The Wallet of Kai Lung

by Ernest Bramah

  CHAPTER VIII. THE VISION OF YIN, THE SON OF YAT HUANG

  When Yin, the son of Yat Huang, had passed beyond the years assignedto the pursuit of boyhood, he was placed in the care of the hunchbackQuang, so that he might be fully instructed in the management of thevarious weapons used in warfare, and also in the art of stratagem, bywhich a skilful leader is often enabled to conquer when opposed to anotherwise overwhelming multitude. In all these accomplishments Quangexcelled to an exceptional degree; for although unprepossessing inappearance he united matchless strength to an untiring subtlety. Noother person in the entire Province of Kiang-si could hurl a javelin sounerringly while uttering sounds of terrifying menace, or could causehis sword to revolve around him so rapidly, while his face lookedout from the glittering circles with an expression of ill-intentionedmalignity that never failed to inspire his adversary with irrepressibleemotions of alarm. No other person could so successfully feign tobe devoid of life for almost any length of time, or by his manner ofbehaving create the fixed impression that he was one of insufficientunderstanding, and therefore harmless. It was for these reasons thatQuang was chosen as the instructor of Yin by Yat Huang, who, withoutpossessing any official degree, was a person to whom marks of obeisancewere paid not only within his own town, but for a distance of many liaround it.

  At length the time arrived when Yin would in the ordinary course ofevents pass from the instructorship of Quang in order to devote himselfto the commerce in which his father was engaged, and from time to timethe unavoidable thought arose persistently within his mind that althoughYat Huang doubtless knew better than he did what the circumstances ofthe future required, yet his manner of life for the past years was notsuch that he could contemplate engaging in the occupation of buying andselling porcelain clay with feelings of an overwhelming interest. Quang,however, maintained with every manifestation of inspired assurance thatYat Huang was to be commended down to the smallest detail, inasmuchas proficiency in the use of both blunt and sharp-edged weapons, and afaculty for passing undetected through the midst of an encamped bodyof foemen, fitted a person for the every-day affairs of life above allother accomplishments.

  "Without doubt the very accomplished Yat Huan is well advised on thispoint," continued Quang, "for even this mentally short-sighted personcan call up within his understanding numerous specific incidents in theordinary career of one engaged in the commerce of porcelain clay whensuch attainments would be of great remunerative benefit. Does thewell-endowed Yin think, for example, that even the most depraved personwould endeavour to gain an advantage over him in the matter of buying orselling porcelain clay if he fully understood the fact that the one withwhom he was trafficking could unhesitatingly transfix four persons withone arrow at the distance of a hundred paces? Or to what advantage wouldit be that a body of unscrupulous outcasts who owned a field of inferiorclay should surround it with drawn swords by day and night, endeavouringmeanwhile to dispose of it as material of the finest quality, if the onewhom they endeavoured to ensnare in this manner possessed the power ofbeing able to pass through their ranks unseen and examine the clay athis leisure?"

  "In the cases to which reference has been made, the possession of thosequalities would undoubtedly be of considerable use," admitted Yin; yet,in spite of his entire ignorance of commercial matters, this one has aconfident feeling that it would be more profitable to avoid such verydoubtful forms of barter altogether rather than spend eight yearsin acquiring the arts by which to defeat them. "That, however, is aquestion which concerns this person's virtuous and engaging father morethan his unworthy self, and his only regret is that no opportunity hasoffered by which he might prove that he has applied himself diligentlyto your instruction and example, O amiable Quang."

  It had long been a regret to Quang also that no incident of a disturbingnature had arisen whereby Yin could have shown himself proficient in themethods of defence and attack which he had taught him. This deficiencyhe had endeavoured to overcome, as far as possible, by constructinglife-like models of all the most powerful and ferocious types ofwarriors and the fiercest and most relentless animals of the forest,so that Yin might become familiar with their appearance and discover inwhat manner each could be the most expeditiously engaged.

  "Nevertheless," remarked Quang, on an occasion when Yin appeared to becovered with honourable pride at having approached an unusually largeand repulsive-looking tiger so stealthily that had the animal beenreally alive it would certainly have failed to perceive him, "suchaccomplishments are by no means to be regarded as conclusive inthemselves. To steal insidiously upon a destructively-included wildbeast and transfix it with one well-directed blow of a spear is attendedby difficulties and emotions which are entirely absent in the case of awickerwork animal covered with canvas-cloth, no matter how deceptive inappearance the latter may be."

  To afford Yin a more trustworthy example of how he should engage withan adversary of formidable proportions, Quang resolved upon an ingeniousplan. Procuring the skin of a grey wolf, he concealed himself within it,and in the early morning, while the mist-damp was still upon the ground,he set forth to meet Yin, who had on a previous occasion spoken tohim of his intention to be at a certain spot at such an hour. In thisconscientious enterprise, the painstaking Quang would doubtless havebeen successful, and Yin gained an assured proficiency and experience,had it not chanced that on the journey Quang encountered a labourer oflow caste who was crossing the enclosed ground on his way to the ricefield in which he worked. This contemptible and inopportune person,not having at any period of his existence perfected himself in therecognized and elegant methods of attack and defence, did not act inthe manner which would assuredly have been adopted by Yin in similarcircumstances, and for which Quang would have been fully prepared. Onthe contrary, without the least indication of what his intention was,he suddenly struck Quang, who was hesitating for a moment what action totake, a most intolerable blow with a formidable staff which he carried.The stroke in question inflicted itself upon Quang upon that part of thebody where the head becomes connected with the neck, and would certainlyhave been followed by others of equal force and precision had not Quangin the meantime decided that the most dignified course for him to adoptwould be to disclose his name and titles without delay. Upon learningthese facts, the one who stood before him became very grossly andoffensively amused, and having taken from Quang everything of valuewhich he carried among his garments, went on his way, leaving Yin'sinstructor to retrace his steps in unendurable dejection, as he thenfound that he possessed no further interest whatever in the undertaking.

  When Yat Huang was satisfied that his son was sufficiently skilled inthe various arts of warfare, he called him to his inner chamber, andhaving barred the door securely, he placed Yin under a very binding oathnot to reveal, until an appointed period, the matter which he was goingto put before him.

  "From father to son, in unbroken line for ten generations, has such acustom been observed," he said, "for the course of events is not to belightly entered upon. At the commencement of that cycle, which period isnow fully fifteen score years ago, a very wise person chanced to incurthe displeasure of the Emperor of that time, and being in consequencedriven out of the capital, he fled to the mountains. There his subtlediscernment and the pure and solitary existence which he led resulted inhis becoming endowed with faculties beyond those possessed by ordinarybeings. When he felt the end of his earthly career to be at hand hedescended into the plain, where, in a state of great destitution andbodily anguish, he was discovered by the one whom this person hasreferred to as the first of the line of ancestors. In return for thecare and hospitality with which he was unhesitatingly received,the admittedly inspired hermit spent the remainder of his days indetermining the destinies of his rescuer's family and posterity. Itis an undoubted fact that he predicted how one would, by well-directedenterprise and adventure, rise to a position of such eminence in theland that he counselled the details to be kept secret, lest the envyand hostility of the ambitious and unworthy
should be raised. From thiscause it has been customary to reveal the matter fully from fatherto son, at stated periods, and the setting out of the particulars inwritten words has been severely discouraged. Wise as this precautioncertainly was, it has resulted in a very inconvenient state of things;for a remote ancestor--the fifth in line from the beginning--experiencedsuch vicissitudes that he returned from his travels in a state of mostabandoned idiocy, and when the time arrived that he should, in turn,communicate to his son, he was only able to repeat over and over againthe name of the pious hermit to whom the family was so greatly indebted,coupling it each time with a new and markedly offensive epithet. Theessential details of the undertaking having in this manner passed beyondrecall, succeeding generations, which were merely acquainted with thefact that a very prosperous future awaited the one who fulfilled theconditions, have in vain attempted to conform to them. It is not analluring undertaking, inasmuch as nothing of the method to be pursuedcan be learned, except that it was the custom of the early ones, whoheld the full knowledge, to set out from home and return after a periodof years. Yet so clearly expressed was the prophecy, and so great thereward of the successful, that all have eagerly journeyed forth whenthe time came, knowing nothing beyond that which this person has nowunfolded to you."

  When Yat Huang reached the end of the matter which it was his duty todisclose, Yin for some time pondered the circumstances before replying.In spite of a most engaging reverence for everything of a sacred nature,he could not consider the inspired remark of the well-intentioned hermitwithout feelings of a most persistent doubt, for it occurred to him thatif the person in question had really been as wise as he was representedto be, he might reasonably have been expected to avoid the unaccountableerror of offending the enlightened and powerful Emperor under whom helived. Nevertheless, the prospect of engaging in the trade of porcelainclay was less attractive in his eyes than that of setting forth upon ajourney of adventure, so that at length he expressed his willingness toact after the manner of those who had gone before him.

  This decision was received by Yat Huang with an equal intermingling ofthe feelings of delight and concern, for although he would have by nomeans pleasurably contemplated Yin breaking through a venerable andesteemed custom, he was unable to put entirely from him the thought ofthe degrading fate which had overtaken the fifth in line who made theventure. It was, indeed, to guard Yin as much as possible againstthe dangers to which he would become exposed, if he determined on theexpedition, that the entire course of his training had been selected. Inorder that no precaution of a propitious nature should be neglected, YatHuang at once despatched written words of welcome to all with whom hewas acquainted, bidding them partake of a great banquet which he waspreparing to mark the occasion of his son's leave-taking. Every varietyof sacrifice was offered up to the controlling deities, both good andbad; the ten ancestors were continuously exhorted to take Yin undertheir special protection, and sets of verses recording his virtues andambitions were freely distributed among the necessitous and low-castewho could not be received at the feast.

  The dinner itself exceeded in magnificence any similar event thathad ever taken place in Ching-toi. So great was the polished ceremonyobserved on the occasion, that each guest had half a score of cups ofthe finest apricot-tea successively placed before him and taken awayuntasted, while Yat Huang went to each in turn protesting vehementlythat the honour of covering such pure-minded and distinguished personswas more than his badly designed roof could reasonably bear, andwittingly giving an entrancing air of reality to the spoken complimentby begging them to move somewhat to one side so that they might escapethe heavy central beam if the event which he alluded to chanced to takeplace. After several hours had been spent in this congenial occupation,Yat Huang proceeded to read aloud several of the sixteen discourses oneducation which, taken together, form the discriminating and infallibleexample of conduct known as the Holy Edict. As each detail was dweltupon Yin arose from his couch and gave his deliberate testimony thatall the required tests and rites had been observed in his own case.The first part of the repast was then partaken of, the nature of theingredients and the manner of preparing them being fully explained,and in a like manner through each succeeding one of the four-and-fortycourses. At the conclusion Yin again arose, being encouraged by therepeated uttering of his name by those present, and with extreme modestyand brilliance set forth his manner of thinking concerning all subjectswith which he was acquainted.

  Early on the morning of the following day Yin set out on his travels,entirely unaccompanied, and carrying with him nothing beyond a sum ofmoney, a silk robe, and a well-tried and reliable spear. For many dayshe journeyed in a northerly direction, without encountering anythingsufficiently unusual to engage his attention. This, however, wasdoubtless part of a pre-arranged scheme so that he should not be drawnfrom a destined path, for at a small village lying on the southern shoreof a large lake, called by those around Silent Water, he heard of theexistence of a certain sacred island, distant a full day's sailing,which was barren of all forms of living things, and contained only asingle gigantic rock of divine origin and majestic appearance. Manypersons, the villagers asserted, had sailed to the island in the hopeof learning the portent of the rock, but none ever returned, and theythemselves avoided coming even within sight of it; for the sacred stone,they declared, exercised an evil influence over their ships, and would,if permitted, draw them out of their course and towards itself. For thisreason Yin could find no guide, whatever reward he offered, who wouldaccompany him; but having with difficulty succeeded in hiring a smallboat of inconsiderable value, he embarked with food, incense, andmaterials for building fires, and after rowing consistently for nearlythe whole of the day, came within sight of the island at evening.Thereafter the necessity of further exertion ceased, for, as they of thevillage had declared would be the case, the vessel moved gently forward,in an unswerving line, without being in any way propelled, and reachingits destination in a marvellously short space of time, passed behind aprotecting spur of land and came to rest. It then being night, Yin didno more than carry his stores to a place of safety, and after lightinga sacrificial fire and prostrating himself before the rock, passed intothe Middle Air.

  In the morning Yin's spirit came back to the earth amid the sound ofmusic of a celestial origin, which ceased immediately he recovered fullconsciousness. Accepting this manifestation as an omen of Divine favour,Yin journeyed towards the centre of the island where the rock stood,at every step passing the bones of innumerable ones who had come on asimilar quest to his, and perished. Many of these had left behind theminscriptions on wood or bone testifying their deliberate opinion of thesacred rock, the island, their protecting deities, and the entire trainof circumstances, which had resulted in their being in such a condition.These were for the most part of a maledictory and unencouraging nature,so that after reading a few, Yin endeavoured to pass without being inany degree influenced by such ill-judged outbursts.

  "Accursed be the ancestors of this tormented one to four generationsback!" was prominently traced upon an unusually large shoulder-blade."May they at this moment be simmering in a vat of unrefined dragon'sblood, as a reward for having so undiscriminatingly reared the personwho inscribes these words only to attain this end!" "Be warned, O laterone, by the signs around!" Another and more practical-minded person hadwritten: "Retreat with all haste to your vessel, and escape whilethere is yet time. Should you, by chance, again reach land through thiswarning, do not neglect, out of an emotion of gratitude, to burn anappropriate amount of sacrifice paper for the lessening of the tormentsof the spirit of Li-Kao," to which an unscrupulous one, who was plainlydesirous of sharing in the benefit of the requested sacrifice, withoutsuffering the exertion of inscribing a warning after the amiable mannerof Li-Kao, had added the words, "and that of Huan Sin."

  Halting at a convenient distance from one side of the rock which,without being carved by any person's hand, naturally resembled thesymmetrical countenance of a recumbent dragon
(which he thereforeconjectured to be the chief point of the entire mass), Yin builthis fire and began an unremitting course of sacrifice and respectfulceremony. This manner of conduct he observed conscientiously forthe space of seven days. Towards the end of that period a feeling ofunendurable dejection began to possess him, for his stores of all kindswere beginning to fail, and he could not entirely put behind him thememory of the various well-intentioned warnings which he had received,or the sight of the fleshless ones who had lined his path. On the eighthday, being weak with hunger and, by reason of an intolerable thirst,unable to restrain his body any longer in the spot where he had hithertocontinuously prostrated himself nine-and-ninety times each hour withoutceasing, he rose to his feet and retraced his steps to the boat in orderthat he might fill his water-skins and procure a further supply of food.

  With a complicated emotion, in which was present every abandoned anddisagreeable thought to which a person becomes a prey in moments ofexceptional mental and bodily anguish, he perceived as soon ashe reached the edge of the water that the boat, upon which he wasconfidently relying to carry him back when all else failed, haddisappeared as entirely as the smoke from an extinguished opium pipe.At this sight Yin clearly understood the meaning of Li-Kao's unregardedwarning, and recognized that nothing could now save him from adding hisincorruptible parts to those of the unfortunate ones whose unhappyfate had, seven days ago, engaged his refined pity. Unaccountablystrengthened in body by the indignation which possessed him, andinspired with a virtuous repulsion at the treacherous manner of behavingon the part of those who guided his destinies, he hastened back tohis place of obeisance, and perceiving that the habitually placid andintrospective expression on the dragon face had imperceptibly changedinto one of offensive cunning and unconcealed contempt, he snatched uphis spear and, without the consideration of a moment, hurled it ata score of paces distance full into the sacred but nevertheless veryunprepossessing face before him.

  At the instant when the presumptuous weapon touched the holy stone theentire intervening space between the earth and the sky was filled withinnumerable flashes of forked and many-tongued lightning, so that theisland had the appearance of being the scene of a very extensive butsomewhat badly-arranged display of costly fireworks. At the sametime the thunder rolled among the clouds and beneath the sea in anexceedingly disconcerting manner. At the first indication of thesecelestial movements a sudden blindness came upon Yin, and all power ofthought or movement forsook him; nevertheless, he experienced an emotionof flight through the air, as though borne upwards upon the back of awinged creature. When this emotion ceased, the blindness went from himas suddenly and entirely as if a cloth had been pulled away from hiseyes, and he perceived that he was held in the midst of a boundlessspace, with no other object in view than the sacred rock, which hadopened, as it were, revealing a mighty throng within, at the sight ofwhom Yin's internal organs trembled as they would never have moved atordinary danger, for it was put into his spirit that these in whosepresence he stood were the sacred Emperors of his country from theearliest time until the usurpation of the Chinese throne by thedevouring Tartar hordes from the North.

  As Yin gazed in fear-stricken amazement, a knowledge of the various PureOnes who composed the assembly came upon him. He understood that thethree unclad and commanding figures which stood together were theEmperors of the Heaven, Earth, and Man, whose reigns covered a space ofmore than eighty thousand years, commencing from the time when the worldbegan its span of existence. Next to them stood one wearing a robe ofleopard-skin, his hand resting upon a staff of a massive club, while onhis face the expression of tranquillity which marked his predecessorshad changed into one of alert wakefulness; it was the Emperor of Houses,whose reign marked the opening of the never-ending strife between manand all other creatures. By his side stood his successor, the Emperor ofFire, holding in his right hand the emblem of the knotted cord, by whichhe taught man to cultivate his mental faculties, while from his mouthissued smoke and flame, signifying that by the introduction of fire hehad raised his subjects to a state of civilized life.

  On the other side of the boundless chamber which seemed to be containedwithin the rocks were Fou-Hy, Tchang-Ki, Tcheng-Nung, and Huang,standing or reclining together. The first of these framed the calendar,organized property, thought out the eight Essential Diagrams, encouragedthe various branches of hunting, and the rearing of domestic animals,and instituted marriage. From his couch floated melodious soundsin remembrance of his discovery of the property of stringed woods.Tchang-Ki, who manifested the property of herbs and growing plants, worea robe signifying his attainments by means of embroidered symbols.His hand rested on the head of the dragon, while at his feet flowed abottomless canal of the purest water. The discovery of written lettersby Tcheng-Nung, and his ingenious plan of grouping them after the mannerof the constellations of stars, was emblemized in a similar manner,while Huang, or the Yellow Emperor, was surrounded by ores of theuseful and precious metals, weapons of warfare, written books, silksand articles of attire, coined money, and a variety of objects, alltestifying to his ingenuity and inspired energy.

  These illustrious ones, being the greatest, were the first to takeYin's attention, but beyond them he beheld an innumerable concourse ofEmperors who not infrequently outshone their majestic predecessors inthe richness of their apparel and the magnificence of the jewels whichthey wore. There Yin perceived Hung-Hoang, who first caused the chantsto be collected, and other rulers of the Tcheon dynasty; Yong-Tching,who compiled the Holy Edict; Thang rulers whose line is rightly called"the golden," from the unsurpassed excellence of the composed verseswhich it produced; renowned Emperors of the versatile Han dynasty; and,standing apart, and shunned by all, the malignant and narrow-mindedTsing-Su-Hoang, who caused the Sacred Books to be burned.

  Even while Yin looked and wondered, in great fear, a rolling voice,coming from one who sat in the midst of all, holding in his right handthe sun, and in his left the moon, sounded forth, like the music of manybrass instruments playing in unison. It was the First Man who spoke.

  "Yin, son of Yat Huang, and creature of the Lower Part," he said,"listen well to the words I speak, for brief is the span of yourtarrying in the Upper Air, nor will the utterance I now give forth evercome unto your ears again, either on the earth, or when, blindly gropingin the Middle Distance, your spirit takes its nightly flight. They whoare gathered around, and whose voices I speak, bid me say this: Althoughimmeasurably above you in all matters, both of knowledge and of power,yet we greet you as one who is well-intentioned, and inspired withhonourable ambition. Had you been content to entreat and despair, as didall the feeble and incapable ones whose white bones formed your pathway,your ultimate fate would have in no wise differed from theirs. Butinasmuch as you held yourself valiantly, and, being taken, raised aninstinctive hand in return, you have been chosen; for the day to mutesubmission has, for the time or for ever, passed away, and the hour iswhen China shall be saved, not by supplication, but by the spear."

  "A state of things which would have been highly unnecessary if I hadbeen permitted to carry out my intention fully, and restore man to hisprehistoric simplicity," interrupted Tsin-Su-Hoang. "For that reason,when the voice of the assemblage expresses itself, it must be understoodthat it represents in no measure the views of Tsin-Su-Hoang."

  "In the matter of what has gone before, and that which will followhereafter," continued the Voice dispassionately, "Yin, the sonof Yat-Huang, must concede that it is in no part the utterance ofTsin-Su-Hoang--Tsin-Su-Hoang who burned the Sacred Books."

  At the mention of the name and offence of this degraded being a greatsound went up from the entire multitude--a universal cry of execration,not greatly dissimilar from that which may be frequently heard in thecrowded Temple of Impartiality when the one whose duty it is to take up,at a venture, the folded papers, announces that the sublime Emperor,or some mandarin of exalted rank, has been so fortunate as to holdthe winning number in the Annual State Lottery. So vengeance-laden andm
ournful was the combined and evidently preconcerted wail, that Yinwas compelled to shield his ears against it; yet the inconsiderableTsin-Su-Hoang, on whose account it was raised, seemed in no degree tobe affected by it, he, doubtless, having become hardened by hearinga similar outburst, at fixed hours, throughout interminable cycles oftime.

  When the last echo of the cry had passed away the Voice continued tospeak.

  "Soon the earth will again receive you, Yin," it said, "for it is notrespectful that a lower one should be long permitted to gaze upon ourexalted faces. Yet when you go forth and stand once more among men thisis laid on you: that henceforth you are as a being devoted to a fixedand unchanging end, and whatever moves towards the restoring of thethrone of the Central Empire the outcast but unalterably sacred line ofits true sovereigns shall have your arm and mind. By what combinationof force and stratagem this can be accomplished may not be honourablyrevealed by us, the all-knowing. Nevertheless, omens and guidance shallnot be lacking from time to time, and from the beginning the weapon bywhich you have attained to this distinction shall be as a sign of ourfavour and protection over you."

  When the Voice made an end of speaking the sudden blindness came uponYin, as it had done before, and from the sense of motion which heexperienced, he conjectured that he was being conveyed back to theisland. Undoubtedly this was the case, for presently there came upon himthe feeling that he was awakening from a deep and refreshing sleep,and opening his eyes, which he now found himself able to do withoutany difficulty, he immediately discovered that he was reclining at fulllength on the ground, and at a distance of about a score of paces fromthe dragon head. His first thought was to engage in a lengthy courseof self-abasement before it, but remembering the words which had beenspoken to him while in the Upper Air, he refrained, and even ventured togo forward with a confident but somewhat self-deprecatory air, toregain the spear, which he perceived lying at the foot of the rock. Withfeelings of a reassuring nature he then saw that the very undesirableexpression which he had last beheld upon the dragon face had melted intoone of encouraging urbanity and benignant esteem.

  Close by the place where he had landed he discovered his boat, newlyfurnished with wine and food of a much more attractive profusion thanthat which he had purchased in the village. Embarking in it, he made asthough he would have returned to the south, but the spear which he heldturned within his grasp, and pointed in an exactly opposite direction.Regarding this fact as an express command on the part of the Deities,Yin turned his boat to the north, and in the space of two days'time--being continually guided by the fixed indication of the spear--hereached the shore and prepared to continue his travels in the samedirection, upheld and inspired by the knowledge that henceforth he movedunder the direct influence of very powerful spirits.