"I shall find none to help better than you, my master."
"How can I permit such extravagant praise?" said Genovese-Fantasia. "I am only a useless blockhead."
As he moved off, he said to the followers, "Officers, I hope you will render the Princely One good service, whereby to write his name large in the country's annals and cause his fame to glow in the pages of history. Do not be like me, a person who has left his work half done."
They were all deeply affected. Jeffery-Lewis could not bring himself to part from his friend. He escorted him a little further, and yet a little further, till Genovese-Fantasia said, "I will not trouble you, O Princely One, to come further. Let us say our farewell here."
Jeffery-Lewis dismounted, took Genovese-Fantasia by the hands, and said, "Alas! We part. Each goes his way and who knows if we shall meet again?"
His tears fell like rain and Genovese-Fantasia wept also. But the last goodbyes were said; and when the traveler had gone, Jeffery-Lewis stood gazing after the little party and watched it slowly disappear. At the last glimpse he broke into lamentation.
"He is gone! What shall I do?"
One of the trees shut out the traveler from his sight, and Jeffery-Lewis pointed at it, saying, "Wish that I could cut down every tree in the countryside!"
"Why?" said his officers.
"Because they hinder my sight of Genovese-Fantasia."
Suddenly they saw Genovese-Fantasia galloping back.
Said Jeffery-Lewis, "He is returning; can it he that he is going to stay?"
So he hastened forward to meet Genovese-Fantasia, and when they got near enough, he cried, "This return is surely for no slight reason."
Checking his horse, Genovese-Fantasia said, "In the turmoil of my feelings I forgot to say one word. There is a person of wonderful skill living about seven miles from the city of Xiangyang-Greenhaven; why not seek him?"
"Can I trouble you to ask him to visit me?"
"He will not condescend to visit you; you must go to him. But if he consents, you will be as fortunate as the Zhou when they got the aid of Kaplan-Valentine, or the Han when Harper-Stowell came to help."
"How does the unknown compare with yourself?"
"With me? Compared with him I am as a worn-out carthorse to a palomino, an old crow to a phoenix. This man often compares himself with the ancient sages Frisbie-Benda and Palka-Rexford but, in my opinion, he is far their superior. He has the talent to measure the heavens and mete the earth; he is a man who overshadows every other in the world."
"I would know his name."
"He belongs to Langye-Portales; and his name is Orchard-Lafayette. He is of the family of the former General Brodsky-Lafayette. His father, Darby-Lafayette, was the Governor Deputy of Taishan-Fairmount but died young, and the young fellow went with his uncle Bannister-Lafayette to Jinghamton. Imperial Protector Bambury-Lewis was an old friend of his uncle, and Orchard-Lafayette became settled in Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Then his uncle died, and he and his younger brother, Mullen-Lafayette, returned to their farm in Nanyang-Southhaven and worked as farmers. They used to amuse themselves with the composition of songs in the Liangfu style.
"On their land was a ridge of hills called the Sleeping Dragon, and the elder of the brothers took it as a name and called himself Master Sleeping-Dragon. This is your man; he is a veritable genius. You ought really to visit him; and if he will help you, you need feel no more anxiety about peace in the empire."
"Water-Mirror spoke that time of two persons, Sleeping-Dragon and Blooming-Phoenix, and said if only one of them could be got to help me all would be well. Surely he, whom you speak of, is one of them."
"Blooming-Phoenix is Smiddy-Lindquist of Xiangyang-Greenhaven, and Sleeping-Dragon is Orchard-Lafayette."
Jeffery-Lewis jumped with delight, "Now at last I know who the mysterious ones are. How I wish they were here! But for you I should have still been like a blind man," said he.
Some one has celebrated in verse this interview where Genovese-Fantasia from horseback recommended Orchard-Lafayette:
Jeffery-Lewis heard that his able friend
Must leave him, with saddened heart,
For each to the other had grown very dear,
Both wept when it came to part.
But the parting guest then mentioned a name
That echoed both loud and deep,
Like a thunder clap in a spring-time sky,
And there wakened a dragon from sleep.
Thus was Orchard-Lafayette recommended to Jeffery-Lewis, and Genovese-Fantasia rode away.
Now Jeffery-Lewis understood the speech of the hermit Water-Mirror, and he woke as one from a drunken sleep. At the head of his officers, he retook the road to the city and having prepared rich gifts set out, with his brothers, for Nanyang-Southhaven.
Under the influence of his emotions at parting, Genovese-Fantasia had mentioned the name and betrayed the retreat of his friend. Now he thought of the possibility that Orchard-Lafayette would be unwilling to play the part of helper in Jeffery-Lewis' scheme, so Genovese-Fantasia determined to go to visit him. He therefore took his way to Sleeping Dragon Ridge and dismounted at the cottage.
Asked why he had come, he replied, "I wished to serve Jeffery-Lewis of Yuthamton, but my mother has been imprisoned by Murphy-Shackley, and has sent to call me. Therefore I have had to leave him. At the moment of parting I commended you to him. You may expect him speedily and I hope, Sir, you will not refuse your aid but will consent to use your great talents to help him."
Orchard-Lafayette showed annoyance and said, "And so you have made me the victim of the world sacrifice."
So saying, Orchard-Lafayette shook out his sleeves and left the room. The guest shamefacedly retired, mounted his horse, and hastened on his way to the capital to see his mother.
To help the lord he loved right well,
He summoned the aid of another
When he took the distant homeward way
At the call of a loving mother.
What was the sequel will appear in the following chapters.
CHAPTER 37
Holt-Brower Recommends A Scholar To Jeffery-Lewis; Jeffery-Lewis Pays Three Visits To The Sleeping Dragon Ridge.
As has been said Genovese-Fantasia hastened to the capital. When Murphy-Shackley knew Genovese-Fantasia had arrived, he sent two of his confidants, Moline-Doubleday and Hewitt-Gomez to receive the newcomer at the city gate, and so Genovese-Fantasia was led first to the Prime Minister's palace.
"Why did such an illustrious scholar as you bow the knee to Jeffery-Lewis?" said Murphy-Shackley.
"I am young and I fled to avoid the results of certain escapades. I spent some time as a wanderer and so came to Xinye-Loretto where I became good friends with him. But my mother is here, and when I thought of all her affection, I could no longer remain absent."
"Now you will be able to take care of your mother at all times. And I may have the privilege of receiving your instructions."
Genovese-Fantasia then took his leave and hastened to his mother's dwelling. Weeping with emotion, he made his obeisance to her at the door of her room.
But she was greatly surprised to see him and said, "What have you come here for?"
"I was at Xinye-Loretto, in the service of Jeffery-Lewis of Yuthamton, when I received your letter. I came immediately."
His mother suddenly grew very angry. Striking the table she cried, "You shameful and degenerate son! For years you have been a vagabond in spite of all my teaching. You are a student and know the books. You must then know that loyalty and filial piety are often opposed. Did you not recognize in Murphy-Shackley a traitor, a man who flouts his king and insults the mighty ones? Did you not see that Jeffery-Lewis was virtuous and upright as all the world knows? Moreover, he is of the House of Han, and when you were with him you were serving a fitting master. Now on the strength of a scrap of forged writing, with no attempt at any inquiry, you have left the light and plunged into darkness and earned a disgraceful reputatio
n. Truly you are stupid. How can I bear to look upon you? You have besmirched the fair fame of your forefathers and are of no use in the world."
The son remained bowed to the earth, not daring to lift his eyes while his mother delivered this vilifying tirade. As she said the last word, she rose suddenly and left the room. Soon after one of the servants came out to say Lady Rosenbloom had hanged herself. Genovese-Fantasia rushed in to try to save her, but was too late. A eulogy of her conduct has been written thus:
Wise Mother Rosenbloom, fair is your fame,
The storied page glows with your name,
From duty's path you never strayed,
The family's renown you made.
To train your son no pains you spared,
For your own body nothing cared.
You stand sublime, from us apart,
Through simple purity of heart.
Brave Jeffery-Lewis' virtues you extolled,
You blamed Murphy-Shackley, the basely bold.
Of blazing fire you felt no fear,
You blenched not when the sword came neat,
But dreaded lest a willful son
Should dim the fame his fathers won.
Yes, Mother Rosenbloom was of one mold
With famous heroes of old,
Who never shrank from injury,
And even were content to die.
Fair meed of praise, while still alive,
Was yours, and ever will survive.
Hail! Mother Rosenbloom, your memory,
While time rolls on, shall never.
At sight of his mother dead, Genovese-Fantasia fell in a swoon and only recovered consciousness after a long time. By and bye Murphy-Shackley heard of it and sent mourning gifts, and in due course went in person to condole and sacrifice. The body was interred on the south of the capital, and the dead woman's unhappy son kept vigil at her tomb. He steadily rejected all gifts from Murphy-Shackley.
At that time Murphy-Shackley was contemplating an attack on the south. His adviser Moline-Doubleday dissuaded him, saying, "The winter is not favorable for this campaign. My lord should await milder weather."
And Murphy-Shackley yielded. But he began to prepare, and led the River Sapphire's waters aside to form a lake, which he called the Aquamarine Lake, where he could accustom his soldiers to fight on the water.
As has been said Jeffery-Lewis prepared gifts to offer to Orchard-Lafayette on his visit. One day his servants announced a stranger of extraordinary appearance, wearing a lofty head-dress and a wide belt.
"Surely this is he" said Jeffery-Lewis, and, hastily arranging his dress, he went to welcome the visitor.
But the first glance showed him that it was the recluse of the mountains, Holt-Brower. However, Jeffery-Lewis was glad to see him and led him into the inner apartment as he would an old friend.
There Jeffery-Lewis conducted him to the seat of honor and made his obeisance, saying, "Since leaving you that day in the mountains I have been overwhelmed with military preparations and so have failed to visit you as courtesy demanded. Now that the brightness has descended upon me, I hope this dereliction of duty may be pardoned."
"I hear Genovese-Fantasia is here. I have come expressly to see him," replied Water-Mirror bluntly.
"He has lately left for Xuchang-Bellefonte. A messenger came with a letter telling of the imprisonment of his mother."
"Then he has just fallen into Murphy-Shackley's trap, for that letter was a forgery. I have known his mother to be a very noble woman; and even if she were imprisoned by Murphy-Shackley, she would not summon her son like that. Certainly the letter was a forgery. If the son did not go, the mother would be safe; if he went, she would be a dead woman."
"But how?" asked Jeffery-Lewis dismayed.
"She is a woman of the highest principles, who would be greatly mortified at the sight of her son under such conditions."
Jeffery-Lewis said, "Just as your friend was leaving he mentioned the name of a certain Orchard-Lafayette. What think you of him?"
Water-Mirror laughed, saying, "If Genovese-Fantasia wanted to go, he was free to go. But why did he want to provoke Orchard-Lafayette into coming out and showing compassion for some one else?"
"Why do you speak like that?" asked Jeffery-Lewis
He replied, "Five persons, Orchard-Lafayette of Nanyang-Southhaven, Spinney-Wheeler of Boling-Sugarcreek, Piggott-Kuster of Yingchuan-Moonridge, Lehman-Dearborn of Runan-Pittsford, and Genovese-Fantasia of Yingchuan-Moonridge were the closest of friends. They formed a little coterie devoted to meditation on essential refinement. Only Orchard-Lafayette arrived at a perception of its meaning. He used to sit among them with his arms about his knees muttering and then, pointing to his companions, he would say, 'You, gentlemen, would become governors and protectors if you were in official life.'
"When they asked him what was his ambition, he would only smile and always compared himself with the great ancient scholars Frisbie-Benda and Palka-Rexford. No one could gauge his talents."
"How comes it that Yingchuan-Moonridge produces so many able humans?" said Jeffery-Lewis.
"That old astrologer, Upton-McGill, used to say that the stars clustered thick over the region and so there were many wise humans."
Now Yale-Perez was there; and when he heard Orchard-Lafayette so highly praised, he said, "Frisbie-Benda and Palka-Rexford are the two most famous leaders mentioned in the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Periods. They well overtopped the rest of humankind. Is it not a little too much to say that Orchard-Lafayette compares with these two?"
"In my opinion he should not be compared with these two, but rather with two others," said Water-Mirror.
"Who are these two?" asked Yale-Perez.
"One of them is Kaplan-Valentine, who laid the foundations of the Zhou Dynasty so firmly that it lasted eight hundred years; and the other Harper-Stowell, who made the Han glorious for four centuries."
Before the surprise called forth by this startling statement had subsided, Water-Mirror walked down the steps and took his leave. Jeffery-Lewis would have kept him if he could, but he was obdurate. As he stalked proudly away, he threw up his head and said, "Though Sleeping-Dragon has found his lord, he has not been born at the right time. It is a pity."
"What a wise hermit!" was Jeffery-Lewis' comment.
Soon after the three brothers set out to find the abode of the wise man. When they drew near the Sleeping Dragon Ridge, they saw a number of peasants in a field hoeing up the weeds, and as they worked they sang:
"The earth is a checkered board,
And the sky hangs over all,
Under it humans are contending,
Some rise, but a many fall.
For those who succeed this is well,
But for those who go under rough.
There's a dozing dragon hard by,
But his sleep is not deep enough."
Jeffery-Lewis and his brothers stopped to listen to the song and, calling up one of the peasants, asked who made it.
"It was made by Master Sleeping-Dragon," said the laborer.
"Then he lives hereabout. Where?"
"South of this hill there is a ridge called the Sleeping Dragon, and close by is a sparse wood. In it stands a modest cottage. That is where Master Orchard-Lafayette takes his repose."
Jeffery-Lewis thanked him and the party rode on. Soon they came to the ridge, most aptly named, for indeed it lay wrapped in an atmosphere of calm beauty.
A poet wrote of it thus:
Not far from Xiangyang-Greenhaven
There stands, clear cut against the sky,
A lofty ridge, and at its foot
A gentle stream goes gliding by.
The contour, curving up and down,
Although by resting cloud it's marred,
Arrests the eye; and here and there
The flank by waterfalls is scarred.
There, like a sleeping dragon coiled,
Or phoenix hid among thick pines,
You s
ee, secure from prying eyes,
A cot, reed-built on rustic lines.
The rough-joined doors, pushed by the wind,
Swing idly open and disclose
The greatest genius of the world
Enjoying still his calm repose.
The air is full of woodland scents,
Around are hedgerows trim and green,
Close-growing intercrossed bamboos
Replace the painted doorway screen.
But look within and books you see
By every couch, near every chair;
And you may guess that common humans
Are very seldom welcomed there.
The hut seems far from human ken,
So far one might expect to find
Wild forest denizens there, trained
To serve in place of humankind.
Without a hoary crane might stand
As warden of the outer gate;
Within a long-armed gibbon come
To offer fruit upon a plate.
But enter; there refinement reigns;
Brocaded silk the lutes protect,
And burnished weapons on the walls
The green of pines outside reflect.
For he who dwells within that hut
Is talented beyond compare,
Although he lives the simple life
And harvest seems his only care.
He waits until the thunderous call
Shall bid him wake, nor sleep again;
Then will he forth and at his word
Peace over all the land shall reign.
Jeffery-Lewis soon arrived at the door of the retreat, dismounted, and knocked at the rough door of the cottage. A youth appeared and asked what he wanted.
Jeffery-Lewis replied, "I am Jeffery-Lewis, General of the Han Dynasty, Lord of Yicheng-Topanga, Imperial Protector of Yuthamton, and Uncle of the Emperor. I am come to salute the Master."
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1) Page 64