the wallet of kai lung-第35部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
story； it had assumed the proportions of an important and many…volumed
book； while Tiao had in the meantime accepted the wedding gifts of an
objectionable and excessively round…bodied individual； who had amassed
an inconceivable number of taels by inducing persons to take part in
what at first sight appeared to be an ingenious but very easy
competition connected with the order in which certain horses should
arrive at a given and clearly defined spot。 By that time； however；
this unduly sanguine story…teller had become completely entranced in
his work； and merely regarded Tiao…Ts'un as a Heaven…sent but no
longer necessary incentive to his success。 With every hope； therefore；
he went forth to dispose of his written leaves； confident of finding
some very wealthy person who would be in a condition to pay him the
correct value of the work。
〃At the end of two years this somewhat disillusionized but still
undaunted person chanced to hear of a benevolent and unassuming body
of men who made a habit of issuing works in which they discerned
merit； but which； nevertheless； others were unanimous in describing as
'of no good'。 Here this person was received with gracious effusion；
and being in a position to impress those with whom he was dealing with
his undoubted knowledge of the subject； he finally succeeded in making
a very advantageous arrangement by which he was to pay one…half of the
number of taels expended in producing the work； and to receive in
return all the profits which should result from the undertaking。 Those
who were concerned in the matter were so engagingly impressed with the
incomparable literary merit displayed in the production that they
counselled a great number of copies being made ready in order； as they
said； that this person should not lose by there being any delay when
once the accomplishment became the one topic of conversation in
tea…houses and yamens。 From this cause it came about that the matter
of taels to be expended was much greater than had been anticipated at
the beginning； so that when the day arrived on which the volumes were
to be sent forth this person found that almost his last piece of money
had disappeared。
〃Alas！ how small a share has a person in the work of controlling his
own destiny。 Had only the necessarily penurious and now almost
degraded Kai Lung been born a brief span before the great writer Lo
Kuan Chang； his name would have been received with every mark of
esteem from one end of the Empire to the other； while taels and
honourable decorations would have been showered upon him。 For the
truth； which could no longer be concealed； revealed the fact that this
inopportune individual possessed a mind framed in such a manner that
his thoughts had already been the thoughts of the inspired Lo Kuan；
who； as this person would not be so presumptuous as to inform this
ornamental and well…informed gathering； was the most ingenious and
versatile…minded composer of written words that this Empireand
therefore the entire worldhas seen； as； indeed； his honourable title
of 'The Many…hued Mandarin Duck of the Yang…tse' plainly indicates。
〃Although this self…opinionated person had frequently been greatly
surprised himself during the writing of his long work by the
brilliance and manysidedness of the thoughts and metaphors which arose
in his mind without conscious effort； it was not until the appearance
of the printed leaves which make a custom of warning persons against
being persuaded into buying certain books that he definitely
understood how all these things had been fully expressed many
dynasties ago by the all…knowing Lo Kuan Chang； and formed； indeed；
the great national standard of unapproachable excellence。
Unfortunately； this person had been so deeply engrossed all his life
in literary pursuits that he had never found an opportunity to glance
at the works in question； or he would have escaped the embarrassing
position in which he now found himself。
〃It was with a hopeless sense of illness of ease that this unhappy one
reached the day on which the printed leaves already alluded to would
make known their deliberate opinion of his writing； the extremity of
his hope being that some would at least credit him with honourable
motives； and perhaps a knowledge that if the inspired Lo Kuan Chan had
never been born the entire matter might have been brought to a very
different conclusion。 Alas！ only one among the many printed leaves
which made reference to the venture contained any words of friendship
or encouragement。 This benevolent exception was sent forth from a city
in the extreme Northern Province of the Empire； and contained many
inspiring though delicately guarded messages of hope for the one to
whom they gracefully alluded as 'this undoubtedly youthful； but
nevertheless； distinctly promising writer of books'。 While admitting
that altogether they found the production undeniably tedious； they
claimed to have discovered indications of an obvious talent； and
therefore they unhesitatingly counselled the person in question to
take courage at the prospect of a moderate competency which was
certainly within his grasp if he restrained his somewhat
over…ambitious impulses and closely observed the simple subjects and
manner of expression of their own Chang Chow； whose 'Lines to a
Wayside Chrysanthemum'； 'Mongolians who Have'； and several other
composed pieces； they then set forth。 Although it became plain that
the writer of this amiably devised notice was； like this incapable
person； entirely unacquainted with the masterpieces of Lo Kuan Chang；
yet the indisputable fact remained that； entirely on its merit； the
work had been greeted with undoubted enthusiasm； so that after
purchasing many examples of the refined printed leaf containing it；
this person sat far into the night continually reading over the one
unprejudiced and discriminating expression。
〃All the other printed leaves displayed a complete absence of good
taste in dealing with the mater。 One boldly asserted that the entire
circumstance was the outcome of a foolish jest or wager on the part of
a person who possessed a million taels； another predicted that it was
a cunning and elaborately thought…out method of obtaining the
attention of the people on the part of certain persons who claimed to
vend a reliable and fragrantly…scented cleansing substance。 The
〃Valley of Hoang Rose Leaves and Sweetness〃 hoped； in a spirit of no
sincerity； that the ingenious Kai Lung would not rest on his
tea…leaves； but would soon send forth an equally entertaining amended
example of the 〃Sayings of Confucious〃 and other sacred works； while
the 〃Pure Essence of the Seven Days' Happenings〃 merely printed side
by side portions from the two books under the large inscription；
'IS THERE REALLY ANY NEED FOR US TO EXPRESS OURSELVES MORE CLEARLY？'
〃The disappointment both as regards public esteem and taelsfor；
after the manner in which the work had been received by those who
advise on such productions； not a single example was purchasedthrew
this ill…destined individual into a condition of most unendurable
depression； from which he was only aroused by a remarkable example of
the unfailing wisdom of the proverb which says 'Before hastening to
secure a possible reward of five taels by dragging an unobservant
person away from a falling building； examine well his features lest
you find； when too late； that it is one to whom you are indebted for
double that amount。' Disappointed in the hope of securing large gains
from the sale of his great work； this person now turned his attention
again to his former means of living； only to find； however； that the
discredit in which he had become involved even attached itself to his
concise sentence； for in place of the remunerative and honourable
manner in which it was formerly received； it was now regarded on all
hands with open suspicion。 Instead of meekly kow…towing to an
evidently pre…arranged doom； the last misfortune aroused this usually
resigned story…teller to an ungovernable frenzy。 Regarding the
accomplished but at the same time exceedingly over…productive Lo Kuan
Chang as the beginning of all his evils； he took a solemn oath as a
mark of disapproval that he had not been content to inscribe on paper
only half of his brilliant thoughts； leaving the other half for the
benefit of this hard…striving and equally well…endowed individual； in
which case there would have been a sufficiency of taels and of fame
for both。
〃For a very considerable space of time this person could conceive no
method by which he might attain his object。 At length； however； as a
result of very keen and subtle intellectual searching； and many
well…selected sacrifices； it was conveyed by means of a dream that one
very ingenious yet simple way was possible。 The renowned and
universally…admired writings of the distinguished Lo Kuan for the most
part take their action within a few dynasties of their creator's own
time： all that remained for this inventive person to accomplish；
therefore； was to trace out the entire matter； making the words and
speeches to proceed from the mouths of those who existed in still
earlier periods。 By this crafty method it would at once appear as
though the not…too…original Lo Kuan had been indebted to one who came
before him for all his most subtle th
