CHOW OUTWITS A GREAT MANDARIN, AND SETS OUT TO RESCUE HIS MASTER.
As they walked to the inn Chow explained to Sing his plan for the rescue of Nicholas, which, after some serious consideration and many words of advice, the innkeeper approved; but as it could not be put in operation before evening, as soon as they reached the inn they went into one of the inner apartments, and while they refreshed themselves with a good meal, chatted over the details.
After they had completed their arrangements, Sing led Chow to an outbuilding, in which were two oblong coffins, the one sealed down, the other with the lid half off. The first contained the body of Sing's daughter, of whom he had been so fond in life that in death he kept her in the same room with the open coffin which had been presented to him by the girl as a filial offering.
Such gifts as this, which I dare say you will think a sombre one, are by no means more rare among the Chinese than the preservation in their own houses of the bodies of those they have loved. And just above an altar upon which incense was burning, hung a portrait of the dead girl, before which silently and with cheeks damped with tears of memory, Sing threw himself reverentially, and prayed fervently for the other world happiness of his child. Having, with as much real sympathy as mere courtesy, joined in the ceremony for a short time, Chow arose, and left the bereaved parent throwing cuttings of silver paper upon the burning dish, in the belief that in the next world it would change into real money for his daughter's use.
As when Chow reached the police tribunal he found it closed for the day, he clattered upon a large gong or kettle drum, affixed to the door, a piece of great daring on his part; for if his business did not strike the mandarin as being of the greatest importance, he might make sure of some fifty blows for his impudence, for the public officers in China are quite as averse to doing too much for the public money as many that I could name of our own.
The door was opened and the boy was shown into the hall of audience, where he had not long to wait before the mandarin and four bamboo sticks in waiting made their appearance. "How, dog! Why this clatter at our gates when the tribunal is closed?" asked the surly grandee.
"Will the magnificent fountain of justice give his unworthy servant a private hearing?" said the bold boy, glancing significantly at the bamboo sticks in waiting.
"Let the fellow's mouth be opened with ten blows for his impudence," said the polite magistrate; but as the men were about to obey, Chow thrust his hand into his robe, and pulling out a letter threw it into the great man's lap, a piece of effrontery so beyond all precedent that the bamboo sticks waiting stood aghast and ready at a glance from the mandarin to immolate the profane boy. The magistrate, however, no sooner opened the paper than in tremulous tones he exclaimed, "Leave us alone, this fellow has matters of private importance to communicate."
This order having been obeyed, Chow broke through the rules of decency and etiquette by speaking before he was spoken to. "A crime has been committed within thy district, O mandarin, yet justice sleeps. Surely this is not according to the sacred books," said he.
"What dog's words are these? of what crime speaks the youth?" said the magistrate wildly.
"According to the sacred books, O mandarin, it is the magistrate's duty to discover and punish crime within his district. Yet, not withstanding the house of the retired innkeeper Hoang is in a well-guarded quarter of the city, it has been broken into and its furniture and valuables stolen; moreover what is more surprising in so populous a district, the thieves have escaped."
"What words are these?" said the mandarin again, being in fact so troubled that he knew not what to say.
"Truly, it is a shrewd maxim; 'that large fowls will not eat small grain,' yet, the largest may be choked if too greedy, for there are still larger birds to swallow them; in turn even thou mayst be stripped of thy rank and offices, if not strangled," said Chow, adding, "Would the lord of justice wish straighter words?"
The words proved straight enough to go direct to the mark, for the mandarin fell upon his knees and begged Chow to accept half his fortune, and although it would be letting his rogue off cheaply enough, the rescue of Nicholas was his object, and he promised to forego using his knowledge of the great man's delinquency, providing that he would give him an order under the official seal that would admit him to his master's prison. Rejoiced to purchase his safety so easily, the mandarin not only gave the order, but also promised to see that Hoang's property was restored to him within a few days. After this Chow gave a paper to the magistrate, and left the tribunal well satisfied with the result of his visit.
Now, as I dare say you are anxious to know how it came about that so poor a boy could have such power over so great a personage, I will tell you, and you will obtain some little knowledge how public affairs are managed in China, and moreover, learn that dishonesty may sometimes place the greatest official beneath the thumb of the smallest of persons, as indeed it happened in this case.
When Chow was chattering over his plans with the innkeeper he examined the box of pastiles, and on taking them out, discovered a paper at the bottom, evidently placed there for security, as the thieves could not have dreamt of leaving their most valuable implements behind. That paper was an order for four men, whose names were mentioned, to pass to the boats on the canal, with any quantity of goods, without questioning, and was signed with the character of the mandarin, which accounted for the thieves getting off with so many things, but it also proved that the mandarin was in connivance with them, and was in the habit of granting these passes to robbers in return for a large bribe. Now, as Chow could write very well, he immediately composed a letter to the mandarin, telling him the whole transaction, and, moreover, that the thieves were well known to a friend of his, who, if he did not return by a certain time that evening, would disclose the whole matter to the viceroy; therefore it was not to be wondered that the great man trembled and implored of Chow to accept half his fortune, for had it been brought before the viceroy he would, as Chow more than, hinted, in all probability have been strangled.