The War Tiger Part 22

"Then, may thy servant be permitted to pay this silver; for he would engage for himself and sister the man's house, which cannot be large enough for these poor people also?"

"Truly it may not be refused," replied the mandarin, taking the money, and rescinding his order for the accommodation of the poor people; but adding, as he left the spot, "It is a maxim that people should settle their own debts before paying those of others."

"Where is the justice now, my master; for although he has received the debt in full, that rat of the taxes hath not taken back the blows from this poor man's hide?" said Chow, fortunately for himself in such soft tones that he could not be heard by the mandarin. More pleased than otherwise at the scene which they had considered good fun, the crowd dispersed; when, silencing the noisy grat.i.tude of the innkeeper, who, after all, had been more frightened than hurt with the blows which had been dealt out to him, as much as a matter of form as a punishment, Nicholas and his party entered the inn, and having secured the two best rooms, one for the princess and her attendant, the other for himself and Chow, he gave the bird's nests to the wife of the innkeeper for the use of the ladies.

As for themselves, the boys made a good meal, and then whiled the time away in conversation till it became dark, when they both sought their beds; which, queer as it may seem to you--being nothing but piles of bricks shaped to the human form, and heated from beneath with charcoal, the flame and heat of which are dispersed by pipes joined to an upright tube, which carries the smoke through the roof--they greatly enjoyed after their long journey.

The next morning Nicholas visited the princess, and to his surprise and delight found that she had recovered her strength. "This is indeed joy, O my princess!" said he, kneeling; when, taking him by the hand, the royal lady said, "Kneel not before her whom thou hast so much befriended, O n.o.ble youth; for it is naught but the poor fatherless girl La-Loo who is before thee, and would indeed be thy sister."

"This is not possible; the daughter of the Ming can never be less in the world than its princess--first in beauty as in rank," said Nicholas.

"The daughter of the Ming, or the girl La-Loo, be she whom she may, n.o.ble youth, will travel alone through this dreary province in search of her brother, if she can not journey as thy sister."

"Then be it so, for thy servant dares not disobey, O beautiful La-Loo!"

said Nicholas; adding, "Is it the will of the princess, to proceed upon her journey?"

"The will of her adopted brother is the will of La-Loo," replied the princess, and Nicholas left the room; but pus.h.i.+ng the door before him, imagine his surprise to find the innkeeper at the threshhold with his little head upward, his short arms stretched forward from his great body, and his legs in the hands of Chow, who appeared to be pulling him from the door.

"Release thy mean servant from the hands of this vile person, O n.o.ble youth, or his legs will be pulled as easily from his body as those of a crab," said the man, piteously looking in the face of Nicholas.

"The rascal, the rogue, the elephant in size, but mouse in honesty, was listening to thy conversation, O my master," said Chow.

"Let the mean rat rise upon his bamboo legs," said Nicholas; adding, "What has the dog learned of his guests' affairs?"

"Truly so grand a mien could belong to none but the son of a king, and so beautiful a lady, could be none other than a princess," said the man.

"Thou rascal," said Nicholas; but adding, more prudently, "Canst thou be honest, and serve us?"

"For ever, O n.o.ble youth," replied the innkeeper.

"Trust not so small a mouse," said Chow.

"The innkeeper shall be rewarded according to his merits. Let him conduct his guest to the merchants of the town, and he shall receive some silver," said Nicholas, quitting the house with the man, who led him to the various dealers and merchants, from whom he purchased a camel, a mule, a tent, provision, and in short all things necessary for a long journey overland.

When he had made these purchases, he whispered some secret instruction in the ear of Chow, and sent him with the animals and articles back to the inn; after which he said, "Will the worthy innkeeper open his lips in a temple, and promise to keep to himself the secret he has discovered?"

"Truly the n.o.ble youth does not doubt that the words of his servant are straight?" replied the man, evasively.

"The worthy innkeeper must do this, or forfeit these two ounces of silver," replied Nicholas, exhibiting the money, which had the desired effect.

"There is but one temple for this poor town, and that is upon the mountain without the walls."

"To that we will proceed, if the worthy innkeeper will show the way."

The man obeyed; they pa.s.sed through the gates of the town into a narrow road, which led them to the foot of a high mountain, near the summit of which stood a small temple.

"It would be better to seek an altar within the inner apartments of thy servant's inn, the G.o.ds would be equally as attentive to his promise, and the n.o.ble youth would be saved the necessity of climbing so steep a hill."

"Truly this temple can not be used often, or some easier means of ascent would be made," said Nicholas.

"The words of the n.o.ble youth are wise, for truly this temple is but used on the festivals of the first of the month."

"When is the next festival, O worthy innkeeper?"

"To-morrow."

"Then ascend."

Obeying, the innkeeper commenced climbing the narrow and slippery stairs cut in the hill side; when they reached the top and stood in the temple before a huge wooden G.o.d, who seemed to form part of the back wall of the temple, out of which he had been cut, Nicholas, pointing to one of the arms of the idol, said, "Truly, the G.o.d hath been neglected and requires painting." Turning his back to Nicholas to examine the idol, the man gave a shriek of alarm. Nicholas had taken a cord from his vest, thrown it over his arms, and made him as harmless as if he had been in a straight jacket.

"What means the youth; is he a robber?"

"Silence thou ungrateful hog," said Nicholas, pulling him toward the idol, to which he secured his body, legs and arms.

"Now, thou dog, open thy lips, and say what fell into thine ears whilst thou wast listening at the door of the ladies' apartments."

"Truly, thy mean servant could not hear much, for little was said by the princess."

"Then how, thou trembling rogue, couldst thou know it was a princess who spoke?"

"Thy servant divined that the lady must be of exalted rank; for in the first place, had she not been a great lady escaping from the province of Pekin, she would not have crossed the gulf in such weather, neither would so n.o.ble a youth as thyself have treated a sister with such exalted respect."

"Thou art a cunning dog, whose words are dust; and if thou dost not admit that thy vile ears were at that door before the time when thou wert caught, I will slay thee," said Nicholas, drawing his short sword, and holding it threateningly.

"Pardon, O n.o.ble youth; but as iron can not resist the lode-stone, neither can the ears of thy servant resist a secret: he did--did listen," said the man trembling with fear.

"What didst thou hear, dog?" the sword was now at his throat.

"That the Emperor Wey-t-song was slain, and that the Emperor Li had offered a great reward for the Princess of the Mings."

"Should I kill thee, thou mean rat, thou wouldst but meet thy merits."

"The magnanimous youth would not soil his sword with the blood of so mean a person."

"No; but thou shalt remain here till we are beyond the reach of harm from thy vile tongue."

"Surely the n.o.ble youth would not starve so ill-conditioned a person,"

said the man in a whining tone. "Thou art now safe, thou rogue, and I will pay thee the two taels I promised; but if even when released from thy bondage when the temple is visited to-morrow, thou speak but the name of the lady you have seen, I will return and punish thee, if it is years to come." So saying Nicholas threw the silver upon the floor, closed the door of the temple, descended the mountain, and made as much haste as possible back to the inn.

CHAPTER x.x.xIII.

AN OVERLAND JOURNEY.--ATTACKED BY WOLVES, AND STOPPED BY A SERPENT.

By the time Nicholas returned to the inn, Chow had prepared every thing for their departure; the camel was laden with a litter for the two ladies, behind which were two tents, rough sleeping mats, furs and a supply of food and fuel.