he can procure a lodgingat yon mansion," replied the man, as he pointed to a large house nearthe inn.
"What words are these? Yonder mansion is the palace of some noblemandarin, who will deservedly chastise thee for thy insolence in makinghis house a common inn."
"Not so, O noble youth, for although the front is fair to look at, thehouse is in ruins and under the care of a porter. The mandarin is in afar distant province, if, indeed, as is reported, he is not at thismoment in rebellion against the Emperor."
"Tien forbid that a true-born Chinese should soil the soles of his bootswith the dust of a traitor's door stone," said Nicholas.
"Thy servant said it was but rumored, O loyal youth," replied theinnkeeper; adding angrily, "Truly if thou refusest this thou wilt getnone other lodging."
"Truly it may be but scandal, therefore show me to this porter, and thoushalt be rewarded for thy trouble," replied Nicholas.
The innkeeper then conducting him to one of the smaller of the threedoors in the wall of respect, which, as with all the houses of thegreat, are built before the house, summoned the porter, who for a pieceof silver took charge of his horse, introduced him into a small room,which led from one side of the great central hall, and leaving him asleeping mat withdrew, when Nicholas laid himself at full length, gladenough to get the opportunity of getting a good night's rest.
Nicholas had not slept long before he was awakened by the sound ofvoices, which he could hear so clearly and distinctly that he knew itproceeded from some adjoining room. More vexed, however, at thedisturbance than curious to listen to the conversation, he turned overand tried to sleep, but then the tones became louder, and he fancied heheard his father's name. If so, it evidently concerned him; therefore inself-defence, he must listen; and, setting up on his mat, he saw that hewas in a double room divided by folding doors, between the crevices ofwhich came a glimmering light, so creeping softly forward, he peepedthrough. There at a table, beneath a painted lantern, the light fromwhich played upon their faces, sat two men of tall stature andsoldier-like appearance, but neither of whom could he at firstrecognise. A minute more, however, and he fancied that in one he couldtrace familiar features; still he could not recall them to his memory.He listened attentively, for the taller man spoke earnestly for sometime of such matters that made the boy burn with rage and horror. Whenhe had concluded, the other smiled and said, "Truly, O illustriousprince, we have secured the ambitious pirate of the south. May the timefor action speedily arrive." No sooner had he spoken, than, like aglimpse of light in a cavern, the recognition flashed across the boy'smind. The last speaker was the mandarin envoy who had visited hisfather's vessel, and he trembled for the safety of the Emperor's letter.It was consolatory, however, that should they meet, the mandarin wouldnot know him, for they had not met on board the vessel. When themandarin had spoken, his companion said, "Hush, general! no tiles, forwalls may have ears; but enough, I am satisfied." Then after whisperingtogether for some little time, they arose, and Nicholas crept back tohis mat. The moment after to his horror, the doors were thrown open, andthe prince exclaimed, "How! we are betrayed; what rogue is this?"
"Silence, my prince, he sleeps, and can have heard nothing," said theother, cutting down the lantern from the other room and holding itbefore the pretending sleeper, who, notwithstanding his perilousposition, did not move a muscle. The boy, however, had a harder trialyet, for drawing his dagger, the prince exclaimed, "True, general, hemay not have heard--but, he may--and as dead dogs can't bark--" but, asthe prince was about to strike, and the brave boy was mentally preparingto clutch at the weapon, with both hands, the mandarin caught the arm ofthe would-be assassin, led him into the other room, whispered with him,and then they both left the house, after securing all the doors from theouter side.
Bathed in a cold sweat, Nicholas arose and examined the room, to findsome means of escape, for he little doubted that they would speedilyreturn. It was useless, and he made up his mind to await the chapter ofaccidents. For some time fear kept him awake, but at length nature wouldhave her way and he fell off to sleep.
When he awoke he found a party of yah-yu and the porter of the house athis side; the latter looking at him maliciously, said, "Take the viledog before the police tribunal, he is a thief and a rogue."
"Silence, rascal! for thou knowest that I am no thief, but a travelerwho paid thee for a night's lodging."
"Away with the young rogue," said the porter; and, binding him hand andfoot, Nicholas was made to make his first entry into Pekin amid theshouts of the rabble, who were delighted that so vile a house-breakerand thief should be caught.
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