the wallet of kai lung-第40部分

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returned　to　the　dwelling；　remarking　that　otherwise　her　absence　might



be　detected　and　the　entire　circumstance　thereby　discovered；　leaving



Yang　Hu　to　continue　his　journey　and　again　present　himself　before　Tung



Fel；　as　he　had　been　instructed。







Tung　Fel　was　engaged　with　brush　and　ink　when　Yang　Hu　entered。　Round



him　were　many　written　parchments；　some　venerable　with　age；　and　a



variety　of　other　matters；　among　which　might　be　clearly　perceived



weapons；　and　devices　for　reading　the　future。　He　greeted　Yang　with　many



tokens　of　dignified　respect；　and　with　an　evidently　restrained　emotion



led　him　towards　the　light　of　a　hanging　lantern；　where　he　gazed　into



his　face　for　a　considerable　period　with　every　indication　of



exceptional　concern。







〃Yang　Hu；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃at　such　a　moment　many　dark　and



searching　thoughts　may　naturally　arise　in　the　mind　concerning　objects



and　reasons；　omens；　and　the　moving　cycle　of　events。　Yet　in　all　these；



out　of　a　wisdom　gained　by　deep　endurance　and　a　hardly…won　experience



beyond　the　common　lot；　this　person　would　say；　Be　content。　The　hand　of



destiny；　though　it　may　at　times　appear　to　move　in　a　devious　manner；　is



ever　approaching　its　appointed　aim。　To　this　end　were　you　chosen。〃







〃The　choice　was　openly　made　by　wise　and　proficient　omens；〃　replied



Yang　Hu；　without　any　display　of　uncertainty　of　purpose；　〃and　this



person　is　content。〃







Tung　Fel　then　administered　to　Yang　the　Oath　of　Buddha's　Face　and　the



One　called　the　Unutterable　（which　may　not　be　further　described　in



written　words）　thereby　binding　his　body　and　soul；　and　the　souls　and



repose　of　all　who　had　gone　before　him　in　direct　line　and　all　who



should　in　a　like　manner　follow　after；　to　the　accomplishment　of　the



design。　All　spoken　matter　being　thus　complete　between　them；　he　gave



him　a　mask　with　which　he　should　pass　unknown　through　the　streets　and



into　the　presence　of　Ping　Siang；　a　variety　of　weapons　to　use　as　the



occasion　arose；　and　a　sign　by　which　the　attendants　at　the　Yamen　would



admit　him　without　further　questioning。







As　Yang　Hu　passed　through　the　streets　of　Ching…fow；　which　were　in　a



great　measure　deserted　owing　to　the　command　of　Tung　Fel；　he　was　aware



of　many　mournful　and　foreboding　sounds　which　accompanied　him　on　all



sides；　while　shadowy　faces；　bearing　signs　of　intolerable　anguish　and



despair；　continually　formed　themselves　out　of　the　wind。　By　the　time　he



reached　the　Yamen　a　tempest　of　exceptional　violence　was　in　progress；



nor　were　other　omens　absent　which　tended　to　indicate　that　matters　of　a



very　unpropitious　nature　were　about　to　take　place。







At　each　successive　door　of　the　Yamen　the　attendant　stepped　back　and



covered　his　face；　so　that　he　should　by　no　chance　perceive　who　had　come



upon　so　destructive　a　mission；　the　instant　Yang　Hu　uttered　the　sign



with　which　Tung　Fel　had　provided　him。　In　this　manner　Yang　quickly



reached　the　door　of　the　inner　chamber　upon　which　was　inscribed：　〃Let



the　person　who　comes　with　a　doubtful　countenance；　unbidden；　or



meditating　treachery；　remember　the　curse　and　manner　of　death　which



attended　Lai　Kuen；　who　slew　the　one　over　him；　so　shall　he　turn　and　go



forth　in　safety。〃　This　unworthy　safeguard　at　the　hands　of　a　person　who



passed　his　entire　life　in　altering　the　fixed　nature　of　justice；　and



who　never　went　beyond　his　outer　gate　without　an　armed　company　of



bowmen；　inspired　Yang　Hu　with　so　incautious　a　contempt；　that　without



any　hesitation　he　draw　forth　his　brush　and　ink；　and　in　a　spirit　of



bitter　signification　added　the　words；　〃'Come；　let　us　eat　together；'



said　the　wolf　to　the　she…goat。〃







Being　now　within　a　step　of　Ping　Siang　and　the　completion　of　his



undertaking；　Yang　Hu　drew　tighter　the　cords　of　his　mask；　tested　and



proved　his　weapons；　and　then；　without　further　delay；　threw　open　the



door　before　him　and　stepped　into　the　chamber；　barring　the　door　quickly



so　that　no　person　might　leave　or　enter　without　his　consent。







At　this　interruption　and　manner　of　behaving；　which　clearly　indicated



the　nature　of　the　errand　upon　which　the　person　before　him　had　come；



Ping　Siang　rose　from　his　couch　and　stretched　out　his　hand　towards　a



gong　which　lay　beside　him。







〃All　summonses　for　aid　are　now　unavailing；　Ping　Siang；〃　exclaimed



Yang；　without　in　any　measure　using　delicate　or　set　phrases　of　speech；



〃for；　as　you　have　doubtless　informed　yourself；　the　slaves　of　tyrants



are　the　first　to　welcome　the　downfall　of　their　lord。〃







〃The　matter　of　your　speech　is　as　emptiness　to　this　person；〃　replied



the　Mandarin；　affecting　with　extreme　difficulty　an　appearance　of



no…concern。　〃In　what　manner　has　he　fallen？　And　how　will　the　depraved



and　self…willed　person　before　him　avoid　the　well…deserved　tortures



which　certainly　await　him　in　the　public　square　on　the　morrow；　as　the



reward　of　his　intolerable　presumptions？〃







〃O　Mandarin；〃　cried　Yang　Hu；　〃the　fitness　and　occasion　for　such



speeches　as　the　one　to　which　you　have　just　given　utterance　lie　as　far



behind　you　as　the　smoke　of　yesterday's　sacrifice。　With　what　manner　of



eyes　have　you　frequently　journeyed　through　Ching…fow　of　late；　if　the



signs　and　omens　there　have　not　already　warned　you　to　prepare　a　coffin



adequately　designed　to　receive　your　well…proportioned　body？　Has　not



the　pungent　vapour　of　burning　houses　assailed　your　senses　at　every



turn；　or　the　salt　tears　from　the　eyes　of　forlorn　ones　dashed　your



peach…tea　and　spiced　foods　with　bitterness？〃







〃Alas！〃　exclaimed　Ping　Siang；　〃this　person　now　certainly　begins　to



perceive　that　many　things　which　he　has　unthinkingly　allowed　would



present　a　very　unendurable　face　to　others。〃







〃In　such　a　manner　has　it　appeared　to　all　Ching…fow；〃　said　Yang　Hu；



〃and　the　justice　of　your　death　has　been　universally　admitted。　Even



should　this　one　fail　there　would　be　an　innumerable　company　eager　to



take　his　place。　Therefore；　O　Ping　Siang；　as　the　only　favour　which　it



is　within　this　person's　power　to　accord；　select　that　which　in　your



opinion　is　the　most　agreeable　manner　and　weapon　for　your　end。〃







〃It　is　truly　said　that　at　the　Final　Gate　of　the　Two　Ways　the　necessity



for　elegant　and　well…chosen　sentences　ends；〃　remarked　Ping　Siang　with



a　sigh；　〃otherwise　the　manner　of　your　address　would　be　open　to



reproach。　By　your　side　this　person　perceives　a　long　and　apparently



highly…tempered　sword；　which；　in　his　opinion；　will　serve　the　purpose



efficiently。　Having　no　remarks　of　an　improving　but　nevertheless



exceedingly　tedious　nature　with　which　to　imprint　the　occasion　for　the



benefit　of　those　who　come　after；　his　only　request　is　that　the　blow



shall　be　an　unhesitating　and　sufficiently　well…directed　one。〃







At　these　words　Yang　Hu　threw　back　his　cloak　to　grasp　the　sword…handle；



when　the　Mandarin；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　naked　arm；　and　evidently



inspired　by　every　manner　of　conflicting　emotions；　uttered　a　cry　of



unspeakable　wonder　and　incomparable　surprise。







〃The　Serpent！〃　he　cried；　in　a　voice　from　which　all　evenness　and



control　were　absent。　〃The　Sacred　Serpent　of　our　Race！　O　mysterious



one；　who　and　whence　are　you？〃







Engulfed　in　an　all…absorbing　doubt　at　the　nature　of　events；　Yang　could



only　gaze　at　the　form　of　the　serpent　which　had　been　clearly　impressed



upon　his　arm　from　the　earliest　time　of　his　remembrance；　while　Ping



Siang；　tearing　the　silk　garment　from　his　own　arm　and　displaying



thereon　a　similar　form；　continued：







〃Behold　the　inevitable　and　unvarying　birthmark　of　our　race！　So　it　was



with　this　person's　father　and　the　ones　before　him；　so　it　was　with　his



treacherously…stolen　son；　so　it　will　be　to　the　end　of　all　time。〃







Trembling　beyond　all　power　of　restraint；　Yang　removed　the　mask　which



had　hitherto　concealed　his　face。







〃Father　or　race　has　this　person　none；〃　he　said；　looking　into　Ping



Siang's　features　with　an　all…engaging　hope；　tempered　in　a　measure　by　a



soul…benumbing　dread；　〃nor　memory　or　tradition　of　an　earlier　state



than　when　he　herded　goats　and　sought　for　jade　in　the　southern



mountains。〃







〃Nevertheless；〃　exclaimed　the　Mandarin；　whose　countenance　was



lightened　with　an　interest　and　a　benevolent　emotion　which　had　never



been　seen　there　before；　〃beyond　all　possibility　of　doubting；　you　are



this　person's　lost　and　greatly…desired　son；　stolen　away　many　years　ago



by　the　treacherous　conduct　of　an　unworthy　woman；　yet　now　happily　and



miraculously　restored　to　cherish　his　declining　years　and　perpetuate　an



honourable　name　and　race。〃







〃Happily！〃　exclaimed　Yang；　with　fervent　indications　of　uncontrollable



bitterness。　〃Oh；　my　illustrious　sire；　at　whose　venerated　feet　this



unworthy　person　now　prostrates　himself　with　well…merited　marks　of



reverence　and　self…abasement；　has　the　errand　upon　which　an　ignoble　son



enteredthe　every　memory　of　which　now　causes　him　the　acutest　agony　of



the　lost；　but　which　nevertheless　he　is　pledged　to　Tung　Fel　by　the



Unutterable　Oath　to　performhas　this　unnatural　and　eternally　cursed



thing　escaped　your　versatile　mind？〃







〃Tung　Fel！〃　cried　Ping　Siang。　〃Is；　then；　this　blow　also　by　the　hand　of



that　malicious　and　vindictive　person？　Oh；　what　a　cycle　of　events　and



interchanging　lines　of　destiny　do　your　words　disclose！〃







〃Who；　then；　is　Tung　Fel；　my　revered　Father？〃　demanded　Yang。







〃It　is　a　matter　which　must　be　made　clear　from　the　beginning；〃　replied



Ping　Siang。　〃At　one　time　this　person　and　Tung　Fel　wer