by Shi Nai-An
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for her voluntary work. If she runs away when you take out your money, the matter will again be over. If otherwise, that will be the sixth step towards success. When I have the money to buy refreshments I will tell her to entertain you while I am away. If she won't do this the matter is over, but if she does not move that will be the seventh stage completed. When I come back with the things I will put them on the table and ask her to put her needles, etc. away and join us in drinking a little wine as provided by you. If she declines and says she must go, the matter will be over, but if actually she does not get up, that will be the eighth step toward success. When we have been drinking the wine for some time and are getting merry, I will say more wine is required. I will ask you for the money, and as I go out I will close the door. Then you two will be alone inside. If she gets nervous and run back, the matter will be over. If she is not anxious when she hears me close the door, and remains inside then that will be the ninth stage completed.
"The last stage may be the most difficult. You must be careful and speak honeyed words to her, and avoid any roughness of manner or speech. Do not touch her with hand or foot or make any violent move, or else it will soon come to naught, and I cannot help you. You had better accidentally brush a chopstick off the table with your sleeve; then you stoop down, and quietly stroke her foot. But if she objects to this you will have to wait until I come to help you. It will be difficult to go any further in the matter. But if she does not say anything then the matter is completed and you can go ahead. What do you think of my plan?"
Westgate laughed and said, "Your plan is extremely well thought out."
Mrs. Wang told him that he must not forget to give her the ten ounces of silver.
Westgate said, "How can one forget that oranges come from Tung Ting Lake when one is eating the peel? I will give you the money of course, but when can the plan be put into effect?"
"I will report further to you this evening," said Mrs. Wang. "As Wu Ta-lang has not yet returned I will now go across, and lay the bait. You can go and buy the rolls of silk, and engage a man to bring them here."
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"You need have no doubt as to carrying out of my part of the bargain," said Westgate. He then took his leave and went to a silk shop where he purchased the silks and ten rolls of pure cotton and told his servant to take them with five ounces of silver to Mrs. Wang's tea house.
She duly received the silk, and dismissed the servant. She went out by the back door to Mrs. Wu's house. Mrs. Wu welcomed her, and invited her to go upstairs and sit down there. Mrs. Wang asked why Mrs. Wu did not come to her tea house the last few days, to which Mrs. Wu replied that she had not been very well for a few days. Mrs. Wang then asked if she had an almanac, as she wanted to select a lucky day on which to cut out some milk for clothes.
Mrs. Wu asked what kind of clothes she was making.
Mrs. Wang said that she had been far from well, and she could not be sure how it would end, so she was going to make some burial clothes for herself. She said at her request a very wealthy local man had given her a lot of silk to make the clothes with. She had had the silk at home for more than a year, but now as she felt her end was drawing near she had decided to wait no longer but make the clothes at once. As there was an intercalary month in that year she would like to have made a start during the next two days, but the tailor was so busy that he could not come, which was very disappointing.
When she heard this Mrs. Wu laughed and said, "I am afraid that I am not properly qualified to do such work, but if you would like it I could assist you in that matter."
Mrs. Wang also laughed and said, "If you would help me my soul might have a happy destination after my death. I have heard of your skill with needle and thread, but I did not dare to come and ask you about the matter."
"There is no obstacle in the way," said Mrs. Wu, "and as I have promised to do it I will certainly stick to my word. I will get a man to select a lucky day, and then will come and help you on that day."
Mrs. Wang said, "If you will help me in this work there will be no need to select a lucky day because you are such a fortunate person. The other day I did ask a man for a lucky day, and I now remember that to-morrow is such a day, but then I did not think it necessary to select
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such a day to start with this work, so I did not take pain to remember it."
"It is very important to have a lucky day on which to start making interment vestures, but why wait for another lucky day?" asked Mrs. Wu.
"As you are quite willing, then I venture to ask you to come to my house to-morrow and we will start work," said Mrs. Wang.
"But why would you not come here to do this work?" asked Mrs. Wu.
"Because I would like to watch you work, and as I live by myself I have no one to look after my house," replied Mrs. Wang.
"In that case I will come to-morrow as soon as I have had my breakfast," said Mrs. Wu.
When Mrs. Wang left, she was very profuse in her thanks for the help offered. That afternoon she went straight to Westgate, and reported to him what had been arranged. She told him to call at her house the day after the next.
The next day Mrs. Wang got up early and cleaned and set her room in good order, and prepared water for making tea. She went and bought some thread and then waited at home for the arrival of her guest. At the other house Wu Ta-lang had departed with his load of cakes after breakfast. As soon as he had gone his wife let down the door screen, and then went out by the back door to Mrs. Wang's house.
Mrs. Wang was exceedingly glad to see her, and took her inside and invited her to partake of some strong tea, white pine-seeds, and walnuts which she had prepared. After their repast she cleared the table and brought out the four rolls of silk. Mrs. Wu examined them, measured them, and after cutting them in lengths began to sew. Mrs. Wang looked on and applauded all that was done. She said that although she was nearly seventy years old she had never seen such excellent needlework before. Mrs. Wu continued sewing till about noon, when Mrs. Wang invited her to stop and dine -- food, wine, and vermicelli being prepared. Afterwards the sewing went on until late in the afternoon when Mrs. Wu went home. Shortly afterwards Wu Ta-lang returned, and his wife opened the door for him and raised the curtain. When Wu Ta-lang entered the room he noticed
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that his wife was flushed so he asked her where she had been drinking wine. Mrs. Wu then explained that she had been across the way sewing for their neighbor Mrs. Wang who at noon had asked her to partake of some repast.
Wu Ta-lang did not like this, and said that if she had to go again he preferred that the repast be taken in his own house. He objected to her causing trouble to other people. If she went the following day he wanted her to take some money, buy some food, and invite Mrs. Wang to dine with her. There was a saying, "A distant relative is not as good as a near neighbor." He did not however wish her to lose their neighbor's fraternity. But if Mrs. Wang did not want to accept her hospitality then she must ask her to bring the work to his house. His wife listened to this, but made no comment.
The next day Mrs. Wang went on with her deceitful scheme, and as soon as Wu Ta-lang had gone she came to his house, and asked his wife to go and proceed with the needlework. They both went to Mrs. Wang's house, and the sewing was taken up, while Mrs. Wang got the tea ready. This went on till near noon when Mrs. Wu took out a string of cash and gave it to Mrs. Wang saying that it would be used for some wine for them to drink.
But Mrs. Wang would not take it. She said it would be unreasonable. "I have asked you to come here and do this work for me, so how could I allow you to spend money?"
"My husband told me to make this offer," replied Mrs. Wu, "and if you would not accept it then I should do the work at my own home."
"Your husband is very kind," said Mrs. Wang. She was afraid that her plans would be upset if she did not accept the money so she took it, added some of her own money and went out to buy the best wine, foo
d, and fruit. Upon her return she took every care to entertain her guest. Now, reader, you should know that the women of this generation, no matter how clever and careful they are, cannot escape the temptations of evil men, and nine out of ten of them will be duped. Mrs. Wang prepared some meal and requested Mrs. Wu to dine and drink wine with her. This was done, and in the evening Mrs. Wu returned home.
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On the third day Mrs. Wang watched for the departure of Wu Ta-lang and then went by the back entrance to his house, and again requested his wife to come with her. The latter agreed and they both adjourned to Mrs. Wang's house where the needlework was continued until nearly noon.
Now Westgate had not forgotten that this was the day for him to appear on the scene, so he put on a new turban, and dressed in his best clothes. Taking about four ounces of silver he set out for the Purple Stone Street. Upon arriving at the door of the tea house he coughed and said, "Mrs Wang, how is it that I have not seen you for so long?"
Mrs. Wang went out and asked laughingly, "Who are you?"
"It's I," replied Westgate.
"As first I wondered who it was," she said looking round, "but now I see that it is you, my benefactor. Please come inside and have a look." She took hold of his sleeve and drew him inside, and when he saw Mrs. Wu she said to her, "This is the gentleman who gave me the silk."
Westgate saluted Mrs., Wu, and upon seeing this she dropped her work, and saluted him with both hands.
Mrs. Wang then addressed Westgate, "You will remember that about a year ago you gave me a lot of silk. I did not do anything with it, until a few days ago when this lady offered to help me in making the clothes. She is an excellent needlewoman, and very skillful in her work. She does the fine minute parts very well indeed. Just look at the work she has done."
Westgate looked at the silk and said, "How is it possible for anyone to do such wonderful work! It looks as though it had been done by a fairy-"
Mrs. Wu laughed and said, "Sir, you need net laugh at me."
Westgate addressed Mrs. Wang and asked, "May I dare ask you who this lady is?"
"Sir, you had better guess," replied Mrs. Wang.
"How can I guess?" replied Westgate.
Mrs. Wang laughed and said, "This is our neighbor Mrs. Wu. The other day she dropped a forked stick on your head; its fall must have caused no pain that you now have forgotten it?"
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Mrs. Wu with a violent red blush said, "On that day my hand unfortunately slipped, but I hope that you will not bear me any grudge."
"Nothing of the kind!" replied Westgate.
Mrs. Wang interrupted by saying, "This man is always amiable and has never born any grudge towards any one. He is an extremely good man."
"I was then not aware that she was the wife of Wu Ta-lang," said Westgate. "I know of course that he sells cakes on the street to support his family, but he also is quite a good man. He earns money, and is a good-tempered fellow. Such men are very rare."
Mrs. Wang remarked, "Do you know that since Wu Ta-lang married her, she has always been obedient to him in every matter."
"He is a useless man," said Mrs. Wu, "but, sir, you will not laugh at him."
"Madame, you are mistaken," said Westgate, "There is an ancient saying, 'Meekness is essential to success; violence will bring calamities.' As your husband is such a good man he is like the saying, 'Of a vast volume of water not one drop could leak away.'"
Mrs. Wang interrupted him by saying, "That is so."
Westgate now sat down opposite to Mrs. Wu, and Mrs. Wang asked the latter whether she recognized him, but Mrs. Wu replied that she did not know him.
Mrs. Wang said, "Well, he is one of the rich men of our town, and is on very friendly terms with the magistrate. He is called Westgate. He has a great deal of money, and has a dispensary opposite the yamen. At home his store of money is so high as reaching the "Northern Peck Measure" (Charles's Wain), and has granaries full of rice. At home things red are of gold, and that of white are of silver; round things are jewels, and bright are valuables. He has precious rhinoceros horns and elephants' tusks." She indulged in this puff like a quack (as she really did not believe in it herself). While this was going on Ms. Wu bowed her head over the needlework. But Westgate gazed at her longingly, and was anxious to have her alone. Mrs. Wang went and got two cups of tea which she set before them saying that she hoped Mrs. Wu would entertain him. While the two were drinking the
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tea they made eyes at each other. Mrs. Wang stroke her face with her hand, and Westgate knew that he had already got halfway there. She said to him, "If you, sir, had not happened to drop in I could not have dared to ask you to come here. It was very fortunate for you to come to-day. There is a saying, 'One guest cannot disturb two hosts.' You gave me the money, and she gives me her labor. I did not go on the street looking for you, and this lady just happens to be here when you call, so I hope that as you are a good master, vou will entertain her for me."
Westgate expressed regret that he had not thought of that before, and he now took out some money and gave it to Mrs. Wang to buy some wine.
Mrs. Wu objected to this but she did not move. Mrs. Wang took the money, but even then Mrs. Wu did not move. As Mrs. Wang left the room to buy some things she turned and asked Mrs. Wu to sit and talk with their guest. Mrs. Wu told her she need not go out to buy the things, but still she did not move. It was now evident that Mrs. Wu and Westgate had the same idea. Westgate looked at her steadily, and Mrs. Wu took stealthy glances at him. She liked his appearance, and had almost made up her mind, but she dropped her head again and awaited developments. Soon Mrs. Wang returned with a fat goose, cooked meat, and very nice fruit which she had purchased. She soon had them arranged on a tray, and brought them into the room, and placed the tray on the table. Mrs. Wu asked Mrs. Wang to entertain their guest as she was not justified in doing so, again she did not move.
"But how can you say that," replied Mrs. Wang, "because this is particularly to entertain you?"
They all three then sat down at the table, and the wine was poured out. Westgate lifted up a cup of wine and asked Mrs. Wu to drink it.
Mrs. Wu laughed and said, "Sir, I am much obliged to you for your kindness."
"I know that you like the wine," said Mrs. Wang, "so I hope that you are not standing on ceremony, but drink a few cups of wine."
Westgate then picked up his chopsticks, and asked Mrs. Wang to get the lady to eat some food also. Mrs. Wang
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selected some of the best food, and gave them to Mrs. Wu. After they had drunk about three cups of wine each Mrs. Wang went for a fresh supply.
While she was away Westgate asked Mrs. Wu how old she was, to which she replied that she was twenty-three years of age. Westgate said that he was five years older. To which she replied, "You are as high as the sky while I am as low as ground."
Just then Mrs. Wang returned and said, "What a fine smart lady you are! You are not only good at needle craft, but you are also well educated."
Westgate said, "Where is there another lady like her? Wu Ta-lang was very fortunate in getting such a prize."
"I speak to the point when I say that although you have many women at home I guarantee you have not a lady equal to this one," said Mrs. Wang.
"About that matter I am very sorry, I cannot say anything," said Westgate, "except that I have been unfortunate in not getting a really good wife."
"But, sir, your first wife was good, " said Mm. Wang.
"I do not care to talk about her," said Westgate, "but if she were alive now my house would not have been turned upside down. Just now I have about three or seven wives, but they are all useless."
"How many years it has been since the death of your first wife, sir?" asked Mrs. Wu.
"I do not wish to say that," said Westgate, "but although she came of a poor family she was exceedingly clever, and managed all my affairs well. Unfortunately, she died. That was three years ago, and
since then all my affairs at home have been in great confusion. That is why I do not stay at home now, because there I get nothing but abuse and annoyance."
"Sir, please do not be offended if I speak to you rather straightforwardly," said Mrs. Wang, "your first wife was not as good as Mrs. Wu at needle craft."
"She was moreover not as good-looking as this lady," said Westgate.
