The Wallet of Kai Lung

by Ernest Bramah

  XV

  After the departure of Ling from Canton, the commercial affairs ofChang-ch'un began, from a secret and undetectable cause, to assume anill-regulated condition. No venture which he undertook maintained aprofitable attitude, so that many persons who in former times had beencontent to display the printed papers setting forth his name andvirtues in an easily-seen position in their receiving-rooms, now placedthemselves daily before his house in order to accuse him of using theirtaels in ways which they themselves had not sufficiently understood, andfor the purpose of warning passers-by against his inducements. It wasin vain that Chang proposed new undertakings, each of an infalliblymore prosperous nature than those before; the persons who had hithertosupported him were all entrusting their money to one named Pung Soo, whorequired millions where Chang had been content with thousands, and whopersistently insisted on greeting the sacred Emperor as an equal.

  In this unenviable state Chang's mind continually returned to thoughtsof Ling, whose lifeless body would so opportunely serve to dispel theembarrassing perplexities of existence which were settling thickly abouthim. Urged forward by a variety of circumstances which placed him inan entirely different spirit from the honourable bearing which he hadformerly maintained, he now closely examined all the papers connectedwith the matter, to discover whether he might not be able to effect hispurpose with an outward exhibition of law forms. While engaged in thisdegrading occupation, a detail came to his notice which caused him tobecome very amiably disposed and confident of success. Proceeding withthe matter, he caused a well-supported report to be spread about thatLing was suffering from a wasting sickness, which, without in anymeasure shortening his life, would cause him to return to the size andweight of a newly-born child, and being by these means enabled to securethe entire matter of "The Ling (After Death) Without Much Risk Assembly"at a very small outlay, he did so, and then, calling together a companyof those who hire themselves out for purposes of violence, journeyed toSi-chow.

  Ling and Mian were seated together at a table in the great room,examining a vessel of some clear liquid, when Chang-ch'un entered withhis armed ones, in direct opposition to the general laws of ordinaryconduct and the rulings of hospitality. At the sight, which plainlyindicated a threatened display of violence, Ling seized his renownedsword, which was never far distant from him, and prepared to carry outhis spoken vow, that any person overstepping a certain mark on the floorwould assuredly fall.

  "Put away your undoubtedly competent weapon, O Ling," said Chang, whowas desirous that the matter should be arranged if possible without anyloss to himself, "for such a course can be honourably adopted when itis taken into consideration that we are as twenty to one, and have,moreover, the appearance of being inspired by law forms."

  "There are certain matters of allowed justice which over-rule allother law forms," replied Ling, taking a surer hold of his sword-grasp."Explain, for your part, O obviously double-dealing Chang-ch'un, fromwhom this person only recently parted on terms of equality and courtesy,why you come not with an agreeable face and a peaceful following,but with a countenance which indicates both violence and terror, andaccompanied by many whom this person recognizes as the most outcast anddegraded from the narrow and evil-smelling ways of Canton?"

  "In spite of your blustering words," said Chang, with some attempt at anexhibition of dignity, "this person is endowed by every right, andcomes only for the obtaining, by the help of this expert and proficientgathering, should such a length become necessary, of his just claims.Understand that in the time since the venture was arranged this personhas become possessed of all the property of 'The Ling (After Death)Without Much Risk Assembly,' and thereby he is competent to act fullyin the matter. It has now come within his attention that the one Lingto whom the particulars refer is officially dead, and as the writtenand sealed document clearly undertook that the person's body was to bedelivered up for whatever use the Assembly decided whenever death shouldpossess it, this person has now come for the honourable carrying out ofthe undertaking."

  At these words the true nature of the hidden contrivance into which hehad fallen descended upon Ling like a heavy and unavoidable thunderbolt.Nevertheless, being by nature and by reason of his late exploitsfearless of death, except for the sake of the loved one by his side, hebetrayed no sign of discreditable emotion at the discovery.

  "In such a case," he replied, with an appearance of entirelydisregarding the danger of the position, "the complete parchment must beof necessity overthrown; for if this person is now officially dead, hewas equally so at the time of sealing, and arrangements entered into bydead persons have no actual existence."

  "That is a matter which has never been efficiently decided," admittedChang-ch'un, with no appearance of being thrown into a state ofconfusion at the suggestion, "and doubtless the case in question can byvarious means be brought in the end before the Court of Final Settlementat Peking, where it may indeed be judged in the manner you assert. Butas such a process must infallibly consume the wealth of a province andthe years of an ordinary lifetime, and as it is this person's unmovedintention to carry out his own view of the undertaking without delay,such speculations are not matters of profound interest."

  Upon this Chang gave certain instructions to his followers, whothereupon prepared to advance. Perceiving that the last detail of theaffair had been arrived at, Ling threw back his hanging garment, andwas on the point of rushing forward to meet them, when Mian, who hadmaintained a possessed and reliant attitude throughout, pushed towardshim the vessel of pure and sparkling liquid with which they had beenengaged when so presumptuously broken in upon, at the same time speakingto him certain words in an outside language. A new and Heaven-sentconfidence immediately took possession of Ling, and striking his swordagainst the wall with such irresistible force that the entire chambertrembled and the feeble-minded assassins shrank back in unrestrainedterror, he leapt upon the table, grasping in one hand the open vessel.

  "Behold the end, O most uninventive and slow-witted Chang-ch'un!" hecried in a dreadful and awe-compelling voice. "As a reward for yourfaithless and traitorous behaviour, learn how such avaricious-mindedincompetence turns and fastens itself upon the vitals of those who begetit. In spite of many things which were not of a graceful naturetowards him, this person has unassumingly maintained his part of theundertaking, and would have followed such a course conscientiously tothe last. As it is, when he has made an end of speaking, the bodywhich you are already covetously estimating in taels will in no waybe distinguishable from that of the meanest and most ordinary maker ofcommercial ventures in Canton. For, behold! the fluid which he holds inhis hand, and which it is his fixed intention to drain to the last drop,is in truth nothing but a secret and exceedingly powerful counteractoragainst the virtues of the gold drug; and though but a single particlepassed his lips, and the swords of your brilliant and versatilemurderers met the next moment in his breast, the body which fell at yourfeet would be meet for worms rather than for the melting-pot."

  It was indeed such a substance as Ling represented it to be, Mianhaving discovered it during her very systematic examination of the deadmagician's inner room. Its composition and distillation had involvedthat self-opinionated person in many years of arduous toil, for with asomewhat unintelligent lack of foresight he had obstinately determinedto perfect the antidote before he turned his attention to the drugitself. Had the matter been more ingeniously arranged, he wouldundoubtedly have enjoyed an earlier triumph and an affluent andrespected old age.

  At Ling's earnest words and prepared attitude an instant conviction ofthe truth of his assertions took possession of Chang. Therefore, seeingnothing but immediate and unevadable ruin at the next step, he calledout in a loud and imploring voice that he should desist, and no harmwould come upon him. To this Ling consented, first insisting that thefollowers should be dismissed without delay, and Chang alone remain tohave conversation on the matter. By this just act the lower parts ofCanton were greatly purified, for the persons in question bein
g drivenforth into the woods, mostly perished by encounters with wild animals,or at the hands of the enraged villagers, to whom Ling had by this timebecome greatly endeared.

  When the usual state had been restored, Ling made clear to Chang thealtered nature of the conditions to which he would alone agree. "It isa noble-minded and magnanimous proposal on your part, and one to whichthis misguided person had no claim," admitted Chang, as he affixed hisseal to the written undertaking and committed the former parchment tobe consumed by fire. By this arrangement it was agreed that Ling shouldreceive only one-half of the yearly payment which had formerly beenpromised, and that no sum of taels should become due to those dependingon him at his death. In return for these valuable allowances, there wereto exist no details of things to be done and not to be done, Ling merelygiving an honourable promise to observe the matter in a just spirit,while--most esteemed of all--only a portion of his body was to pass toChang when the end arrived, the upper part remaining to embellish thefamily altar and receive the veneration of posterity.

  * * * * *

  As the great sky-lantern rose above the trees and the time of no-noisefell upon the woods, a flower-laden pleasure-junk moved away from itsrestraining cords, and, without any sense of motion, gently bore Lingand Mian between the sweet-smelling banks of the Heng-Kiang. PresentlyMian drew from beneath her flowing garment an instrument of stringedwood, and touching it with a quick but delicate stroke, like the flightand pausing of a butterfly, told in well-balanced words a refinednarrative of two illustrious and noble-looking persons, and how, aftermany disagreeable evils and unendurable separations, they entered upon adestined state of earthly prosperity and celestial favour. When she madean end of the verses, Ling turned the junk's head by one well-directedstroke of the paddle, and prepared by using similar means to return tothe place of mooring.

  "Indeed," he remarked, ceasing for a moment to continue this skilfuloccupation, "the words which you have just spoken might, withoutinjustice, be applied to the two persons who are now conversingtogether. For after suffering misfortunes and wrongs beyond anappropriate portion, they have now reached that period of existence whena tranquil and contemplative future is assured to them. In this manneris the sage and matured utterance of the inspired philosopher Nien-tsuagain proved: that the life of every person is largely composed of twovarieties of circumstances which together build up his existence--theGood and the Evil."

  THE END OF THE STORY OF LING