the mirror of kong ho-第3章

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engaging　of　both　sexes；　and　afterwards　to　associate　on　terms　of



honourable　equality　with　them　in　the　chief　apartment。　The　reason　and



manner　of　this　one's　departure　are　in　no　degree　formidable　to　his



refined　manner　of　conducting　any　enterprise；　but　arose　partly　from　an



insufficient　grasp　of　the　more　elaborate　outlines　of　a　confessedly



involved　language；　and　still　more　from　a　too　excessive　impetuousness



in　carrying　out　what　at　the　time　he　believed　to　be　the　ambition　of　one



who　had　come　to　exercise　a　melodious　influence　over　his　most　internal



emotions。　Well　remarked　the　Sage；　〃A　piece　of　gold　may　be　tried



between　the　teeth；　a　written　promise　to　pay　may　be　disposed　of　at　a



sacrifice　to　one　more　credulous；　but　what　shall　be　said　of　the　wind；



the　Hoang　Ho；　and　the　way　of　a　woman？〃







To　contrive　a　pitfall　for　this　short…sighted　person's　immature　feet；



certain　malicious　spirits　had　so　willed　it　that　the　chief　and　more



autumnal　of　the　Maidens　Blank　（who；　nevertheless；　wore　an　excessively



flower…like　name）；　had　long　lavished　herself　upon　the　possession　of　an



obtuse　and　self…assertive　hound；　which　was　in　the　habit　of　gratifying



this　inconsiderable　person　and　those　who　sat　around　by　continually



depositing　upon　their　unworthy　garments　details　of　its　outer　surface；



and　when　the　weather　was　more　than　usually　cold；　by　stretching　its



graceful　and　refined　body　before　the　fire　in　such　a　way　as　to　ensure



that　no　one　should　suffer　from　a　too　acute　exposure　to　the　heat。　From



these　causes；　and　because　it　was　by　nature　a　hound　which　even　on　the



darkest　night　could　be　detected　at　a　more　than　reasonable　distance



away；　while　at　all　times　it　did　not　hesitate　to　shake　itself　freely



into　the　various　prepared　viands；　this　person　（and　doubtless　others



also）　regarded　it　with　an　emotion　very　unfavourable　towards　its



prolonged　existence；　but　observing　from　the　first　that　those　who



permitted　themselves　to　be　deposited　upon；　and　their　hands　and　even



their　faces　to　be　hound…tongue…defiled　with　the　most　externally



cheerful　spirit　of　word　suppression；　invariably　received　the　most



desirable　of　the　allotted　portions　of　food；　he　judged　it　prudent　and



conducive　to　a　settled　digestion　to　greet　it　with　favourable　terms　and



actions；　and　to　refer　frequently　to　its　well…displayed　proportions；



and　to　the　agile　dexterity　which　it　certainly　maintained　in　breathing



into　the　contents　of　every　dish。　Thus　the　matter　may　be　regarded　as



being　positioned　for　a　space　of　time。







One　evening　I　returned　at　the　appointed　gong…stroke　of　dinner；　and　was



beginning；　according　to　my　custom；　to　greet　the　hound　with



ingratiating　politeness；　when　the　one　of　chief　authority　held　up　a



reproving　hand；　at　the　same　time　exclaiming：







〃No；　Mr。　Kong；　you　must　not　encourage　Hercules　with　your　amiable



condescension；　for　just　now　he　is　in　very　bad　odour　with　us　all。〃







〃Undoubtedly；〃　replied　this　person；　somewhat　puzzled；　nevertheless；



that　the　imperfection　should　thus　be　referred　to　openly　by　one　who



hitherto　had　not　hesitated　to　caress　the　hound　with　most　intimate



details；　〃undoubtedly　the　surrounding　has　a　highly　concentrated



acuteness　to…night；　but　the　ever…present　characteristic　of　the　hound



Hercules　is　by　no　means　new；　for　whenever　he　is　in　the　room〃







At　this　point　it　is　necessary　to　explain　that　the　ceremonial　etiquette



of　these　barbarian　outcasts　is　both　conflicting　and　involved。　Upon



most　of　the　ordinary　occasions　of　life　to　obtrude　oneself　within　the



conversation　of　another　is　a　thing　not　to　be　done；　yet　repeatedly　when



this　unpretentious　person　has　been　relating　his　experience　or



inquiring　into　the　nature　and　meaning　of　certain　matters　which　he　has



witnessed；　he　has　become　aware　that　his　words　have　been　obliterated；



as　it　were；　and　his　remarks　diverted　from　their　original　intention　by



the　sudden　and　unanticipated　desire　of　those　present　to　express



themselves　loudly　on　some　topic　of　not　really　engrossing　interest。　Not



infrequently　on　such　occasions　every　one　present　has　spoken　at　once



with　concentrated　anxiety　upon　the　condition　of　the　weather；　the



atmosphere　of　the　room；　the　hour　of　the　day；　or　some　like　detail　of



contemptible　inferiority。　At　other　times　maidens　of　unquestionable



politeness　have　sounded　instruments　of　brass　or　stringed　woods　with



unceasing　vigour；　have　cast　down　ornaments　of　china；　or　even　stood



upon　each　other'sor　this　person'sfeet　with　assumed　inelegance。



When；　therefore；　in　the　midst　of　my　agreeable　remark　on　the　asserted



no　fragrance　of　the　hound　Hercules；　a　gentleman　of　habitual　refinement



struck　me　somewhat　heavily　on　the　back　of　the　head　with　a　reclining



seat　which　he　was　conveying　across　the　room　for　the　acceptance　of　a



lady；　and　immediately　overwhelmed　me　with　apologies　of　almost



unnecessary　profusion；　my　mind　at　once　leapt　to　an　inspired



conclusion；　and　smiling　acquiescently　I　bowed　several　times　to　each



person　to　convey　to　them　an　admission　of　the　undoubted　fact　that　to



the　wise　a　timely　omen　before　the　storm　is　as　effective　as　a



thunderbolt　afterwards。







It　chanced　that　there　was　present　the　exceptionally　prepossessing　



maiden　to　whom　this　person　has　already　referred。　So　varied　and　ornate



were　her　attractions　that　it　would　be　incompetent　in　one　of　my　less



than　average　ability　to　attempt　an　adequate　portrayal。　She　had　a



light…coloured　name　with　the　letters　so　harmoniously　convoluted　as　to



be　quite　beyond　my　inferior　power　of　pronunciation；　so　that　if　I



wished　to　refer　to　her　in　her　absence　I　had　to　indicate　the　one　I



meant　by　likening　her　to　a　full…blown　chrysanthemum；　a　piece　of　rare



jade；　an　ivory　pagoda　of　unapproachable　antiquity；　or　some　other



object　of　admitted　grace。　Even　this　description　may　scarcely　convey　to



you　the　real　extent　of　her　elegant　personality；　but　in　her　presence　my



internal　organs　never　failed　to　vibrate　with　a　most　entrancing



uncertainty；　and　even　now；　at　the　recollection　of　her　virtuous



demeanour；　I　am　by　no　means　settled　within　myself。







〃Well；〃　exclaimed　this　melodious　vision；　with　sympathetic　tact；　〃if



every　one　is　going　to　disown　poor　Hercules　because　he　has　eaten　all



our　dinners；　I　shall　be　quite　willing　to　have　him；　for　he　is　a　dzear



ole　loveykins；　wasn't　ums？〃　（This；　O　my　immaculate　and　dignified　sire；



which　I　transcribe　with　faithful　undeviation；　appears　to　be　the



dialect　of　a　remote　province；　spoken　only　by　maidensboth　young　and



of　autumnal　solitudeunder　occasional　mental　stress；　as　of　a　native



of　Shan…si　relapsing　without　consciousness　into　his　uncouth　tongue



after　passing　a　lifetime　in　the　Capital。）　〃Don't　you　think　so　too；



Mr。　Kong？〃







〃When　the　sun　shines　the　shadow　falls；　for　truly　it　is　said；　'To　the



faithful　one　even　the　voice　of　the　corncrake　at　evening　speaks　of　his



absent　love；'〃　replied　this　person；　so　engagingly　disconcerted　at



being　thus　openly　addressed　by　the　maiden　that　he　retained　no　delicate



impression　of　what　she　said；　or　even　of　what　he　was　replying；　beyond



an　unassuming　hope　that　the　nature　of　his　feelings　might　perchance　be



inoffensively　revealed　to　her　in　the　semblance　of　a　discreet　allegory。







〃Perhaps；〃　interposed　a　person　of　neglected　refinement；　turning



towards　the　maiden；　〃you　would　like　to　have　a　corncrake　also；　to　remind



you　of　Mr。　Kong？〃







〃I　do　not　know　what　a　corncrake　is　like；〃　replied　the　maiden　with



commendable　dignity。　〃I　do　not　think　so；　however；　for　I　once　had　a



pair　of　canaries；　and　I　found　them　very　unsatisfying；　insipid



creatures。　But　I　should　love　to　have　a　little　dog　I　am　sure；　only　Miss



Blank　won't　hear　of　it。〃







〃Kong　Ho；〃　thought　this　person　inwardly；　〃not　in　vain　have　you　burnt



joss　sticks　unceasingly；　for　the　enchanting　one　has　said　into　your



eyes　that　she　would　love　to　partake　of　a　little　dog。　Assuredly　we　have



recently　consumed　the　cold　portion　of　sheep　on　more　occasions　than　a



strict　honourableness　could　require　of　those　who　pay　a　stated　sum　at



regular　intervals；　and　the　change　would　be　a　welcome　one。　As　she　truly



says；　the　flavour　even　of　canaries　is　trivial　and　insignificant　by



comparison。〃　During　the　period　of　dinnerwhich　consisted　of　eggs　and



green　herbs　of　the　fieldthis　person　allowed　the　contemplation　to



grow　within　him；　and　inspired　by　a　most　pleasant　and　disinterested



ambition　to　carry　out　the　expressed　wishes　of　the　one　who　had　spoken；



he　determined　that　the　matter　should　be　unobtrusively　arranged



despite　the　mercenary　opposition　of　the　Maidens　Blank。







This　person　had　already　learned　by　experience　that　dogs　are　rarely　if



ever　exposed　for　sale　in　the　stalls　of　the　meat　venders；　the　reason



doubtless　being　that　they　are　articles　of　excessive　luxury　and



reserved　by　law　for　the　rich　and　powerful。　Those　kept　by　private



persons　are　generally　closely　guarded　when　they　approach　a　desirable



condition　of　body；　and　the　hound　Hercules　would　not　prove　an



attractive　dish　to　those　who　had　known　him　in　life。　Nevertheless；　it



is　well　said；　〃The　Great　Wall　is　unsurmountable；　but　there　are　many



gaps　through；〃　and　that　same　evening　I　was　able　to　carry　the　first



part　of　my　well…intentioned　surprise　into　effect。







The　matter　now　involves　one　named　Herbert；　who　having　exchanged　gifts



of　betrothal　with　a　maiden　staying　at　the　house；　was　in　the　habit　of



presenting　himself　openly；　when　he　was　permitted　to　see　her；　after　the



manner　of　these　barbarians。　（Yet　even　of　them　the　more　discriminating



acknowledge　that　our　customs　are　immeasurably　superior；　for　when　I



explained　to　the　aged　father　of　the　Maidens　Blank　that　among　us　the



marriage　rites　are　irrevocably　performed　before　the　bride　is　seen



unveiled　by　man；　he　sighed　heavily　and　exclaimed　that　the　parents　of



this　country　had　much　to　learn。）







The　genial…minded　Herbert　had　already　acquired　for　himself　the



reputation　of　being　one　who　ceaselessly　removes　the　gravity　of　others；



both　by　word　and　action；　and　from　the　first　he　selected　this　obscure



person　for　his　charitable　purpose　to　a　most　flattering　extent。　Not



only　did　heon　the　pretext　that　his　memory　was　rebelliousinvariably



greet　me　as　〃Mr。　Hong　Kong；〃　but　on　more　than　one　occasion　he



insisted；　with　mirth…provoking　reference　to　certain　details　of　my



unbecoming　garments；　that　I　must　surely　have　become　confused　and　sent



a　Mrs。　Hong　Kong　instead　of　myself；　and　frequently　h