Hao Qiu Zhuan/en-wilkinson/Chapter 4
Chapter 4: Young Master Guo's Vain Pursuit: Grasping at the Moon
From: Hau Kiou Choaan, or The Pleasing History. Translated by James Wilkinson, edited by Thomas Percy (London, 1761)
Note: This text was digitized via OCR from the original 1761 print. Some scan errors may remain -- compare with the modern translation and Chinese original to verify.
CHAP IX.[1]
Kwo-khe-tzu was not so overjoyed that he had secured the prize, as to be neglectful of what might happen; lest therefore upon her arrival at his house, she would make a disturbance and reject the marriage, he made all possible haste to fetch the Magistrates of the city, together with others of his relations and friends; in order to produce her eight letters before them; and to silence whatever she might plead to the contrary. He was transported that he should now recover his credit, in shewing himself capable of outwitting her; and congratulated himself as well for the happy concerting of his project, as for the resolution and dexterity with which it had been executed. He used such expedition in mustering his friends, that he was got home before the chair. It was not however long behind him. He soon saw it coming; his people driving along the streets, and clearing their way like a swarm of wasps. They were going to set it down at the gates: but he would not let them, neither at the second door, but made them carry it into the great hall. Upon this the Che-foo, the Che-bien, and all his relations and friends rose up, and came to meet him, crying out, "Kong-hee, or much joy to you! how rare is it to find a woman so beautiful and so accomplished as Shuey-ping-sin? What cause have you to rejoice in having at length obtained so inestimable a treasure?" Kwo-khe-tzu beheld the chair with the most evident satisfaction, and advancing towards the upper end of the hall, returned their compliments with equal civility: "Extraordinary, said he, as this step I have taken may appear, I have been guilty of no unwarrantable violence: this lady was the person to whom I was originally contracted in marriage; and the receiving another woman in her stead, was the effect of her contrivance: the opportunity I now have, permits me but barely to do myself justice: I must therefore desire you all to be my witnesses; and that the Che-foo and Che-bien will be in this affair as my father and mother, in making the marriage firm and valid, and in preventing any farther trouble about it."
Those magistrates advised him to bury in profound silence all that was past; telling him they were ready to attest what he had asserted; that since he had brought her there, he was now obliged to marry her, and therefore had nothing to do, but to carry her in, and have performed the usual ceremonies[2]. Kwo-khe-tzu desired before this was done, she might appear before them; that she might have no pretence to complain of compulsive or hasty measures, or that the marriage was conducted otherwise than openly, with the most proper and deliberate decorum. "Well, said the Che-foo, if you would rather have it so, let the chair be opened, and let the lady appear."
Kwo-khe-tzu then ordered his women to go to the chair, and lifting up the curtain, to open the door. They went accordingly, but found it lock'd: of which they returned and inform'd their master. He was not surpriz'd at this, attributing it either to her delicacy or her fear. Then going himself and trying in vain to open the lock, at length he broke it. On this, the women advanced to open the door, which as soon as they had done, they stood still for some minutes. Enrag'd at this delay he began to storm at them, asking, why they stood staring, and did not hand their lady out of the chair? With looks of the utmost astonishment and confusion, they told him there was no lady; not so much as the shadow of one. He was greatly surprized, and advancing to the chair to be satisfied himself, instead of the fair Shuey-ping-sin, he saw nothing but a bundle wrapt about with a scarlet cloth. At this he fell a stamping and raving like one distracted: "How can this be possible? said he; one of my own women servants this morning saw her drest, and ready to go into the chair, but a little while before it set out."
The Che-foo and Che-bien, with the rest that were invited, went also to the chair, and with equal astonishment saw nobody was in it. "Surely, said they all, this young lady must be a prophetess, and have a power of divining, thus to foresee, and avoid all your pursuits: 'tis enough; you must think no more of her: for whether she be saint or demon, there is no fathoming her contrivances: she must surely be of no common capacity." Kwo-khe-tzu was too much mortified and confounded to answer a syllable. The Che-foo seeing him cast down and dejected, ordered them to take out the bundle and see what was in it. Opening it they found only a box filled with pebble stones. At this every body laugh'd: and taking their leave, left Kwo-khe-tzu to bewail his disgrace[3].
He was so disturbed in his mind, that for some time he did not perceive they had left him: at length raising up his head and looking round, he saw his hall empty, and nobody left, except one friend, who sat unobserv'd in a corner, and seem'd buried in profound thought. The name of this person was Chun-kee. Taking courage to find he was not totally deserted, the youth called out, inviting him to come and sit down with him, and to talk over the affair that had happen'd. "To-day, said he, after having thought myself secure of the accomplishment of my wishes beyond all possibility of disappointment, how have I been deceived, and shamed and mortified? I cannot account for the trick she hath play'd me; it seems to exceed all human power: and yet I cannot forget her; neither shall I give her up, as those here advised me. Tell me how you would act in like situation?" "This young lady, answer'd Chun-kee, is very subtle; she is no less uncomplying and obstinate: to think to obtain her therefore by soft and gentle means, will be involving yourself in an endless pursuit: nothing but downright force can succeed with her." "Alas! replied the other, of what little effect bare force can be, the disappointment of this day may shew: besides, after this unsuccessful attempt, she will not easily fall in my way again: her youth and sex will afford her no occasion to stir out for the future[4]: nor will she readily venture of herself." "Do not despair, said the other, I have bethought myself of an expedient, that does not seem unlikely." Kwo-khe-tzu listen'd with great attention. "Her father, proceeded Chun-kee, is in banishment, and I hear 'tis a long while that she hath had no news of him: I hear also that she preserves for him the most ardent affection, and continually feeds an hope that he will one day obtain the Emperor's pardon." "All this, said the other, may be very true: but what is it to our purpose?" "You must get, said his friend, a coloured paper, upon which let it be written, that a great Mandarine hath procured a pardon for him, and that the Emperor has restored him to his office again. Send this dispatch to her house by a train of twenty messengers, and let her be called upon to receive the mandate[5] with due respect. This will oblige her to come out to meet it. Then let a chair be ready, and the moment she steps out of the hall force her into it and away."
Kwo-khe-tzu applauded this scheme, and thought it might be successful. "But stay, proceeded Chun-kee, we must at the same time make some provision for our own security. Shuey-ping-sin is the daughter of a Mandarine of good family: and when she sees herself thus suddenly beset and carried away by violence, it may cause her to commit some desperate action: perhaps to strangle herself with her garter; or to stab herself with her scissors, or some other implement she may have about her. To prevent therefore the blame of any such action, you shall present a petition to the Che-foo and Che-bien to summon her before them at your suit: by which you will have their officers to accompany your people, and their authority for your sanction: and at the same time that you are screen'd from the consequences[6] of the attempt, you will have those magistrates ready to compleat the marriage." Kwo-khe-tzu could not conceal his satisfaction at so artful and at the same time so safe a contrivance: "This, says he, is a thousand[7] times better than any I have undertaken before: nothing remains but to fix the time for its execution." When they had settled this point between them, they parted.
Shuey-ping-sin, having thus a third time narrowly escaped falling into the hands of her persecutor, kept herself very close at home, and would scarcely suffer any one to go in or out of her house. As for Shuey-guwin and his sons, being sensible she strongly suspected them, they came in her way as little as possible. Yet greatly as she had been harrassed, alarmed and terrified, her concern on that account was light, compared with what she suffered for the sake of her father. His misfortunes and disgrace were the constant subject of her thoughts: and if she sometimes encouraged an hope, that he would one day be restored to his family and his friends, it was as often interrupted by doubt and stifled by despair. One morning as she was employed in dressing her head[8], she was alarmed by a great noise and disturbance in the street at the gate of her court: she sent an old woman of her attendants to inquire the meaning of it. But before she could get to the gate, it was already broken down, and a great many people came running in with the coloured paper, who cried out, "Good news! much joy to Shuey-ping-sin!" These words, though not very distinctly heard, reached the ears of the young lady: she therefore hastened into the hall, and stood behind the door to be the better satisfied: where she saw the people, and heard very plainly what they said: crying aloud, "Here is the Emperor's mandate, she must come out immediately to meet and receive it." Upon this, accompanied by two of her maids, she ventured out and was instantly surrounded. She asked where the order was: they answered, at the Che-foo's, and that she must go there: and immediately a chair was brought into the hall. Perceiving how matters were conducted, she began to suspect all was not right, and that some evil design was in agitation against her: but finding it too late to retreat, she mustered up a noble courage and resolution, and concealing her fear and surprize, waved her hand to be heard: "You that are now come here, said she, upon this pretence, belong to, or are sent by Kwo-khe-tzu; and the reason he sends you hither to take me, is not because he hates me or is my enemy, but it rather proceeds from his violent regard: and therefore if I comply with his desires and marry him, don't I not only gratify his utmost wishes, but also immediately become your mistress? As therefore it will then be in my power to punish you as I please, be careful how you are guilty here of any indecency." Chun-kee, who was in the crowd, hearing what she said, cried out, "It is very true, Lady, and therefore if you will please to go into the chair, no one will offer the least discourtesy." "Well then, said she, stand aside a little and give me room; let me speak to my people, and make some little change in my dress." Then calling a female attendant to bid her bring her cloaths, she whispered in her ear, to conceal a knife in the sleeve of her gown. All this was performed, and she accordingly changed her habit. Then having given orders to her servants about the management of her house, she addressed herself once more to the people: "To-day, said she, if you would gain an interest in your master, by doing me a favour, you must oblige me in one thing." "If you will but marry Kwo-khe-tzu, replied Chun-kee, there is nothing we shall dare to refuse you." She proceeded, "It is now three times that that young Lord hath come to marry me: it is not in my power to resist him any longer, but then you must not carry me directly to his house; for I will sooner dye, than be married there by force, and in a low clandestine manner. Therefore carry me first to the Mandarines of the city: and let the marriage be performed openly and honourably before those Magistrates, suitable to the dignity of my rank, and of his pretensions." "You say right, said Chun-kee, it shall be as you order, you shall go first to the Che-bien, then to the Che-foo, and afterwards to the house of your husband: thus will every thing be decent and regular." Shuey-ping-sin then ordering two of her maids to attend her, and bidding one of her servants to take down the coloured paper, which had been fixed to the gate, and to bring it along to the Che-bien's, called for the chair, and threw herself into it.
The people of Kwo-khe-tzu, who were about thirty in number, having thus got possession of the prize, which had so often eluded their master's pursuit, with the utmost alacrity and speed took up the chair and ran away with it through the city, regardless of every thing they met in their passage; like a flight of crows, that are winging their way through the air. They had now almost reached the audience of the Che-bien, when in crossing a street, they ran against a young gentleman mounted on a mule with such violence, that they had like to have beaten both to the ground.
Upon this the stranger, who was dressed in a student's habit, and was followed by one servant, instantly dismounted, and not a little incensed at their rudeness, laid hold of the chairmen, calling them impertinent and clownish rascals: "You are not, said he, escaping from fire or thieves, wherefore then do you hurry along at this uncivil and disorderly rate, overturning every thing in your way? How durst you affront me in this audacious manner?" They answered, that they were employed about a marriage of distinction; and who should hinder them? "Were you gold or diamonds[9], iron or glass, said they, go with us to the Che-bien, and we will grind you to powder." "If this marriage, replied he, is between people of quality, where are the usual ceremonies to attend it? Where is the chair of state adorned for that purpose? Where is the music, and other splendid attendance? Here is nothing of all this; but you rather seem to be villains that have stolen away some unfortunate lady: and as that is the case, I will go along with you to the audience myself."
Chun-kee hearing what he said, and perceiving by his mien, that he was not an ordinary person, addressed him very respectfully, and said, "Pray, Sir, excuse the incivility done you by these fellows, who are clowns and know no better: they deserve correction, but in truth are not worthy your notice: better let them alone."
The stranger recollected himself, and was going away; when of a sudden he heard a voice from the chair crying out for succour: "I am greatly injured: you seem to be a person of valour: O assist and save me!" Upon which he laid his hand on the chair, and once more stopped it: saying, "Is this then the reason of your indecent haste? Come away, I will go with you to the Mandarine's audience." The chairmen thus interrupted, seeing he would not quit them, went to fall upon him with their fists: but loosing the chair, he so well exerted himself, that he quickly laid many of them at his feet. Upon which Chun-kee came up to him, and said: "Sir, you must not beat the people thus; though you would not before have gone to the Che-bien, now we must oblige you: let go the chair; and we will go there together." "By no means, said the young stranger: not 'till I am got to the door of the audience."
As soon as they were arrived there, he raised the end of his whip, and struck the great drum[10] that stood at the door: upon which all the people came out, wondering at his boldness. The Che-bien, who had expected the chair, sate in the hall waiting for it, when hearing the drum beat, he could not conceive what was the matter: immediately he saw his people come in, bringing in the stranger: "This, they said, is the person that beat on the drum."
- ↑ CHAP. V. in the Translator's manuscript.
- ↑ Viz. "of drinking wine together; of making their joint reverences to Heaven, &c." (See note page 110:) to which some writers add, "and to the names or images of their ancestors." See P. Semedo, p. 72.
- ↑ The Chinese author hath told this story with so little art, that in page 173 he forestalls our curiosity by informing us, that when Kwo-khe-tzu forbad the servant to advance, "He (the servant) knowing what he was about, said, it is very well, I will stay here and rest myself. Accordingly he stay'd till the other small chairs were come up, in one of which was Shuey-ping-sin: whom he with the rest of the servants, accompanied home again." The Editor hath taken the liberty to suppress this single passage, which he doubts not every reader of taste will pardon.
- ↑ In China, women of quality never stir out, except to visit their nearest relations, or to go to the sepulture of their ancestors. Lett. edif. xxiij. 103.
- ↑ In the original Ngun-cheaow-chyee, or "paper of pleasure."
- ↑ In the original it is, "If she should do herself a mischief, then it will be nothing."
- ↑ In the original it is "a million of times."
- ↑ Although the Chinese Ladies are extremely confined, and seldom stir out of their apartment, which is in the most retired part of the house, having no communication but with the women servants; yet it does not appear that they have a greater aversion for dress than the ladies of Europe: for we are told, that they spend several hours every morning in dressing and setting themselves out, though they have so little chance to be seen. Their head-dress usually consists of several curls, interspersed with little tufts of gold and silver flowers: some adorn their heads with the figure of a fabulous bird called song-whang, answering to the phenix with us. The young ladies commonly wear a kind of crown made with paste-board, and covered with a beautiful silk; the forepart whereof rises in a point above the forehead, and is covered with jewels, &c. but on the top of the head with natural and artificial flowers. Women in years are content with a piece of fine silk, wound two or three times about the head. There appears an uncommon modesty in their looks and dress. Their gowns are very long, and cover them from head to foot, so that nothing is to be seen but their faces; their hands being always concealed within their wide long sleeves, which almost drag on the ground. And here it may be proper to observe, that if they have occasion to present any thing to a man, they always do it with their hand wrapt up in their sleeve. And if a man presents any thing to them, he must set it down upon a table, &c. and then they will come and take it up in their sleeve. (See Martin. Atlas Sin. p. 9. &c. To return; there is nothing the Chinese women esteem more beautiful, than to have little feet: as soon as they are born, the nurses are careful to bind this part very close, to prevent its growing: so that when they are marriageable, their feet are not larger than those of a child of three or four years old. This we are told does not affect their health, although it renders their gait ungraceful. Their shoes are finely embroidered, and of finished neatness. P. Du Halde, vol. 1. p. 281, &c. P. Le Compte, tom. 1. p. 191, &c.
- ↑ A common image with the Chinese. In the Chinese tragedy translated by P. Du Halde, a Mandarine says of his adversary, "though he were gold or precious stones, he should not escape the edge of my sword." Vid. Hist. vol. 2. p. 178. col. 1.
- ↑ As the Mandarines are appointed solely to protect the people, they ought always to be ready to hear their complaints, not only at the stated times of audience, but at all other hours of the day. If the affair be urgent, then they go to the Mandarine's palace, and beat upon a kind of kettle-drum, which is sometimes on one side of the hall of justice, but commonly without the doors, that the people may come at it both night and day. At this signal, the Mandarine, though never so much employed, is obliged to leave every thing immediately, to grant the audience demanded. But whoever gives the alarm, unless he hath suffered some extraordinary wrong that requires speedy redress, is sure to receive the bastinado for his pains. P. Du Halde, vol. 1. p. 254. N. B. The Translator tells us in another place, that it is the custom for the officers of the tribunal, to take and bind the person that strikes upon the drum, until they have presented him to the Mandarine. It appears also from the Chinese author himself, that such was the custom, at least in his time. See book 3. chap. 4.