stories by english authors-orient (英国作家故事集)-第14章
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her to accept。〃 So saying； she took a piece of peach…blossom paper； on
which she carefully copied the quatrain and handed it to the woman。 〃May
I trouble you；〃 said she； 〃to take this to your mistress？〃
〃If；〃 said Jasmine to herself as the woman took her departure； 〃Miss
King is able to penetrate the meaning of my verses； she won't like them。
Without saying so in so many words； I have told her with sufficient
plainness that I will have nothing to say to her。 But stupidity is a shield
sent by Providence to protect the greater part of mankind from many evils；
so perhaps she will escape。〃
It certainly in this case served to shield Miss King from Jasmine's
shafts。 She was delighted at receiving the verses； and at once sat down to
compose a quatrain to match Jasmine's in reply。 With infinite labour she
elaborated the following：
〃Sung Yuh on th' eastern wall sat deep in thought；
And longed with P'e to pluck the fragrant fruit。 If all the well…
known tunes be newly set； What use to take again the half…
burnt lute？〃
Having copied these on a piece of silk…woven paper； she sent them to
Jasmine by her faithful attendant。 On looking over the paper； Jasmine said；
smiling； 〃What a clever young lady your mistress must be！ These lines；
though somewhat inconsequential； are incomparable。〃
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But； though Jasmine was partly inclined to treat the matter as a joke；
she saw that there was a serious side to the affair； more especially as the
colours under which she was sailing were so undeniably false。 She knew
well that for Sung Yuh should be read Miss King； and for P'e her own
name； and she determined； therefore； to put an end to the philandering of
Miss King； which； in her present state of mind； was doubly annoying to
her。
〃I am deeply indebted to your young lady；〃 she said； and then； being
determined to make a plunge into the morass of untruthfulness； for a good
end as she believed； added； 〃and； if I had love at my disposal； I should
possibly venture to make advances toward the feathery peach ＇a nuptial
emblem＇； but let me confess to you that I have already taken to myself a
wife。 Had I the felicity of meeting Miss King before I committed myself in
another direction； I might perhaps have been a happier man。 But； after all；
if this were so； my position is no worse than that of most other married
men； for I never met one who was not occasionally inclined to cry； like the
boys at 'toss cash；' 'Hark back and try again。' 〃
〃This will be sad news for my lady； for she has set her heart upon you
ever since you first came to the inn； and when young misses take that sort
of fancy and lose the objects of their love； they are as bad as children
when forbidden their sugar…plums。 But what's the use of talking to you
about a young lady's feelings！〃 said the woman； with a vexed toss of her
head； 〃I never knew a man who understood a woman yet。〃
〃I am extremely sorry for Miss King；〃 said Jasmine； trying to suppress
a smile。 〃As you wisely remark； a young lady is a sealed book to me； but I
have always been told that their fancies are as variable as the shadow of
the bamboo； and probably； therefore； though Miss King's sky may be
overcast just now； the gloom will only make her enjoy to…morrow's
sunshine all the more。〃
The woman； who was evidently in a hurry to convey the news to her
mistress； returned no answer to this last sally； but； with curtailed obeisance；
took her departure。
Her non…appearance the next morning confirmed Jasmine in the belief
that her bold departure from truth on the previous evening had had its
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curative effect。 The relief was great； for she had felt that these
complications were becoming too frequent to be pleasant； and；
reprehensible though it may appear； her relief was mingled with no sort of
compassion for Miss King。 Hers was not a nature to sympathise with such
sudden and fierce attachments。 Her affection for Tu had been the growth
of many months； and she had no feeling in common with a young lady
who could take a violent liking for a young man simply from seeing him
taking his post…prandial ease。 It was therefore with complete satisfaction
that she left the inn in the course of the morning to pay her farewell visits
to the governor and the judge of the province； who had taken an unusual
interest in Colonel Wen's case since Jasmine had become his personal
advocate。 Both officials had promised to do all they could for the prisoner；
and had loaded Jasmine with tokens of good will in the shape of strange
and rare fruits and culinary delicacies。 On this particular day the governor
had invited her to the midday meal； and it was late in the afternoon before
she found her way back to the inn。
The following morning she rose early； intending to start before noon；
and was stepping into the courtyard to give directions to 〃The Dragon；〃
when； to her surprise； she was accosted by Miss King's servant； who； with
a waggish smile and a cunning shake of the head； said：
〃How can one so young as your Excellency be such a proficient in the
art of inventing flowers of the imagination？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 said Jasmine。
〃Why； last night you told me you were married； and my poor young
lady when she heard it was wrung with grief。 But； recovering somewhat；
she sent me to ask your servants whether what you had said was true or
not； for she knows what she's about as well as most people； and they both
with one voice assured me that； far from being married you had not even
exchanged nuptial presents with anybody。 You may imagine Miss King's
delight when I took her this news。 She at once asked her cousin to call
upon you to make a formal offer of marriage； and she has now sent me to
tell you that he will be here anon。〃
Every one knows what it is to pass suddenly from a state of
pleasurable high spirits into deep despondency； to exchange in an instant
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bright mental sunshine for cloud and gloom。 All； therefore； must
sympathise with poor Jasmine； who believing the road before her to be
smooth and clear； on a sudden became thus aware of a most troublesome
and difficult obstruction。 She had scarcely finished calling down
anathemas on the heads of 〃The Dragon〃 and his wife； and cursing her
own folly for bringing them with her； than the inn doors were thrown open；
and a servant appeared carrying a long red visiting… card inscribed with the
name of the wealthy inn…proprietor。 On the heels of this forerunner
followed young Mr。 King； who； with effusive bows； said； 〃I have ventured
to pay my respects to your Excellency。〃
Poor Jasmine was so upset by the whole affair that she lacked some of
the courtesy that was habitual to her； and in her confusion very nearly
seated her guest on her right hand。 Fortunately this outrageous breach of
etiquette was avoided； and the pair eventually arranged themselves in the
canonical order。
〃This old son of Han；〃 began Mr。 King； 〃would not have dared to
intrude himself upon your Excellency if it were not that he has a matter of
great delicacy to discuss with you。 He has a cousin； the daughter of Vice…
President King； for whom for years he has been trying to find a suitable
match。 The position is peculiar； for the lady declares positively that she
will not marry any one she has not seen and approved of。 Until now she
has not been able to find any one whom she would care to marry。 But the
presence of your Excellency has thrown a light across her path which has
shown her the way to the plum…groves of matrimonial felicity。〃
Here King paused； expecting some reply； but Jasmine was too
absorbed in thought to speak； so Mr。 King went on：
〃This old son of Han； hearing that your Excellency is still unmarried；
has taken it upon himself to make a proposal of marriage to you； and to
offer his cousin as your 'basket and broom。' ＇wife＇ His interview with you
has； he may say； shown him the wisdom of his cousin's choice； and he
cannot imagine a pair better suited for one another； or more likely to be
happy； than your Excellency and his cousin。〃
〃I dare not be anything but straightforward with your worship；〃 said
Jasmine； 〃and I am grateful for the extraordinary affection your cousin has
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been pleased to bestow upon me； but I cannot forget that she belongs to a
family which is entitled to pass through the gate of the palace ＇a family of
distinction＇； and I fear that my rank is not sufficient for her。 Besides； my
father is at present under a cloud； and I am now on my way to Peking to
try to release him from his difficulties。 It is no time； therefore； for me to be
binding myself with promises。〃
〃As to your Excellency's first objection；〃 replied King； 〃you are
already the wearer of a hat with a silken tassel； and a man need not be a
prophet to foretell that in time to come any office； either civil or military；
will be within your reach。 No doubt； also； your business in Peking will be
quickly brought to a satisfactory conclusion； and there can be no objection；
therefore； to our settling the preliminaries now； and then； on your return
from the capital； we can celebrate the wedding。 This will give rest and
composure to my cousin's mind； which is now like a disturbed sea； and
will not interfere； I venture to think； with the affair which calls you to
Peking。〃
As King proceeded； Jasmine felt that her difficulties were on the
i
