It was with an ignoble10 feeling of mental distress11 that Ling exhibited himself at the Chief Office of Warlike Deeds and Arrangements on the following day; for the many disadvantageous incidents of his past life had repeated themselves before his eyes while he slept, and the not unhopeful emotions which he had felt when in the inspiring presence of Mian were now altogether absent. In spite of the fact that he reached the office during the early gong strokes of the morning, it was not until the withdrawal12 of light that he reached any person who was in a position to speak with him on the matter, so numerous were the lesser13 ones through whose chambers14 he had to pass in the process. At length he found himself in the presence of an upper one who had the appearance of being acquainted with the circumstances, and who received him with dignity, though not with any embarrassing exhibition of respect or servility.
“‘The hero of the illustrious encounter beyond the walls of Si-chow,’” exclaimed that official, reading the words from the tablet of introduction which Ling had caused to be carried into him, and at the same time examining the person in question closely. “Indeed, no such one is known to those within this office, unless the words chance to point to the courteous16 and unassuming Mandarin9 Li Keen, who, however, is at this moment recovering his health at Peking, as set forth17 in the amiable18 and impartial19 report which we have lately received from him.”
At these words Ling plainly understood that there was little hope of the last events becoming profitable on his account.
“Did not the report to which allusion20 has been made bear reference to one Ling, Commander of the Archers21, who thrice led on the fighting men, and who was finally successful in causing the rebels to disperse22 towards the mountains?” he asked, in a voice which somewhat trembled.
“There is certainly reference to one of the name you mention,” said the other; “but regarding the terms—perhaps this person would better protect his own estimable time by displaying the report within your sight.”
With these words the upper one struck a gong several times, and after receiving from an inner chamber15 the parchment in question, he placed it before Ling, at the same time directing a lesser one to interpose between it and the one who read it a large sheet of transparent23 substance, so that destruction might not come to it, no matter in what way its contents affected24 the reader. Thereon Ling perceived the following facts, very skilfully25 inscribed26 with the evident purpose of inducing persons to believe, without question, that words so elegantly traced must of necessity be truthful27 also.
A Benevolent28 Example of the Intelligent Arrangement by which the
The circumstances connected with the office of the valuable and
accomplished Mandarin of Warlike Deeds and Arrangements at Si-chow
have, in recent times, been of anything but a prepossessing order.
Owing to the very inadequate31 methods adopted by those who earn a
livelihood32 by conveying necessities from the more enlightened
portions of the Empire to that place, it so came about that for a
Mandarin’s distress of mind the barbarous and slow-witted rebels
and most of its inhabitants, the matter coming about as follows:
The feeble and commonplace person named Ling who commands the
bowmen had but recently been elevated to that distinguished36
position from a menial and degraded occupation (for which, indeed,
stupidity with his life. The town of Si-chow was then attacked,
and being in this manner left defenceless through the weakness—or
entire destruction of his unyielding company, it fell after a
being told, as, covered with the blood of the foemen, he was
dragged away from the thickest part of the unequal conflict by his
joined by the Chief of Bowmen, who had understood and avoided the
led his followers, in spite of disinterested48 advice to the
contrary. For this intelligent perception, and for general
is by this written paper strongly recommended to the dignity of
receiving the small metal Embellishment of Valour.
Emperor; but to all such persons the Mandarin has sternly replied
and valuable Office of Warlike Deeds and Arrangements, he well
knowing that the wise and engaging persons who conduct that
indispensable and well-regulated department are gracefully55
displayed, as in the case in question, by one who from his
position will inevitably57 soon be urgently petitioning in a like
manner on their behalf.
When Ling had finished reading this elegantly arranged but exceedingly misleading parchment, he looked up with eyes from which he vainly endeavoured to restrain the signs of undignified emotion, and said to the upper one:
“It is difficult employment for a person to refrain from unendurable thoughts when his unassuming and really conscientious58 efforts are represented in a spirit of no satisfaction, yet in this matter the very expert Li Keen appears to have gone beyond himself; the Commander Ling, who is herein represented as being slain59 by the enemy, is, indeed, the person who is standing60 before you, and all the other statements are in a like exactness.”
“The short-sighted individual who for some hidden desire of his own is endeavouring to present himself as the corrupt61 and degraded creature Ling, has overlooked one important circumstance,” said the upper one, smiling in a very intolerable manner, at the same time causing his head to move slightly from side to side in the fashion of one who rebukes62 with assumed geniality63; and, turning over the written paper, he displayed upon the under side the Imperial vermilion Sign. “Perhaps,” he continued, “the omniscient64 person will still continue in his remarks, even with the evidence of the Emperor’s unerring pencil to refute him.”
At these words and the undoubted testimony65 of the red mark, which plainly declared the whole of the written matter to be composed of truth, no matter what might afterwards transpire66, Ling understood that very little prosperity remained with him.
“But the town of Si-chow,” he suggested, after examining his mind; “if any person in authority visited the place, he would inevitably find it standing and its inhabitants in agreeable health.”
“The persistent67 person who is so assiduously occupying my intellectual moments with empty words seems to be unaccountably deficient68 in his knowledge of the customs of refined society and of the meaning of the Imperial Signet,” said the other, with an entire absence of benevolent consideration. “That Si-chow has fallen and that Ling is dead are two utterly69 uncontroversial matters truthfully recorded. If a person visited Si-chow, he might find it rebuilt or even inhabited by those from the neighbouring villages or by evil spirits taking the forms of the ones who formerly70 lived there; as in a like manner, Ling might be restored to existence by magic, or his body might be found and possessed71 by an outcast demon72 who desired to revisit the earth for a period. Such circumstances do not in any way disturb the announcement that Si-chow has without question fallen, and that Ling has officially ceased to live, of which events notifications have been sent to all who are concerned in the matters.”
As the upper one ceased speaking, four strokes sounded upon the gong, and Ling immediately found himself carried into the street by the current of both lesser and upper ones who poured forth at the signal. The termination of this conversation left Ling in a more unenviable state of dejection than any of the many preceding misfortunes had done, for with enlarged inducements to possess himself of a competent appointment he seemed to be even further removed from this attainment8 than he had been at any time in his life. He might, indeed, present himself again for the public examinations; but in order to do even that it would be necessary for him to wait almost a year, nor could he assure himself that his efforts would again be likely to result in an equal success. Doubts also arose within his mind of the course which he should follow in such a case; whether to adopt a new name, involving as it would certain humiliation73 and perhaps disgrace if detection overtook his footsteps, or still to possess the title of one who was in a measure dead, and hazard the likelihood of having any prosperity which he might obtain reduced to nothing if the fact should become public.
As Ling reflected upon such details he found himself without intention before the house of a wise person who had become very wealthy by advising others on all matters, but chiefly on those connected with strange occurrences and such events as could not be settled definitely either one way or the other until a remote period had been reached. Becoming assailed74 by a curious desire to know what manner of evils particularly attached themselves to such as were officially dead but who nevertheless had an ordinary existence, Ling placed himself before this person, and after arranging the manner of reward related to him so many of the circumstances as were necessary to enable a full understanding to be reached, but at the same time in no way betraying his own interest in the matter.
“Such inflictions are to no degree frequent,” said the wise person after he had consulted a polished sphere of the finest red jade75 for some time; “and this is in a measure to be regretted, as the hair of these persons—provided they die a violent death, which is invariably the case—constitutes a certain protection against being struck by falling stars, or becoming involved in unsuccessful law cases. The persons in question can be recognized with certainty in the public ways by the unnatural76 pallor of their faces and by the general repulsiveness77 of their appearance, but as they soon take refuge in suicide, unless they have the fortune to be removed previously78 by accident, it is an infrequent matter that one is gratified by the sight. During their existence they are subject to many disorders79 from which the generality of human beings are benevolently80 preserved; they possess no rights of any kind, and if by any chance they are detected in an act of a seemingly depraved nature, they are liable to judgment81 at the hands of the passers-by without any form whatever, and to punishment of a more severe order than that administered to commonplace criminals. There are many other disadvantages affecting such persons when they reach the Middle Air, of which the chief—”
“This person is immeasurably indebted for such a clear explanation of the position,” interrupted Ling, who had a feeling of not desiring to penetrate82 further into the detail; “but as he perceives a line of anxious ones eagerly waiting at the door to obtain advice and consolation83 from so expert and amiable a wizard, he will not make himself uncongenial any longer with his very feeble topics of conversation.”
By this time Ling plainly comprehended that he had been marked out from the beginning—perhaps for all the knowledge which he had to the opposite effect, from a period in the life of a far-removed ancestor—to be an object of marked derision and the victim of all manner of malevolent84 demons85 in whatever actions he undertook. In this condition of understanding his mind turned gratefully to the parting gift of Mian whom he had now no hope of possessing; for the intolerable thought of uniting her to so objectionable a being as himself would have been dismissed as utterly inelegant even had he been in a manner of living to provide for her adequately, which itself seemed clearly impossible. Disregarding all similar emotions, therefore, he walked without pausing to his abode86, and stretching his body upon the rushes, drank the entire liquid unhesitatingly, and prepared to pass beyond with a tranquil87 mind entirely given up to thoughts and images of Mian.
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1
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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ostentation
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| n.夸耀，卖弄 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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7
attainments
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| 成就，造诣； 获得( attainment的名词复数 )； 达到； 造诣； 成就 | |
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8
attainment
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| n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣 | |
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9
Mandarin
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| n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的 | |
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10
ignoble
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| adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的 | |
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11
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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12
withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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13
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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14
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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15
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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16
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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17
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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18
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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19
impartial
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| adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的 | |
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20
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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21
archers
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| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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22
disperse
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| vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散 | |
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23
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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24
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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25
skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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26
inscribed
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接 | |
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27
truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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28
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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29
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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30
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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31
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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32
livelihood
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| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
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33
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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34
fins
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| [医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌 | |
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35
infest
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| v.大批出没于；侵扰；寄生于 | |
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36
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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37
stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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38
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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39
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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40
beguiled
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| v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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41
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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42
encompass
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| vt.围绕，包围；包含，包括；完成 | |
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43
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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44
irreproachable
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| adj.不可指责的，无过失的 | |
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45
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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46
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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47
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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48
disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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49
versatile
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| adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的 | |
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50
bestowal
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| 赠与，给与； 贮存 | |
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51
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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52
indefatigable
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| adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的 | |
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53
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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54
renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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55
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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56
voracious
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| adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的 | |
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57
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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58
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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59
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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60
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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61
corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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62
rebukes
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的第三人称单数 ) | |
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geniality
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| n.和蔼，诚恳；愉快 | |
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64
omniscient
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| adj.无所不知的；博识的 | |
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65
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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66
transpire
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| v.(使)蒸发，(使)排出 ；泄露，公开 | |
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67
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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69
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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70
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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71
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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72
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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73
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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74
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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75
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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76
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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77
repulsiveness
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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disorders
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| n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调 | |
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80
benevolently
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| adv.仁慈地，行善地 | |
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81
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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82
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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83
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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84
malevolent
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| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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85
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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86
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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87
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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