by Shi Nai-An
Mrs. Wang laughed and said, "But is it not true that you keep a mistress on the East Street? And yet you have never asked me to go there and have tea with you."
[page 344]
"She is a singsong girl named Chang Hsi-hsi," said Westgate. "But I know that she is also a stranger so that I do not care for her."
"But are you not Mrs. Li Chiao-chiao's lover for a long time too?" asked Mrs. Wang.
"Oh! I have taken her to my home," said Westgate. "If she were as pretty as this lady I would of course have married her long ago."
"And if I find a woman like this lady may I come to your house as a go-between to discuss marriage?" asked Mrs. Wang.
"Both my father and mother are dead," replied Westgate, "I now manage my own affairs so who can question anything I do?"
"Speaking earnestly," said Mrs. Wang, "how could I immediately get a woman who would suit your taste?"
"Why not?" asked Westgate. "So far I have only been unfortunate in marriage and, therefore, I have not met the one as I desire."
They talked further on this subject, and then Mrs. Wang pointed out that they had drunk all the wine and said that she should go out to buy some more.
"I have here five ounces of silver which I will hand you to buy wine with," said Westgate, "and if it is too much then you can keep the balance."
As she took the money, and arose to go out, Mrs. Wang looked at her lady friend, and saw that the wine had had its effect. She still however hung down her head, but did not move. Mrs. Wang knew that they both had the same object, and that when she left them together they would soon arrange matters. Mrs. Wang was pleased and she said to Mrs. Wu, "I will now go and buy some more wine, so I shall have to trouble you to entertain this gentleman. Is there still some wine left? If any, fill two glasses for master Westgate. There is a place near the yamen where I can buy some good wine so that I may be some time before I return."
Mrs. Wu said she did not want any more wine, but again she did not move. So Mrs. Wang left them, but as she went out she fastened the door with a rope, and sat down just on the other side.
[page 345]
Westgate took a cup of wine, and asked Mrs. Wu to drink it. As he did this he brushed a chopstick off the table with his sleeve. This was a trick, as it fell close to the feet of the lady. When he stooped down to pick it up, he saw that she had two small pointed feet. So he stealthily placed his hand on her embroidered shoe.
She laughed at this but said, "You need not be so backward."
Westgate knelt down and petitioned her to satisfy his desire. She thereupon embraced him, and he got up. Soon afterwards Mrs. Wang returned and pretending to be angry said, "You two look happy." Both Westgate and Mrs. Wu were startled, and Mrs. Wang continued, "I asked you to come here to help me to make some clothes, and not to carry on with this man. If Wu Ta-lang got to know of this he would blame me. I will go and tell him about it at once." She then turned round to leave the room. But Mrs. Wu seized hold of her skirt and begged to be forgiven. Westgate appealed to her not to make a noise.
"If you want me to forgive you, you must do one thing as I tell you," said Mrs. Wang.
"I will obey you in everything, not to say one thing," said Mrs. Wu.
"Then from now you must deceive your husband, and not let him know of this affair. You must not break your promise and abuse the kindness of this gentleman, and then I will not disclose the affair. But if you do not come here once every day, I will immediately tell your husband."
"I will do as you wish," said Mrs. Wu.
"Sir, it is not necessary for me to advise you," said Mrs. Wang to Westgate. "This affair is now completed, but you must not forget to present me with those things. If you should forget that, I should then have to inform Wu Ta-lang."
"You need not trouble about that," said Westgate, "I will keep my promise."
The three then sat down, and drank wine until late in the afternoon when Mrs. Wu got up and said that her husband would soon return and she must go now. She left and entered her own home through the back door, Wu Ta-lang came in shortly afterwards.
Being alone with Westgate Mrs. Wang asked him, "Well, what do you think of my plan?"
[page 346]
"It all passed off very smoothly," said Westgate. "I will now go to my house, and send you the sum of money I promised. How dare I not keep my word?"
"Then I will wait with great expectations," said Mrs. Wang. "But do not let me beg for the money after I have rendered the service."
Westgate laughed and departed. Every day Mrs. Wu stole into Mrs. Wang's house, and there continued to meet Westgate. Their feelings were like varnish, and their hearts stuck together like glue. There is an ancient saying, "Good deeds are never heard of outside the door, but bad deeds are proclaimed for three hundred miles." In less than a fortnight all the neighbors knew about this affair, and Wu Ta-lang was the only one who did not know about it.
We will now consider another matter. In the town there was a boy called Ch'iao of about fifteen years of age. His father had been a soldier at Yun Chou (an ancient city in Shantung) and the boy was nicknamed Elder Brother Yun. He was very cute, and earned a little money by selling fruit at the inns; Westgate had set him up in business by advancing the small capital. One day he was hawking with a basket of "Snow Pears" (Tientsin pears), and was also on the lookout for Westgate. Upon his inquiring if anyone had seen Westgate, a man said that if he really wanted to find him he would tell him where to go.
"Well," said Elder Brother Yun, "if you will tell me it will enable me to earn a few cash for the support of my old father."
"Well," said the bystander, "I suppose Westgate is at his usual work of seducing Mrs. Wu. He goes every day to meet her at Mrs. Wang's tea house in the Purple Stone Street. He will certainly be there now. As you are only a small boy, there would be no objection raised if you went inside."
The boy went straightway to the Purple Stone Street, and entering the tea shop saw Mrs. Wang seated on a stool weaving the yarn. He put his basket down and saluted her with both hands.
"Yun Ko, what do you want here?" asked Mrs. Wang.
"I am looking for my master to earn a few cash from him," replied the boy.
[page 347]
"What master?"
"You know whom I am looking for," said the boy.
"What is his name?"
"His name has two characters," replied the boy.
"What are the two characters?"
"Madame, you are only playing with me. I want to speak to Westgate." So saying he went towards the next room. But Mrs. Wang was quick, and seized his coat, she asked, "You small monkey! Where are you going? In houses there are places where you cannot go."
"I am only going to look for him inside," he said.
"You naughty monkey!" exclaimed Mrs. Wang. "How could Westgate be in my rooms?"
"What do I not know? But as you make money, why not let me share a little of it?"
"You little monkey!" exclaimed Mrs. Wang. "What do you know?"
"You are like a chopper cutting vegetables in a wooden bowl," said the boy, "because not the least bit leaks out. If I told what I know I am afraid that the seller of cakes would make trouble."
As soon as Mrs. Wang heard this, she knew that he had got hold of what she thought was her secret, so she was angry and shouted at him, "You monkey! How dare you come into my house, and make such an awful stench!"
"I am a monkey, but you are a procuress," said the boy.
She thereupon seized hold of him and boxed him on the head with her knuckles.
"What are you beating me for?"
"You monkey thief! If you make any noise I will box your ears," said Mrs. Wang.
"You biting insect! You have no reason for beating me."
Mrs. Wang dragged him to the street door, and all the way hammered at his head. She then took his basket of snow pears, and threw them through the door, and they were scattered in all directions.
That little monkey could not retaliat
e with force, but he began to pick up the pears. Cursing, crying, picking up his pears, and pointing at the tea house he shouted, "You old
[page 348]
procuress! You need not get anxious, be assured that I will certainly go and tell him." He at last picked up his basket, and went off to find a man.
Fox and hare in done are turned over;
Mandarin ducks are roused from sleep.
We will now relate whom the Elder Brother Yun looked for.
[page 349]
CHAPTER 24
MRS. WANG DEVISES A PLAN FOR WESTGATE;
MRS. WU POISONS HER HUSBAND
As a result of the beating, the boy Yun wanted to take avenge on Mrs. Wang, and taking his basket of pears he set forth to find Wu Ta-lang. He had not gone far before he saw him coming with his load of cakes. The boy stopped, and when Wu Ta-lang came up to him, he said, "I have not seen you f or a long time. But what do you eat to get so fat?"
Wu Ta-lang put his load down, and replied, "I am not fat at all. I am always like this."
"These last few days," said Yun, "I have been trying to buy some bran, but I could not find a shop that would sell, and people all said that you had some bran at home."
"At my home I do not keep either geese or ducks," said Wu Ta-lang, "so what should I want with bran?" [5]
"You say you have no bran, but you are so round and fat that if you were turned upside down it would not make much difference. If you were dropped into hot water you would not display any temper."
"You monkey!" said Wu Ta-lang. "You certainly know how to insult people. My wife has no sweetheart, so how could I be a cuckold."
"Your wife may not have a sweetheart, but she has a lover," said the boy.
Wu Ta-lang seized hold of him, and demanded proof of his statement.
"I only joke with you and yet you seize me like this," said the boy. "But why don't you seize hold of that fellow?"
[page 350]
"Good little boy! If you will give me the name of that fellow, I will give you ten of my cakes."
"I do not want your cakes. If you will treat me as a guest by inviting me with three cups of wine I will tell you the man's name."
"So you want to drink wine! Then come along," said Wu Ta-lang. He then carried up his load of cakes, and went on till he came to a wine shop where he put it down again. He ordered a kettle of wine, and some meat, and using, some of his own cakes, he invited the boy to partake of same.
"There is enough wine now, but what do you say to our having some more meat?" said the boy.
"Good boy," said Wu Ta-lang, "we will arrange that afterwards, but now tell me what you have to say."
"There is no need for hurry," said the boy. "Let us eat first, and talk afterwards. You need not be angry by what I say, because I will help you to capture the man.
Wu Ta-lang watched the little monkey eat the food, and drink the wine, and when he had finished he again asked him to speak.
"Please take your hand and feel the lumps on my head," said Yun.
Wu Ta-lang did so, and asked how the boy had got such lumps.
"I will now tell you," said the boy Yun. "To-day I took this basket of pears and tried to find Westgate and ask him to buy them. I could not find him anywhere, but a man on the street told me that Westgate would be at Mrs. Wang's tea house with your wife as he goes there every day. I hoped to make a few cash by selling this fruit to Westgate, but that pig Mrs. Wang would not let me in, and beat me many times. So I came to find you, and tell you. Now you understand the meaning of those remarks about your having 'bran' at home."
"Can things be true like this?" asked Wu Ta-lang.
"It is so," said Yun. "Those two are at some lively work. You had better go to Mrs. Wang's tea house, and then you will see for yourself whether it is true or not."
"Younger brother," said Wu Ta-lang, "I will tell you something. My wife has been going every day to Mrs. Wang's
[page 351]
tea house to make some clothes, and when she returns her face has been so red that I suspected something. What you say may be correct. I will now leave this load here, and go to seize the adulterer."
Yun said, "You are an old man, and have no knowledge of such things. That old dog, Mrs. Wang, is very fierce and brave, so how could you stand up to her assaults? Moreover, those three will undoubtedly have a secret signal. When they see you they will take your wife and hide her. That man Westgate is very strong, and would face even twenty men like you. If you could not seize him, you would only suffer one blow from his fist. He is so wealthy and has such influence, that he would take out a summon against you for assault. You could get no one to assist you against such a man, and you would have no chance of winning."
"What you say is only too true," said Wu Ta-lang. "But what can I do?"
"Well, to-day I have been beaten by that old dog, and I want revenge. Now I tell you what to do. When you go back home, do not say anything about this. To-morrow morning make less cakes and leave your house as usual, and I will be waiting for you at the entrance of a side alley. If I see Westgate go into that house I will tell you about it. Then you can put down your load, and follow me. When I enter the house, Mrs. Wang will again hit me, and throw my basket on the street, and then you rush in. I will hold that old woman while you rush into the room and cry out. What do you think of that plan?"
"That will do very well," replied Wu Ta-lang. "Here is some money for you to buy some rice with. Don't forget to be at the entrance of the alleyway off the Purple Stone Street very early to-morrow morning, and wait there for me." The boy took the money, and also a few cakes, and then departed.
Wu Ta-lang paid the bill at the wine shop, took his load, and went on the way selling cakes as before.
Now his wife had always previously abused and thoroughly deceived him. But recently she had began to realize the error of her ways, and had treated him decently. On this day when Wu Ta-lang returned home he put down his load as usual, but never said a word. His wife, however, said,
[page 352]
"Elder brother, do you want some wine?" To which he replied that he had just met some friends with whom he had had several cups of wine. His wife then prepared the evening meal, and they ate together without anything particular being said.
The next day after breakfast Wu Ta-lang took only a few cakes. But his wife did not notice this as all her thoughts were about Westgate. She was waiting for him to go so that she could run across to Westgate.
Wu Ta-lang was soon on Purple Stone Street where he saw the boy Yun on the lookout inside an alley, and asked him for the news. The boy said it was too early. He asked Wu Ta-lang to go around selling cakes, and return shortly when be must stop on the left side of the street. Wu Ta-lang went off at great speed, and was soon back when the boy spoke to him, "Now you watch for my basket being thrown out, and then you come speedily, and enter the house."
The boy Yun picked up his basket, and entering the door of Mrs. Wang's tea house made insulting remarks. "You dog! What did you hit me for yesterday?"
Mrs. Wang was still angry, and when she heard this she jumped up and shouted, "You little monkey! I have nothing to do with you, and yet you come to insult me."
"You are an old procuress, and that is why I insult you," replied the boy.
Mrs. Wang was very angry, and took hold of him to beat him. Yun cried out, "You are hitting me again," and so saying he threw his basket through the door on the street. He then put his arms round her waist, and thrusting his head against her stomach he pushed her backwards, and she would have fallen down had it not been for the wall at her back. He held her there until he saw Wu Ta-lang rush in with his long gown tucked up. When Mrs. Wang saw Wu Ta-lang, she struggled and tried to arrest him, but the boy held her tight against the wall. Mrs. Wang shouted out, "Wu Ta-lang is here." Upon hearing this Mrs. Wu who was inside rushed to the door of the room, and fastened it while Westgate dived under the bed and hid there. Wu Ta-lang pushed against the door, but he could not forc
e it open. He shouted out, "What are you doing?" His wife was crouching with fear behind the door. But she shouted out, "You
[page 353]
always said that you could use your fists or a stick, but now that there is a fight you will not use them. Now if you saw a paper tiger you would fall down before it." What was her idea in talking like this? It was simply to summon Westgate to come out, and beat Wu Ta-lang, and then get away. Westgate understood her idea, and crawling out from under the bed he pulled the door open and shouted out. "Do not fight!" Wu Ta-lang was just going to hit Westgate when the latter kicked him in the breast and he fell to the ground. Seeing Wu Ta-lang on the floor, Westgate ran out of the house. The boy Yun seeing that things had not turned out as he expected released Mrs. Wang. The neighbors knew that Westgate was an influential man, so how could they be expected to interfere? Mrs. Wang went to help Wu Ta-lang to get up, and saw that he was spitting blood, and that his face turned yellow. She told Mrs. Wu to bring a cup of water, and this revived Wu Ta-lang. They lifted him on his feet, and helped him to walk through the back door to his own room where they put him to bed.
The following day Westgate did not hear anything from Wu Ta-lang so he hoped that he had died, and went to the house as usual to meet the woman.
Wu Ta-lang lay sick for five days, and although he called for his wife he got no reply. If he wanted soup or water he could not get it. Yet everyday he saw his wife dress herself neatly, and rouge her face before going out, and when she returned her face was always flushed. Wu Ta-lang was often unconscious but no one came to nurse him. One day he called his wife and said to her: "You are doing bad things, and I have discovered the adulterer. You told your lover to kick me on the breast, and now whether I live or die you go on with your dalliance. Even if I die it will not matter, because I have not enough energy left now to argue with you. But you know the disposition of my brother, and when he returns, whether it is early or late, he will certainly settle this matter for me. But if you would take pity and nurse me, then when he returns I will not say anything about this affair. But if you don't look after me now, then when he returns he will have something to say to you." But although his wife heard all this she did not say a word in reply, but sailed off, and discussed it with Westgate and Mrs. Wang.
