The Viceroy sipped1 his tea meditatively2 in his favorite court, and occasionally fanned himself in a mechanical way, but his thoughts were evidently elsewhere. The goldfinch above his head hopped3 about and chirped4 loudly to him, begging for some rice, but he heeded5 it not, and a little lizard6 crept across the walk, eyeing him furtively7, and then scampered8 away among the grasses on the bank of the lake, but it need not have feared him to-day. Drip, drip, drip, fell the drops from the fountain in a minor9 monotone, and in the calm water of the lake the fish darted10 like flames of fire, and poppy petals11 dropped silently to the ground.[Pg 114] Behind the Viceroy's chair a slave stood dozing12.
"Tell my daughter to come here," his master said suddenly; and the slave eyed him stupidly for a moment, and then hastened off to do his bidding. But when Tuen came he did not speak for some time, and seemed casting about in his mind for the best way to begin. Then he cleared his throat importantly.
"I have something to say to you," he remarked, watching her closely from the corners of his eyes.
She waited but did not answer, and he went on:
"I have a new honor in store for you." Having delivered himself of this announcement he examined his long, pointed13 nails critically, and satisfied that they were scrupulous14 in appearance, he commenced to drum idly on the table. All this time Tuen was standing15 breathless[Pg 115] before him, fearing something, yet she knew not what.
"You see His Most Mighty16 and Gracious Majesty17, the Ever Wise and Ever Perfect Son of Heaven has lately condescended18 to honor my unworthy self," he volunteered affably, and all the capitals were expressed in his voice as he spoke20 of his sovereign. "I have sought everywhere in the province for a gift to send in return that would be worthy19 of his acceptance, and last night I gave a feast that I might ask of others, perhaps wiser than I am. Then it was that the learned Wo Ting suggested that I should give you to him—an admirable idea, Tuen."
Poor Tuen had been listening in wondering horror, and she now gave a gasp21, but he did not appear to notice this.
"You will get ready to go to Peking to be a handmaid to our mighty king." With wild cries Tuen knelt before the Viceroy, the tears streaming down her[Pg 116] face. "Oh do not send me away," she pleaded. "I will be so good—I will work for you as a slave all my life—only let me stay here."
The Viceroy arched his brows.
"What a fuss to make about nothing!" he commented. "You ought to be proud to be sent. I fear after all you are more foolish than other women."
But Tuen did not care how silly he thought her, if she could only beg him out of this awful plan. Just when she was so happy must it all come to an end? Was she again to be sent forth22, alone and friendless, among strangers? Oh, it was too horrible! And it seemed so useless! She was satisfied, why not let her stay where she was? Some of this she managed to tell the Viceroy between her sobs23, but he listened impatiently.
"There is no cause for such sorrow, I tell you," he repeated. "Great is the Emperor, and his riches like the [Pg 117]ever-flowing waters. There is no end to them. His palace, I have heard, is of gold and gems24; there is nothing like it in all the world."
But this picture brought no consolation25 to Tuen. She only moaned and cried and begged to stay where she was.
"Is it that you are angry with me?" she asked. "Do I no longer please you, that you want to get rid of me?"
"No, Tuen," he answered, "it is only that I do not know what else to send my Emperor, and I dare not risk his displeasure. But neither will he thank me to send him an unwilling26 girl, so dry your eyes."
"Then it would be a great favor to you if I went and looked happy?" she inquired in a curiously27 strained voice.
"So I have told you," he said wearily, for he detested28 scenes most cordially, and was anxious to bring this one to a close.
[Pg 118]
Then it was that the little slave girl showed the greatness of her nature, for she wiped away her tears and rose to her feet. Standing before him she said slowly:
"You have been very good to me. I have not forgotten that. If I can now do you a kindness, and thus repay you for all you have done for me—I will go, but I go with a heavy heart."
"Well, it is settled, and you have acted as a dutiful daughter should," he said, drawing a long breath of relief. "I will at once make ready for your departure."
"Must I go so soon?" she said pleadingly.
"At once," he answered decisively.
Again the tears welled up in the eyes of Tuen, and try as she would she could not keep them back:
"Oh, it is so hard to leave all my dear friends!" she moaned. "And Wang, who has been so good to me—" She could go no further.
"Wang can go with you," he said. "You must have servants, as befits your rank, for you are now the daughter of the Viceroy of Kiang-si."
"Oh, I am so glad I can have Wang!" she cried, and this was the only gleam of joy in the blackness of her despair.
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1
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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3
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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4
chirped
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的过去式 ) | |
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5
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
lizard
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| n.蜥蜴，壁虎 | |
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7
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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8
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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10
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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11
petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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12
dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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13
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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14
scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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15
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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16
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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17
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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18
condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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19
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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20
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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21
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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22
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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23
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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24
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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25
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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26
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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27
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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28
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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