the mirror of kong ho-第21章

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LETTER　XI











Concerning　the　game　which　we　should　call　〃Locusts；〃　and　the



deeper　significance　of　its　acts。　The　solicitous　warning　of　one



passing　inwards　and　the　complication　occasioned　by　his　ill…



chosen　words。　Concerning　that　victory　already　dimly　foreshadowed。















VENERATED　SIRE；This　barbarian　game　of　agile　grass…hoppers　is　not



conducted　in　the　best　spirit　of　a　really　well…balanced　display；　and



although　the　one　now　inscribing　his　emotions　certainly　achieved　a　wide



popularity；　and　wore　his　fig　leaves　with　becoming　modesty；　he　has



never　since　been　quite　free　from　an　overhanging　doubt　that　the



compliments　and　genial　remarks　with　which　he　was　assailed　owed　their



modulation　to　an　unsubstantial　atmosphere　of　two…edged　significance



which　for　a　period　enveloped　all　whom　he　approached；　as　in　the　faces



of　maidens　concealed　behind　fans　when　he　passed；　the　down…drawn　lips



and　up…raised　eyes　of　those　of　fuller　maturity；　the　practice　in　most



of　his　own　kind　of　turning　aside；　pressing　their　hands　about　their



middle　parts；　and　bending　forward　into　a　swollen　attitude　devoid　of



grace；　on　the　spur　of　a　sudden　remembrance；　and　in　the　auspicious　but



undeniably　embarrassing　manner　in　which　all　the　unfledged　ones　of　the



village　clustered　about　his　retiring　footsteps；　saluting　him



continually　as　one　〃James；〃　upon　whom　had　been　conferred　the



gratifying　title　of　〃Sunny。〃　Thus　may　the　outline　of　the　combat　be



recounted。







From　each　opposing　group　eleven　were　chosen　as　a　band；　and　we　of　our



company　putting　on　a　robe　of　distinctive　green　（while　they　elected　to



be　regarded　as　an　assemblage　of　brown　crickets）；　we　presently　came　to



a　suitable　spot　where　the　trial　was　to　be　decided。　So　far　this　person



had　reasonably　assumed　that　at　a　preconcerted　signal　the　contest　would



begin；　all　rising　into　the　air　together；　uttering　cries　of　menace；



bounding　unceasingly　and　in　every　way　displaying　the　dexterity　of　our



proportions。　Indeed；　in　the　reasonableness　of　this　expectation　it



cannot　be　a　matter　for　reproach　to　one　of　the　green　grass…hopperswho



need　not　be　further　indicatedthat　he　had　already　begun　a



well…simulated　note　of　challenge　to　those　around　clad　in　brown；　and　to



leap　upwards　in　a　preparatory　essay；　when　the　ever…alert　Sir　Philip



took　him　affectionately　by　the　arm；　on　the　plea　that　the　seclusion　of



a　neighbouring　pavilion　afforded　a　desirable　shade。







Beyond　that　point　it　is　difficult　to　convey　an　accurately　grouped　and



fully　spread…out　design　of　the　encounter。　In　itself　the　scheme　and



intention　of　counterfeiting　the　domestic　life　and　rivalries　of　two



opposing　bands　of　insects　was　pleasantly　conceived；　and　might　have



been　carried　out　with　harmonious　precision；　but；　after　the　manner　of



these　remote　tribes；　the　original　project　had　been　overshadowed　and



the　purity　of　the　imagination　lost　beneath　a　mass　of　inconsistent



detail。　To　this　imperfection　must　it　be　laid　that　when　at　length　this



person　was　recalled　from　the　obscurity　of　the　pagoda　and　the　alluring



society　of　a　maiden　of　the　village；　to　whom　he　was　endeavouring　to



expound　the　strategy　of　the　game；　and　called　upon　to　engage　actively



in　it；　he　courteously　admitted　to　those　who　led　him　forth　that　he　had



not　the　most　shadowy…outlined　idea　of　what　was　required　of　him。







Nevertheless　they　bound　about　his　legs　a　frilled　armour；　ingeniously



fashioned　to　represent　the　ribbed　leanness　of　the　insect's　shank；



encased　his　hands　and　feet　in　covers　to　a　like　purpose；　and　pressing



upon　him　a　wooden　club　indicated　that　the　time　had　come　for　him　to



prove　his　merit　by　venturing　alone　into　the　midst　of　the　eleven　brown



adversaries　who　stood　at　a　distance　in　poised　and　expectant　attitudes。







Assuredly；　benignant　one；　this　sport　of　contending　locusts　began；　as



one　approached　nearer　to　it；　to　wear　no　more　pacific　a　face　than　if　it



had　been　a　carnage　of　the　hurl…headlong　or　the　curved…hook　varieties。



In　such　a　competition；　it　occurred　to　him；　how　little　deference　would



be　paid　to　this　one's　title　of　〃Established　Genius；〃　or　how



inadequately　would　he　be　protected　by　his　undoubted　capacity　of



leaping　upwards；　and　even　in　a　sideway　direction；　for　no　matter　how



vigorously　he　might　propel　himself；　or　how　successfully　he　might



endeavour　to　remain　self…sustained　in　the　air；　the　ill…destined　moment



could　not　be　long　deferred　when　he　must　come　down　again　into　the　midst



of　the　elevenall　doubtless　concealing　weapons　as　massive　and



fatally…destructive　as　his　own。　This　prospect；　to　a　person　of



quiescent　taste；　whose　chief　delight　lay　in　contemplating　the



philosophical　subtleties　of　the　higher　Classics；　was　in　itself　devoid



of　glamour；　but　with　what　funereal　pigments　shall　he　describe　his



sinking　emotions　when　one　of　his　own　band；　approaching　him　as　he　went；



whispered　in　his　ear；　〃Look　out　at　this　end；　they　kick　up　like　the



very　devil。　And　their　man　behind　the　wicket　is　really　smart；　if　you



give　him　half　a　chance　he'll　have　your　stumps　down　before　you　can　say



'knife。'〃　Shorn　of　its　uncouth　familiarity；　this　was　a　charitable



warning　that　they　into　whose　stronghold　I　was　turning　my



footstepsperhaps　first　deceiving　my　alertness　with　a　proffered



friendshipwould　kick　with　the　ferocity　of　untamed　demons；　and　that



one　in　particular；　whose　description；　to　my　added　despair；　I　was



unable　to　retain；　was　known　to　possess　a　formidable　knife；　with　which



it　was　his　intention　to　cut　off　this　person's　legs　at　the　first



opportunity；　before　he　could　be　accused　of　the　act。　Truly；　〃To　one



whom　he　would　utterly　destroy　Buddha　sends　a　lucky　dream。〃







Behind　lay　the　pagoda　（though　the　fact　that　this　one　did　admittedly



turn　round　for　a　period　need　not　be　too　critically　dwelt　upon）；　with



three　tiers　of　maidens；　some　already　waving　their　hands　as　an



encouraging　token；　on　each　side　a　barrier　of　prickly　growth



inopportunely　presented　itself；　while　in　front　the　eleven　kicking



crickets　stood　waiting；　and　among　them　lurked　the　one　grasping　a



doubly…edged　blade　of　a　highly　proficient　keenness。







There　are　occasional　moments　in　the　life　of　a　person　when　he　as　the



inward　perception　of　retiring　for　a　few　paces　and　looking　back　in



order　to　consider　his　general　appearance　and　to　judge　how　he　is



situated　with　regard　to　himself；　to　review　his　past　life　in　a　spirit



of　judicial　severity；　to　arrange　definitely　upon　a　future　composed



entirely　of　acts　of　benevolence；　and　to　examine　the　working　of　destiny



at　large。　In　such　a　scrutiny　I　now　began　to　understand　that　it　would



perhaps　have　been　more　harmonious　to　my　love　of　contemplative　repose



if　I　had　considered　the　disadvantages　closer　before　venturing　into



this　barbarian　region；　or；　at　least；　if　I　had　used　the　occasion



profitably　to　advance　an　argument　tending　towards　a　somewhat　fuller



allowance　of　taels　from　your　benevolent　sleeve。　Our　own　virtuous　and



flower…strewn　land；　it　is　true；　does　not　possess　an　immunity　from



every　trifling　drawback。　The　Hoang　Hoto　concede　specifically　the



existence　of　some　of　thesefrequently　bursts　through　its　restraining



barriers　and　indiscriminately　sweeps　away　all　those　who　are　so



ill…advised　as　to　dwell　within　reach　of　its　malignant　influence。　From



time　to　time　wars　and　insurrections　are　found　to　be　necessary；　and　no



matter　how　morally…intentioned　and　humanely　conducted；　they



necessarily　result　in　the　violation；　dismemberment　or　extirpation　of



many　thousand　polite　and　dispassionate　persons　who　have　no　concern



with　either　side。　Towns　are　repeatedly　consumed　by　fire；　districts



scourged　by　leprosy；　and　provinces　swept　by　famine。　The　storms　are



admittedly　more　fatal　than　elsewhere；　the　thunderbolts　larger；　more



numerous；　and　all　unerringly　directed；　while　the　extremities　of　heat



and　cold　render　life　really　uncongenial　for　the　greater　part　of　each



year。　The　poor；　having　no　money　to　secure　justice；　are　evilly　used；



whereas　the　wealthy；　having　too　much；　are　assailed　legally　by　the



gross　and　powerful　for　the　purpose　of　extorting　their　riches。　Robbers



and　assassins　lurk　in　every　cave；　vast　hoards　of　pirates　blacken　the



surface　of　every　river；　and　mandarins　of　the　nine　degrees　must　make　a



livelihood　by　some　means　or　other。　By　day；　therefore；　it　is



inadvisable　to　go　forth　and　encounter　human　beings；　while　none　but　the



shallow…headed　would　risk　a　meeting　with　the　countless　demons　and



vampires　which　move　by　night。　To　one　who　has　spent　many　moons　among



these　foreign　apparitions　the　absence　of　drains；　roads；　illustrated



message…parchments；　maidens　whose　voices　may　be　heard　protesting　upon



ringing　a　wire；　loaves　of　conflicting　dimensions；　persons　who　strive



to　put　their　faces　upon　every　advertisement；　pens　which　emit　fountains



when　carried　in　the　pocket；　a　profusion　of　make…strong　foods；　and　an



Encyclopaedia　Mongolia；　may　undoubtedly　be　mentioned　as　constituting　a



material　deficiency。　Affairs　are　not　being　altogether　reputably



conducted　during　the　crisis；　it　can　never　be　quite　definitely　asserted



what　the　next　action　of　the　versatile　and　high…spirited　Dowager



Empress　will　be；　and　here　it　is　freely　contended　that　the　Pure　and



Immortal　Empire　is　incapable　of　remaining　in　one　piece　for　much



longer。　These；　and　other　inconveniences　of　a　like　nature；　which　the



fastidious　might　distort　into　actual　hardships；　have　never　been



denied；　yet　at　no　period　of　the　nine　thousand　years　of　our



civilisation　has　it　been　the　custom　to　lure　out　the　unwary；　on　the



plea　of　an　agreeable　entertainment；　and　then　to　abandon　him　into　the



society　of　eleven　club…bearing　adversaries；　one　of　whom　may　be



depicted　as　in　the　act　of　imparting　an　unnecessary　polish　to　the　edge



of　his　already　preternaturally　acute　weapon；　while　those　of　his　own



band　offer　no　protection；　and　three　tiers　of　very　richly…dressed



maidens　encourage　him　to　his　fate　by　refined　gestures　of　approval。







Doubtless　this　person　had　unconsciously　allowed　his　inner　meditations



to　carry　him　away；　as　it　may　be　expressed；　for　when　he　emerged　from



this　strain　of　reverie　it　was　to　discover　himself　in　the　chariot…road



andso　incongruously　may　be　the　actions　when　the　controlling



intelligence　is　withdrawneven　proceeding　at　a　somewhat　undignified



pace　in　a　direction　immediately　opposed　to　an　encounter　with　the　brown



locusts。　From　this　mortifying　position　he　was　happily　saved　by