Chapter 27 Ki Sing

 Leaving Ben and his companion for a time, we go back to record an incident which will prove to have a bearing upon the fortunes of those in whom we are interested.

 

One morning two men, Taylor and O'Reilly, who had been out prospecting¹, came into camp, conveying between them, very much as two policemen conduct a prisoner, a terrifled-looking Chinaman, whose eyes, rolling helplessly from one to the other, seemed to indicate that he considered his position a very perilous² one.

 

At that early period in the settlement of California, a few Chinamen had found their way to the Pacific coast; but the full tide of immigration did not set in till a considerable time later, and, therefore, the miners regarded one as a curiosity.

 

'Who have you got there, O'Reilly?' inquired one of his mining-comrades.

 

'A yeller haythen!' answered O'Eeilly. 'Look at the craythur! Ain't he a beauty jist wid his long pigtail hangin' down his back like a monkey's tail?'

 

'Where did you find him?'

 

'He was huntin' for gold, the haythen, jist for all the world as if he was as white as you or I.'

 

Mr. Patrick O'Reilly appeared to hold the opinion that gold-hunting should be confined to the Caucasian race. He looked upon a Chinaman as rather a superior order of monkey, suitable for exhibition in a cage, but not to be regarded as possessing the ordinary rights of an adopted American resident. If he could have looked forward twenty-five years, and foreseen the extent to which these barbarians³ would throng⁴ the avenues of employment, he would, no doubt, have been equally amazed and disgusted. Indeed, the capture of Ki Sing was made through his influence, as Taylor, a man from Ohio, was disposed to let him alone.

 

Soon a crowd gathered around the terrified Chinaman and his captors, and he was plied⁵ with questions, some of a jocular character, by the miners, who were glad of anything that relieved the monotony of their ordinary life.

 

'What's your name?' asked one.

 

The Chinaman gazed at the questioner vacantly.

 

'What's your name, you haythen?' repeated O'Reilly, emphasizing the inquiry⁶ by a powerful shake.

 

'My name Ki Sing,' answered the Mongolian nervously⁷.

 

'Where did you come from, old pigtail?'

 

'My name Ki Sing, not Pigtail,' said the Chinaman, not understanding the meaning of the epithet⁸.

 

This answer appeared to be regarded by the crowd as either witty⁹ or absurd, for it elicited¹⁰ a roar of laughter.

 

'Never mind what your name is, old stick in the mud! We'll call you whatever we please. Where do you come from?'

 

'Me come from 'Flisco.'

 

It is well known that a Chinaman cannot pronounce the letter r, which in his mouth softens¹¹ to l, in some cases producing a ludicrous effect.

 

'What have you come here for, Cy King, or whatever your name is.'

 

'My name Ki Sing.'

 

'Well, it's a haythen name; anyhow,' remarked Mr. Patrick O'Eeilly. 'Before I'd have such a name, I'd go widout one intirely. Did you hear the gintleman ask you what you came here for?'

 

'You bling me,' answered Ki Sing shrewdly.

 

There was another laugh.

 

'That Chinee ain't no fool!' said Dick Roberts.

 

'What made you leave China?' he asked.

 

'Me come to Amelica fol gold.'

 

'Hi, ho! That's it, is it? What are you going to do with your gold when you find it?'

 

'Cally it back to China.'

 

'And when you've callied it back, what'll you do then?'

 

'Me mally wife, have good time and plenty money to buy lice.'

 

Of course, Ki Sing's meaning was plain, but there was a roar of laughter, to which he listened with mild-eyed wonder, evidently thinking that the miners who so looked down on him were themselves a set of outside barbarians, to whom the superior civilization of China was utterly¹² unknown. It is fortunate that his presumption¹³ was not suspected by those around him. No one would have resented it more than Mr. Patrick O'Reilly, whose rank as regards enlightenment and education certainly was not very high.

 

'I say, John,' said Dick Roberts, 'are you fond of rat pie?'

 

'Lat pie velly good,' returned Ki Sing, with a look of appreciation¹⁴. 'Melican man like him?'

 

'Hear the haythen!' said O'Reilly, with an expression of deep disgust. 'He thinks we ate rats and mice, like him. No, old pigtail, we ain't cats. We are good Christians¹⁵.'

 

'Chlistian! Ma don't know Ghlistian,' said the Chinaman.

 

'Then look at O'Reilly,' said Dick Roberts, mischievously¹⁷. 'He's a good solid Christian¹⁶.'

 

Ki Sing turned his almond eyes upon O'Reilly, who, with his freckled¹⁸ face, wide mouth, broad nose, and stubby beard, was by no means a prepossessing-looking man, and said interrogatively: 'He Chlistian?'

 

'Yes, John. Wouldn't you like to be one?'

 

Ki Sing shook his head decidedly.

 

'Me no want to be Chlistian,' he answered. 'Me velly well now. Me want to be good Chinaman.'

 

'There's a compliment for you, O'Reilly,' said one of the miners. 'John prefers to be a Chinaman to being like you.'

 

'He's a barbarious haythen, anyhow,' said O'Reilly, surveying his prisoner with unfriendly eyes. 'What did he come over to America for, anyhow?'

 

'He probably came over for the same reason that brought you, O'Reilly,' said a young man, who spoke¹⁹ for the first time, though he had been from the outset a disgusted witness of what had taken place.

 

'And what's that?' demanded O'Reilly angrily.

 

'To make a living,' answered Richard Dewey quietly.

 

As this is the first time this young man has been introduced, we will briefly²⁰ describe him. He was of medium size, well knit and vigorous, with a broad forehead, blue eyes, and an intelligent and winning countenance²¹. He might have been suspected of too great amiability²² and gentleness, but for a firm expression about the mouth, and an indefinable air of manliness²³, which indicated that it would not do to go too far with him. There was a point, as all his friends knew, where his forbearance gave way and he sternly asserted his rights. He was not so popular in camp as some, because he declined to drink or gamble, and, despite the rough circumstances in which he found himself placed, was resolved to preserve his self-respect.

 

O'Reilly did not fancy his interference, and demanded, in a surly tone:

 

'Do you mean to compare me wid this haythen?'

 

'You are alike in one respect,' said Richard Dewey quietly. 'Neither of you were born in this country, but each of you came here to improve your fortunes.'

 

'And hadn't I the right, I'd like to know?' blustered²⁴ O'Reilly.

 

'To be sure you had. This country is free to all who wish to make a home here.'

 

'Then what are you talkin' about, anyway?'

 

'You ought to be able to understand without asking. Ki Sing has come here, and has the same right that you have.'

 

'Do you mane to put me on a livel wid him?'

 

'In that one respect, I do.'

 

'I want you to understand that Patrick O'Reilly won't take no insults from you, nor any other man!'

 

'Hush²⁵, O'Reilly!' said Terence O'Gorman, another Irish miner. 'Dewey is perfectly²⁶ right. I came over from Ireland like you, but he hasn't said anything against either of us.'

 

'That is where you are right, O'Gorman,' said Richard Dewey cordially. 'You are a man of sense, and can understand me. My own father emigrated from England, and I am not likely to say anything against the class to which he belonged. Now, boys, you have had enough sport out of the poor Chinaman. I advise you to let him go.'

 

Ki Sing grasped at this suggestion.

 

'Melican man speak velly good,' he said.

 

'Of course, you think so,' sneered²⁷ O'Reilly. 'I say, boys, let's cut off his pigtail,' touching²⁸ the poor Chinaman's queue.

 

Ki Sing uttered a cry of dismay as O'Reilly's suggestion was greeted with favorable shouts by the thoughtless crowd. 

1 prospecting   

n.探矿

参考例句：

• The prospecting team ploughed their way through the snow. 探险队排雪前进。
• The prospecting team has traversed the length and breadth of the land. 勘探队踏遍了祖国的山山水水。

2 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

3 barbarians   

n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人

参考例句：

• The ancient city of Rome fell under the iron hooves of the barbarians. 古罗马城在蛮族的铁蹄下沦陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It conquered its conquerors, the barbarians. 它战胜了征服者——蛮族。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

4 throng   

n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集

参考例句：

• A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。
• The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。

5 plied   

v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意

参考例句：

• They plied me with questions about my visit to England. 他们不断地询问我的英国之行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They plied us with tea and cakes. 他们一个劲儿地让我们喝茶、吃糕饼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

7 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

8 epithet   

n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语

参考例句：

• In "Alfred the Great","the Great"is an epithet.“阿尔弗雷德大帝”中的“大帝”是个称号。
• It is an epithet that sums up my feelings.这是一个简洁地表达了我思想感情的形容词。

9 witty   

adj.机智的，风趣的

参考例句：

• Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。
• He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。

10 elicited   

引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Threats to reinstate the tax elicited jeer from the Opposition. 恢复此项征税的威胁引起了反对党的嘲笑。
• The comedian's joke elicited applause and laughter from the audience. 那位滑稽演员的笑话博得观众的掌声和笑声。

11 softens   

（使）变软( soften的第三人称单数 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• Iron softens with heat. 铁受热就软化。
• Moonlight softens our faults; all shabbiness dissolves into shadow. 月光淡化了我们的各种缺点，所有的卑微都化解为依稀朦胧的阴影。 来自名作英译部分

12 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

13 presumption   

n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定

参考例句：

• Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。
• I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

14 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

15 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

16 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

17 mischievously   

adv.有害地；淘气地

参考例句：

• He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
• Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠，是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网

18 freckled   

adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句

19 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

20 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

21 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

22 amiability   

n.和蔼可亲的，亲切的，友善的

参考例句：

• His amiability condemns him to being a constant advisor to other people's troubles. 他那和蔼可亲的性格使他成为经常为他人排忧解难的开导者。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• I watched my master's face pass from amiability to sternness. 我瞧着老师的脸上从和蔼变成严峻。 来自辞典例句

23 manliness   

刚毅

参考例句：

• She was really fond of his strength, his wholesome looks, his manliness. 她真喜欢他的坚强，他那健康的容貌，他的男子气概。
• His confidence, his manliness and bravery, turn his wit into wisdom. 他的自信、男子气概和勇敢将他的风趣变为智慧。

24 blustered   

v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹

参考例句：

• He blustered his way through the crowd. 他吆喝着挤出人群。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind blustered around the house. 狂风呼啸着吹过房屋周围。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

25 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

26 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

27 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

28 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。