the mirror of kong ho-第13章

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public　welfare；　but　if　such　an　institution　was　permitted　to　exist　you



may　rest　genially　assured　that　nothing　could　exceed　the　lenient



toleration　which　all　in　office　would　extend　towards　it。〃　A　similar



instance　of　malicious　inaccuracy　is　widely　spoken　of　regarding　our



lesser　ones。　〃Is　it　really　a　fact；　Mr。　Kong；〃　exclaimed　a　maiden　of



magnanimous　condescension；　to　this　person　recently；　〃that　we　poor



women　are　despised　in　your　country；　and　that　among　the　working…classes



female　children　are　even　systematically　abandoned　as　soon　as　they　are



born？〃　Suffering　my　features　to　express　amusement　at　this　unending



calumny；　I　indicated　my　violent　contempt　towards　the　one　who　had　first



uttered　it。　〃So　far　from　despising　them；〃　I　continued；　with



ingratiating　gallantry；　〃we　recognise　that　they　are　quite　necessary



for　the　purposes　of　preparing　our　food；　carrying　weighty　burdens；　and



the　like；　and　how　grotesque　an　action　would　it　be　for　poor　but



affectionate　parents　to　abandon　one　who　in　a　few　years'　time　could　be



sold　at　a　really　remunerative　profit；　this；　indeed；　being　the



principal　means　of　sustenance　in　many　frugal　families。〃







On　another　occasion　I　had　seated　myself　upon　a　wooden　couch　in　one　of



the　open　spaces　about　the　outskirts　of　the　city；　when　an　aged　man



chanced　to　pass　by。　Him　I　saluted　with　ceremonious　politeness；　on



account　of　his　years　and　the　venerable　dignity　of　his　beard。　Thereupon



he　approached　near；　and　remarking　affably　that　the　afternoon　was　good



（though；　to　use　no　subtle　evasion；　it　was　very　evil）；　he　congenially



sat　by　my　side　and　entered　into　familiar　discourse。







〃They　say　that　in　your　part　of　the　world　we　old　grandfathers　are



worshipped；〃　he　said；　after　recounting　to　my　ears　all　the　most



intimate　details　of　his　existence　from　his　youth　upwards；　〃now；　might



that　be　right？〃







〃Truly；〃　I　replied。　〃It　is　the　unchanging　foundation　of　our　system　of



morality。〃







〃Ay；　ay；〃　he　admitted　pleasantly。　〃We　are　a　long　way　behind　them



foreigners　in　everything。　At　the　rate　we're　going　there　won't　be　any



trade　nor　work　nor　religion　left　in　this　country　in　another　twenty



years。　I　often　wish　I　had　gone　abroad　when　I　was　younger。　And　if　I　had



chanced　upon　your　parts　I　should　be　worshipped；　eh？〃　and　at　the



agreeable　thought　the　aged　man　laughed　in　his　throat　with　simple



humour。







〃Assuredly；〃　I　replied；　〃after　you　were　dead。〃







〃Eh？〃　exclaimed　the　venerable　person；　checking　the　fountain　of　his



mirth　abruptly　at　the　word。　〃Dead！　not　before？　Doesn'tdoesn't　that



seem　a　bit　of　a　waste？〃







〃Such　has　been　the　observance　from　the　time　of　unrecorded　antiquity；〃



I　replied。　〃'Obey　parents；　respect　the　old；　loyally　uphold　the



sovereign；　and　worship　ancestors。'〃







〃Well；　well；〃　remarked　the　one　beside　me；　〃obedience　and



respectthat's　something　nowadays。　And　you　make　them　do　it？〃







〃Our　laws　are　unflinching　in　their　application；〃　I　said。　〃No　crime



is　held　to　be　more　detestable　than　disrespect　of　those　to　whom　we　owe



our　existence。〃







〃Quite　right；〃　he　agreed；　〃it's　a　pleasure　to　hear　it。　It　must　be　a



great　country；　yours；　a　country　with　a　future；　I　should　say。　Now；



about　that　youngest　lad　of　my　son　Henry'sthe　one　that　drops　pet



lizards　down　my　neck；　and　threatened　to　put　rat　poison　into　his



mother's　tea　when　she　wouldn't　take　him　to　the　Military　Turneyment；



what　would　they　do　to　him　by　your　laws？〃







〃If　the　assertion　were　well　sustained　by　competent　witnesses；〃　I



replied；　〃it　would　probably　be　judged　so　execrable　an　offence；　that　a



new　punishment　would　have　to　be　contrived。　Failing　that；　he　would



certainly　be　wrapped　round　from　head　to　foot　in　red…hot　chains；　and



thus　exposed　to　public　derision。〃







〃Ah；　red…hot　chains！〃　said　the　aged　person；　as　though　the　words　formed



a　pleasurable　taste　upon　his　palate。　〃The　young　beggar！　Well；　he'd



deserve　it。〃







〃Furthermore；〃　I　continued；　gratified　at　having　found　one　who　so



intelligently　appreciated　the　deficiencies　of　his　own　country　and　the



unblemished　perfection　of　ours；　〃his　parents　and　immediate



descendants；　if　any　should　exist；　would　be　submitted　to　a　fate　as



inevitable　but　slightly　less　contemptuousslow　compression；



perchance；　his　parents　once　removed　（thus　enclosing　your　venerable



personality）；　and　remoter　offsprings　would　be　merely　put　to　the　sword



without　further　ignominy；　and　those　of　less　kinship　to　about　the



fourth　degree　would　doubtless　escape　with　branding　and　a　reprimand。〃







〃Lordelpus！〃　exclaimed　the　patriarchal　one；　hastily　leaping　to　the



extreme　limit　of　the　wooden　couch；　and　grasping　his　staff　into　a



significant　attitude　of　defence；　〃what's　that　for？〃







〃Our　system　of　justice　is　all…embracing；〃　I　explained。　〃It　is



reasonably　held　that　in　such　a　case　either　that　there　is　an　inherent



strain　of　criminality　which　must　be　eradicated　at　all　hazard；　or　else



that　those　who　are　responsible　for　the　virtuous　instruction　of　the



young　have　been　grossly　neglectful　of　their　duty。　Whichever　is　the



true　cause；　by　this　unfailing　method　we　reach　the　desired　end；　for；　as



our　proverb　aptly　says；　'Do　the　wise　pluck　the　weed　and　leave　the



roots　to　spread？'〃







〃It's　butchery；　nothing　short　of　Smithfield；〃　said　the　ancient　person



definitely；　rising　and　moving　to　a　more　remote　distance　as　he　spoke



the　words；　yet　never　for　a　moment　relaxing　the　aggressive　angle　at



which　he　thrust　out　his　staff　before　him。　〃You're　a　bloodthirsty　race



in　my　opinion；　and　when　they　get　this　door　open　in　China　that　there's



so　much　talk　about；　out　you　go　through　it；　my　lad；　or　old　England　will



know　why。〃　With　this　narrow…minded　imprecation　on　his　lips　he　left　me；



not　even　permitting　me　to　continue　expounding　what　would　be　the　most



likely　sentences　meted　out　to　the　witnesses　in　the　case；　the　dwellers



of　the　same　street；　and　the　members　of　the　household　with　whom　the



youth　in　question　had　contemplated　forming　an　alliance。







Among　the　many　contradictions　which　really　almost　seem　purposely



arranged　to　entrap　the　unwary　in　this　strangely　under…side…up　country；



is　the　fact　that　while　the　ennobled　and　those　of　high　official　rank



are　courteous　in　their　attitude　and　urbanefrequently　even　to　the



extent　of　refusing　money　from　those　whom　they　have　obliged；　no　matter



how　privately　pressed　upon　themthe　low…caste　and　slavish　are　not



only　deficient　in　obsequiousness；　but　are　permitted　to　retort　openly



to　those　who　address　them　with　fitting　dignity。　Here　such　a　state　of



things　is　too　general　to　excite　remark；　but　as　instances　are　well



called　the　flowers　of　the　tree　of　assertion；　this　person　will　set



forth　the　manner　in　which　he　was　contumaciously　opposed　by　an



oblique…eyed　outcast　who　attended　within　the　stall　of　one　selling



wrought　gold；　jewels；　and　merchandise　of　the　finer　sort。







Being　desirous　of　procuring　a　gift　wherewith　to　propitiate　a　certain



maiden's　esteem；　and　seeing　above　a　shop　of　varied　attraction　a



suspended　sign　emblematic　of　three　times　repeated　gild　abundance　I



drew　near；　not　doubting　to　find　beneath　so　auspicious　a　token　the



fulfilment　of　an　honourable　accommodation。　Inside　the　window　was



displayed　one　of　the　implements　by　which　the　various　details　of　a



garment　are　joined　together　upon　turning　a　wheel；　hung　about　with



an　inscription　setting　forth　that　it　was　esteemed　at　the　price　of　two



units　of　gold；　nineteen　pieces　of　silver；　and　eleven　and



three…quarters　of　the　brass　cash　of　the　land；　and　judging　that　no　more



suitable　object　could　be　procured　for　the　purpose；　I　entered　the　shop；



and　desired　the　attending　slave　to　submit　it　to　my　closer　scrutiny。







〃Behold；〃　I　exclaimed；　when　I　had　made　a　feint　of　setting　the　device



into　motion　（for　it　need　not　be　concealed　from　you；　O　discreet　one；



that　I　was　really　inadequate　to　the　attempt；　and；　indeed；　narrowly



escaped　impaling　myself　upon　its　sudden　and　unexpected　protrusions）；



〃the　highly…burnished　surface　of　your　dexterously　arranged　window　gave



to　this　engine　a　rich　attractiveness　which　is　altogether　lacking　at　a



closer　examination。　Nevertheless；　this　person　will　not　recede　from　a



perhaps　too　impulsive　offer　of　one　unit　of　gold；　three　pieces　of



silver；　and　four　and　a　half　brass　cash；〃　my　object；　of　course；　being



that　after　the　mutual　recrimination　of　disparagement　and　over…praise



we　should　in　the　length　of　an　hour　or　two　reach　a　becoming　compromise



in　the　middle　distance。







〃Well；〃　responded　the　menial　one；　regarding　me　with　an　expression　in



which　he　did　not　even　attempt　to　subdue　the　baser　emotions；　〃you　HAVE



come　a　long　way　for　nothing〃；　and　he　made　a　pretence　of　wishing　to



replace　the　object。







〃Yet；〃　I　continued；　〃observe　with　calm　impartiality　how　insidiously



the　rust　has　assailed　the　outer　polish　of　the　lacquer；　perceive　here



upon　the　beneath　part　of　wood　the　ineffaceable　depression　of　a



deeply…pointed　blow；　note　well　the〃







〃It　was　good　enough　for　you　to　want　me　to　muck　up　out　of　the　window；



wasn't　it？〃　demanded　the　obstinate　barbarian；　becoming　passionate　in



his　bearing　rather　than　reluctantly；　but　with　courteous　grace；



lessening　the　price　to　a　trifling　degree；　as　we　regard　the　proper　way



of　carrying　on　the　enterprise。







〃It　is　well　said；〃　I　admitted；　hoping　that　he　might　yet　learn　wisdom



from　my　attitude　of　unruffled　urbanity；　though　I　feared　that　his　angle



of　negotiating　was　unconquerably　opposed　to　mine；　〃but　now　its　many



imperfections　are　revealed。　The　inelegance　of　its　outline；　the



grossness　of　the　applied　colours；　the　unlucky　combination　of　numbers



engraved　upon　this　plate；　the〃







〃Damme！〃　cried　the　utterly　perverse　rebel　standing　opposite；　〃why



don't　you　keep　on　your　Compound；　you　Yellow　Peril？　Who　asked　you　to



come　into　my　shop　to　blackguard　the　things？　Come　now；　who　did？〃　　







〃Assuredly　it　is　your　place　of　commerce；〃　I　replied　cheerfully；



preparing　to　bring　forward　an　argument；　which　in　our　country　never



fails　to　shake　the　most　stubborn；　〃yet　bend　your　eyes　to　the　fact　that



at　no　great　distance　away　there　stands　another　and　a　more　alluring



stall　of　merchandise　where〃







〃Go　to　it　then！〃　screamed　the　abandoned　outcast；　leaping　over　his



counter　and　shouting　aloud　in　a　frenzy　of　uncontrollable　rage。　〃Clear



out；　or　I'll　bend　my　feet〃　but　concluding