Two

He went to all his relations and friends, pretending that he was taking leave of them before his departure. They all congratulated him; but when he spoke of the expenses of the journey and asked for a loan, all, without exception, told him they could do nothing. His friends knew the weakness of his character, and that he was besotted with love for some "Flower-in-the-Mist" or other. He had remained in Peking, up to that time, they knew, not daring to face his father's anger. Was this departure genuine, now, or but pretended? If he spent the borrowed money on "tinted faces," would not his father bear a grudge against those who lent it? The most he could get together was from ten to twenty ounces.

Ashamed of his failure after a full three days of endeavor, he did not dare to return to Shih-niang; yet, since he used to spend every night with his mistress, he had no other lodging. After the first evening, therefore, he went and asked for shelter from his fellow-countryman, the very learned Liu Yu-ch'un. This man, seeing the growing sadness of the young man, at last ventured to question him and learned his story and of his plan of marriage. Liu shook his head. "That is hardly possible. She is the most famous of all the singing girls. Who would be content with three hundred ounces for such a beauty? The old woman has conceived this method of sending you away, and Shih-niang, knowing that your hands are empty, asks you for this sum because she does not dare to tell you to leave her. If you offered the silver, she would laugh at you. It is a common trick. Do not trouble yourself further, but resign yourself to the breaking off of your relations with the girl."

Li Chia was speechless for a long time, shaken by his doubts, and Liu added,

"Make no mistake about it. If you show that you really mean to take your departure, many will help you. But as for your plan, you would need not ten days, but ten months, to find three hundred ounces."

"Good Elder-Brother," answered Li, "your judgment is indeed profound."

But he continued his vain search for three further days.

Shih-niang was most anxious when she did not see her lover come back to her. She sent a little servant to look for him, and the child met Li by chance, and said,

"Lord, our Elder-Sister awaits you at the house."

In his shame, Li answered,

"I have no time today. Tomorrow I will come to see her."

But the boy had been commanded to bring him back, and to die sooner than lose him, so he replied:

"It is the absolute wish of the Elder-Sister that you come with me."

Li could not refuse and followed the messenger.

Once in Shih-niang's presence, he stood still, sobbing mo-mo, mo-mo, without a word.

"How is our plan going?" she asked.

He only answered with a flood of tears; so she insisted:

"Can people have it so hard as to refuse three hundred ounces?"

Stifling his sobs, he answered with this verse:

It is easier to catch a tiger in the mountains than to move the world with speech alone.

"I have gone about these six days, and my hands are empty. Shame has kept me away from my perfumed companion, and it is only at her command that I have come back. I have tried my hardest. Alas! such is the spirit of the century."

"We will say nothing to the ma-ma. Let my Lord stay here for the night: his slave will propose another plan to him."

She served him with a meal and wine, and made him lie down. Then in the middle of the night, she asked,

"If you cannot find three hundred ounces to free me, what are we to do?"

He wept without answering. Shih-niang waited until the fifth watch; then she drew from under her mattress a bag containing a hundred and fifty ounces in small silver, and said:

"This is my secret reserve. Since you cannot find the total sum, I will give you half of it. That should help you; but we have only four days more. Above all, do not come too late!"

Astonished and overjoyed, he carried away the bag and went back to Liu, telling him what had happened and showing him the money. Liu exclaimed:

"Surely this woman has a loyal heart! Since she acts so, she must not be allowed to suffer. I am going to act as a mediator in your marriage."

Leaving Li in his house, he went himself to ask for loans on all sides. In two days, he had amassed a hundred and fifty ounces. He gave them to the young man, saying,

"I have stood guarantor for you, for I am deeply touched by Shih-niang's sentiment."

Li took the silver, as delighted as if the money had fallen from the sky, and ran to see his mistress. It was the ninth day. She asked him: "Has it been very difficult? Have you found the hundred and fifty ounces?"

He then told her what Liu had done; and both, rejoicing, spent a night of pleasure. Next day she said to him:

"When this money is paid, I must follow my Lord. But we have made no preparation for the boats and conveyances of our journey. I have borrowed twenty ounces from my friends. My Lord may take them for travelling expenses."

In his uneasiness concerning these expenses, he had not dared to speak of them. He took the money and was full of joy.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and the old woman entered, saying,

"This is the tenth day."

"I thank the ma-ma for recalling the fact to us," he answered. "I was on the point of paying her a visit."

And, taking up the bag, he poured the three hundred ounces onto the table. The old woman had not supposed he could succeed.

She changed color and seemed at the point of gaining her word. So Shih-niang said; "I have stayed in your house for a long time and have brought in several thousands of ounces. Today I am getting married. If you do not keep your word, I shall commit suicide before you, and you will lose the money and the girl."

The old woman could find no words to express her feelings. She took the money in silence, and finally muttered,

"If you mean to go away, you go now. But you shall take none of your clothes or jewels with you."

Hustling the two young people along, she led them through the door and shot the bolt.

It was then the ninth moon, and the weather was cold. Shih-niang had just risen from bed and was not dressed; nor was her hair done. Yet she saluted the ma-ma with two genuflexions. La Chia shook his two hands, joined. Thus, the married pair left that not too pleasant old woman:

Even as a carp escapes the metal hook,

Flirts its tail and shakes its head

And returns not.

In front of the door, Li Chia said to his mistress,

"Wait, a moment! I will call a little palanquin to take you to the house."

She answered:

In this very court are my friends, my sisters, who have always been in sympathy with me.

"I must take leave of them; and I cannot neglect to thank them for the money they have lent me."

Accompanied by her Lord, she went to each pavilion to greet her friends. Now, one of them, Yuch-lang, was a very close friend of Shih-niang, so, seeing that she had not done her hair, she led her to her own toilet-table, and ran to call another friend, Hsu Su-Su. Then she took from her coffers many ornaments of king-fisher leather and bracelets and jasper pins, even embroidered robes and girdles ornamented with phoenix. She gave them to Shih-niang, overcoming her with gratitude.

She also ordered a feast of congratulation, to which all their friends were invited, and finally, at the end of the daythe day, offered the pair a bed for the night.

When she was alone with Li Chia, Shih-niang asked,

"Where shall we go when we have left the capital? Has my Lord decided on this point?"

"My father," he answered, "is still angry with me. If, in addition, he learns that I have married my Little-Sister, and that I am coming back with her, he will doubtless be carried away by rage. I have not found a satisfactory plan."

"Your father has feelings from Heaven. He could not break completely with you. Would it not be better for us to go to him, and to keep to our boat while you pray for your friends to ask for a harmonious reconciliation? After that, leading your slave, you may re-enter your dwelling in peace."

"That is an excellent plan," he answered.

Next day they thanked Yuch-lang again and went to the house of Liu. On seeing the learned man, Shih-niang knelt down to express her gratitude to him, saying,

"Later, we may both know how to return your kindness."

Liu hastened to answer, according to the polite formality.

"Your admirable sentiment far exceeds my most poor action. You are a heroine among women. Why do you hang such words on your/teeth?"

All day, the three of them drank wine of joy. Then the pair chose a suitable day for their journey and got horses and a palanquin. When the time for their departure drew near, Yuch-lang, Hsu-Su, and all those friends came to bear the couple's company. Yuch-lang sent her servants to bring a metal casket, furnished with a golden lock, and gave it to Shih-niang, who placed it in her palankeen without opening it.