The Wallet of Kai Lung

by Ernest Bramah

  XII

  Chang-ch'un, the brother of the one to whom Ling had applied in hisdetermination, was confidently stated to be one of the richest personsin Canton. So great was the number of enterprises in which he hadpossessions, that he himself was unable to keep an account of them,and it was asserted that upon occasions he had run through the streets,crying aloud that such an undertaking had been the subject of mostinferior and uninviting dreams and omens (a custom observed by those whowish a venture ill), whereas upon returning and consulting his writtenparchments, it became plain to him that he had indulged in a veryobjectionable exhibition, as he himself was the person most interestedin the success of the matter. Far from discouraging him, however, suchincidents tended to his advantage, as he could consistently point tothem in proof of his unquestionable commercial honourableness, and inthis way many persons of all classes, not only in Canton, or in theProvince, but all over the Empire, would unhesitatingly entrust moneyto be placed in undertakings which he had purchased and was willing todescribe as "of much good." A certain class of printed leaves--those inwhich Chang-ch'un did not insert purchased mentions of his forthcomingventures or verses recording his virtues (in return for buying manyexamples of the printed leaf containing them)--took frequent occasion ofreminding persons that Chang-ch'un owed the beginning of his prosperityto finding a written parchment connected with a Mandarin of exalted rankand a low caste attendant at the Ti-i tea-house among the paperheaps, which it was at that time his occupation to assort into variousdepartments according to their quality and commercial value. Suchprinted leaves freely and unhesitatingly predicted that the day on whichhe would publicly lose face was incomparably nearer than that on whichthe Imperial army would receive its back pay, and in a quaint andgravity-removing manner advised him to protect himself against anobscure but inevitable poverty by learning the accomplishment ofchair-carrying--an occupation for which his talents and achievementsfitted him in a high degree, they remarked.

  In spite of these evilly intentioned remarks, and of illustrationsrepresenting him as being bowstrung for treacherous killing, beingseized in the action of secretly conveying money from passers-by tohimself and other similar annoying references to his private life,Chang-ch'un did not fail to prosper, and his undertakings succeeded tosuch an extent that without inquiry into the detail many persons werecontent to describe as "gold-lined" anything to which he affixed hissign, and to hazard their savings for staking upon the ventures. In allother departments of life Chang was equally successful; his chief wifewas the daughter of one who stood high in the Emperor's favour; hisrepast table was never unsupplied with sea-snails, rats' tongues,or delicacies of an equally expensive nature, and it was confidentlymaintained that there was no official in Canton, not even putting asidethe Taotai, who dare neglect to fondle Chang's hand if he publiclyoffered it to him for that purpose.

  It was at the most illustrious point of his existence--at the time,indeed, when after purchasing without money the renowned and proficientcharm-water Ho-Ko for a million taels, he had sold it again forten--that Chang was informed by his brother of the circumstancesconnected with Ling. After becoming specially assured that the matterwas indeed such as it was represented to be, Chang at once discernedthat the venture was of too certain and profitable a nature to be putbefore those who entrusted their money to him in ordinary and doubtfulcases. He accordingly called together certain persons whom he wasdesirous of obliging, and informing them privately and apartfrom business terms that the opportunity was one of exceptionalattractiveness, he placed the facts before them. After displaying anumber of diagrams bearing upon the mater, he proposed that they shouldform an enterprise to be called "The Ling (After Death) Without MuchRisk Assembly." The manner of conducting this undertaking he explainedto be as follows: The body of Ling, whenever the spirit left it, shouldbecome as theirs to be used for profit. For this benefit they would payLing fifty thousand taels when the understanding was definitely arrivedat, five thousand taels each year until the matter ended, and when thatperiod arrived another fifty thousand taels to persons depending uponhim during his life. Having stated the figure business, Chang-ch'unput down his written papers, and causing his face to assume the look ofirrepressible but dignified satisfaction which it was his custom to wearon most occasions, and especially when he had what appeared at firstsight to be evil news to communicate to public assemblages of thosewho had entrusted money to his ventures, he proceeded to disclose theadvantages of such a system. At the extreme, he said, the amount whichthey would be required to pay would be two hundred and fiftythousand taels; but this was in reality a very misleading view of thecircumstance, as he would endeavour to show them. For one detail, he hadallotted to Ling thirty years of existence, which was the extreme amountaccording to the calculations of those skilled in such prophecies; but,as they were all undoubtedly aware, persons of very expert intellectswere known to enjoy a much shorter period of life than the gross andordinary, and as Ling was clearly one of the former, by the fact of hiscontriving so ingenious a method of enriching himself, they might withreasonable foresight rely upon his departing when half the period hadbeen attained; in that way seventy-five thousand taels would be restoredto them, for every year represented a saving of five thousand. Anotheragreeable contemplation was that of the last sum, for by such a timethey would have arrived at the most pleasurable part of the enterprise:a million taels' worth of pure gold would be displayed before them, andthe question of the final fifty thousand could be disposed of by cuttingoff an arm or half a leg. Whether they adopted that course, or decidedto increase their fortunes by exposing so exceptional and symmetrical awonder to the public gaze in all the principal cities of the Empire, wasa circumstance which would have to be examined within their minds whenthe time approached. In such a way the detail of purchase stoodrevealed as only fifty thousand taels in reality, a sum so despicablyinsignificant that he had internal pains at mentioning it to so wealthya group of Mandarins, and he had not yet made clear to them that eachyear they would receive gold to the amount of almost a thousand taels.This would be the result of Ling making smooth his surfaces, and itwould enable them to know that the person in question actually existed,and to keep the circumstances before their intellects.

  When Chang-Ch'un had made the various facts clear to this extent, thosewho were assembled expressed their feelings as favourably turned towardsthe project, provided the tests to which Ling was to be put should proveencouraging, and a secure and intelligent understanding of things to bedone and not to be done could be arrived at between them. To this endLing was brought into the chamber, and fixing his thoughts steadfastlyupon Mian, he permitted portions to be cut from various parts of hisbody without betraying any signs of ignoble agitation. No sooner hadthe pieces been separated and the virtue of Ling's existence passed fromthem than they changed colour and hardened, nor could the most delicateand searching trials to which they were exposed by a skilful workerin metals, who was obtained for the purpose, disclose any particular,however minute, in which they differed from the finest gold. The hair,the nails, and the teeth were similarly affected, and even Ling'sblood dried into a fine gold powder. This detail of the trial beingsuccessfully completed, Ling subjected himself to intricate questioningon all matters connected with his religion and manner of conductinghimself, both in public and privately, the history and behaviour of hisancestors, the various omens and remarkable sayings which had referenceto his life and destiny, and the intentions which he then possessedregarding his future movements and habits of living. All the wisesayings and written and printed leaves which made any allusion to theexistence of and possibility of discovery of the wonderful gold fluidwere closely examined, and found to be in agreement, whereupon thosepresent made no further delay in admitting that the facts were indeedas they had been described, and indulged in a dignified stroking ofeach other's faces as an expression of pleasure and in proof of theirsatisfaction at taking part in so entrancing and remunerative an affair.At Chang's command many rare and expe
nsive wines were then broughtin, and partaken of without restraint by all persons, the repast beinglightened by numerous well-considered and gravity-removing jests havingreference to Ling and the unusual composition of his person. So amiablywere the hours occupied that it was past the time of no light when Changrose and read at full length the statement of things to be done andthings not to be done, which was to be sealed by Ling for his part andthe other persons who were present for theirs. It so happened, however,that at that period Ling's mind was filled with brilliant and versatilethoughts and images of Mian, and many-hued visions of the manner inwhich they would spend the entrancing future which was now before them,and in this way it chanced that he did not give any portion of hisintellect to the reading, mistaking it, indeed, for a delicate and veryably-composed set of verses which Chang-ch'un was reciting as a formalblessing on parting. Nor was it until he was desired to affix hissign that Ling discovered his mistake, and being of too respectful andunobtrusive a disposition to require the matter to be repeated then, hecarried out the obligation without in any particular understanding thewritten words to which he was agreeing.

  As Ling walked through the streets to his chamber after leaving thehouse and company of Chang-Ch'un, holding firmly among his garments thethin printed papers to the amount of fifty thousand taels which he hadreceived, and repeatedly speaking to himself in terms of general andspecific encouragement at the fortunate events of the past few days, hebecame aware that a person of mean and rapacious appearance, whom hehad some memory of having observed within the residence he had butjust left, was continually by his side. Not at first doubting thatthe circumstance resulted from a benevolent desire on the part ofChang-ch'un that he should be protected on his passage through the city,Ling affected not to observe the incident; but upon reaching his owndoor the person in question persistently endeavoured to pass in also.Forming a fresh judgment about the matter, Ling, who was very powerfullyconstructed, and whose natural instincts were enhanced in every degreeby the potent fluid of which he had lately partaken, repeatedly threwhim across the street until he became weary of the diversion. Atlength, however, the thought arose that one who patiently submittedto continually striking the opposite houses with his head must havesomething of importance to communicate, whereupon he courteously invitedhim to enter the apartment and unweigh his mind.

  "The facts of the case appear to have been somewhat inadequatelyrepresented," said the stranger, bowing obsequiously, "for thisunornamental person was assured by the benignant Chang-ch'un that theone whose shadow he was to become was of a mild and forbearing nature."

  "Such words are as the conversation of birds to me," replied Ling, notconjecturing how the matter had fallen about. "This person has just leftthe presence of the elegant and successful Chang-ch'un, and no word thathe spoke gave indication of such a follower or such a service."

  "Then it is indeed certain that the various transactions have not beenfully understood," exclaimed the other, "for the exact communication tothis unseemly one was, 'The valuable and enlightened Ling has heard andagreed to the different things to be done and not to be done, onephrase of which arranges for your continual presence, so that he willanticipate your attentions.'"

  At these words the truth became as daylight before Ling's eyes, andhe perceived that the written paper to which he had affixed his signcontained the detail of such an office as that of the person before him.When too late, more than ever did he regret that he had not formed somepretext for causing the document to be read a second time, as in view ofhis immediate intentions such an arrangement as the one to which he hadagreed had every appearance of becoming of an irksome and perplexingnature. Desiring to know the length of the attendant's commands, Lingasked him for a clear statement of his duties, feigning that he hadmissed that portion of the reading through a momentary attack of thegiddy sickness. To this request the stranger, who explained that hisname was Wang, instantly replied that his written and spoken orderswere: never to permit more than an arm's length of space to separatethem; to prevent, by whatever force was necessary for the purpose, allattempts at evading the things to be done and not to be done, and toignore as of no interest all other circumstances. It seemed to Ling,in consequence, that little seclusion would be enjoyed unless anarrangement could be effected between Wang and himself; so to this end,after noticing the evident poverty and covetousness of the person inquestion, he made him an honourable offer of frequent rewards, provideda greater distance was allowed to come between them as soon as Si-chowwas reached. On his side, Ling undertook not to break through thewording of the things to be done and not to be done, and to notify toWang any movements upon which he meditated. In this reputable mannerthe obstacle was ingeniously removed, and the intelligent nature of thedevice was clearly proved by the fact that not only Ling but Wang alsohad in the future a much greater liberty of action than would havebeen possible if it had been necessary to observe the short-sighted andevidently hastily-thought-of condition which Chang-ch'un had endeavouredto impose.