The War Tiger
Page 32
CHAPTER XXX.
A LARGE STOCK OF LADIES, TWO TAELS PER SACK.
Previously to his successful march upon Pekin, Li-Kong had besieged thecapital of the great province of Honan, which, after a few days' hardfighting, he succeeded in taking; when by way of punishing theinhabitants for their brave resistance, he ordered a slaughter so largeand indiscriminate that for many after years his name was used as abugbear to frighten children; so insatiable was his appetite fordecapitation, that, like Nero, he longed that the millions had but oneneck, that he might strike the whole of their heads at a blow.
The mightiest rivers, however, can but run their course, and so atlength, in the event of his making himself Emperor, he might have somesubjects left, he commenced to banish and to pardon, and by way ofrewarding his soldiers, one day when he was in a good humor, hecommanded them to sell the whole of the remaining women prisoners in thepublic market-place, and keep the money; but as the soldiers asked suchhigh prices, and the fathers, husbands, and brothers, of Honan, had beenrobbed of their property, after a two days' sale a large stock ofladies remained on hand, which they were obliged to take with them toPekin, where, after the conquest, they hoped to obtain better prices.
Tyrants are, however, capricious; and so, being offended with hissoldiers for not discovering the princess, with hideous humor Li-Kongordered the women to be placed in sacks, and sold with other plunder attwo taels each.
Now it so happened that on the morning of the sale, Chow was passingthrough the market-place, and seeing a crowd of people examining thesacks, which were arranged in rows and tied at the necks, with smallbreathing holes near the top, he stopped to watch the progress of thecruel comedy. Anxious fathers, brothers, and husbands, who had followedthe army from Honan, for the purpose of rescuing their female relatives,bought sack after sack at the reduced price, each, when the purchase wascompleted, tearing them open; the greater number, however, giving ventto fearful cries, when they discovered that their chance in the lotteryproved a blank; others, recognizing a wife, daughter, or sister, wouldbecome almost frantic with joy. Many, before purchasing, would slipbehind a sack, rip it with a knife, to have a peep, and get rewardedwith a sound caning for their artfulness.
Well there were only half a ton, or at least five sacks of ladies leftfor disposal, when a great lout of a countryman drew up in his cart,jumped out, and after looking at his almanac, said, "Truly this is afortunate day, and I am likely to get a good wife cheap; so, althoughtwo taels is all I have obtained for my last crop of rice, I will trustto Fo; for young or old, handsome or ugly, I must have a wife to help metill my grounds." Just then a shrill scream issued from one of thesacks. "Who knows," continued the countryman, "but the gods may havesent that scream to direct my choice, for if the woman is neither youngnor pretty she may be well dressed, and, consequently the wife ordaughter of some wealthy mandarin, who will purchase her of me, and somake my fortune?"
"Let the noble paddy bird make his choice quickly," said a soldier.
"There are the two taels, most illustrious war tiger," said thecountryman, giving the money and taking his choice.
"We will see thy choice," said one of the soldiers, about to open thesack.
"Nay, illustrious soldier, it would offend the gods if other eyes butmine saw my prize." So saying, the man took the sack up in his hugearms, lifted it into the cart, and drove slowly away, followed by Chow,who was curious to discover the kind of prize the wise-acre had drawn.
Unable to restrain his curiosity, the man no sooner reached anunfrequented part of the suburbs than he stopped by the bank of a canal,pulled a knife from his pocket, ripped open the sack; but then a changecame o'er his dream, for with his body bent double, his two hands uponhis knees, and his bullet head thrown to the extreme stretching of hisneck, he stared with disgust for at least a minute, then in a paroxysmof rage, the disappointed ruffian placed his hands upon the woman'sshoulders, screaming, "Thou vile old bamboo stick!"
The trembling woman fell upon her knees and prayed for mercy.
"Has the wretched woman no friend who will purchase her?"
"Truly the friends and relations of thy servant have been slain by thesoldiers; she has no friend in the world."
"Thou hast robbed me of my money, thou antique rat, and shall bepunished," said the brute, who, first striking her to the ground, pickedher up in his arms, and would have thrown her into the canal but forChow, who, going to the back of the cart, caught hold of the man's legsand dragged him on to the ground, when, not comprehending the whereforeof his wheelbarrow position, the fellow began to roar for mercy, butturning his face and finding his enemy to be a mere youth, he sprangupon his legs and attacked him with his clenched fists. For a time theyhad a hard fight, after the fashion of the Chinese, who are as muchgiven to that sport, pastime, or brutality, as the English themselves.At length, however, with one well-directed blow, Chow settled thetransaction, when, admitting himself to be soundly thrashed, as allwomen-beaters should be, the bully fell upon his knees, and said, thatif the woman were a relation he was sorry for what he had done in themoment of vexation at losing his money, and moreover, begged that Chowwould purchase her again for half the amount he had paid.
"Take the whole, thou miserable dog," said Chow, throwing down two taelsthat Nicholas had given him in the morning, to purchase a thick robe forthe voyage to Leao-tong, then, lifting the poor creature from the cart,he laid her upon the bank of the canal, and by dashing water in her facebrought her to her senses. But why does Chow suddenly fall at her feet,kiss the hem of her garment, take both her hands in his own, gaze in herface for a moment, and then, throwing his arms around her neck, sob likean infant. Surely there was some good reason for such strangeconduct?--We shall see.