University of Virginia Library

CHAP. III.

EARLY on the morrow the Manda-rine
Shuey-keu-yé sent a letter to the
Supreme Viceroy, which he opened,
and read to the following effect. "After
I had talked with your Lordship
yesterday, I went home and proposed
to my daughter the completion
of the marriage; which she could by
no means be brought to consent to:

however, after a great many arguments,
at length she yielded that
it should be reported abroad she
was married to your son; on condition
that at home she should still
continue in her present state. I have
therefore sent to consult your Lordship,
whether you think this will be
sufficient."

The Mandarine Tieh-ying was highly
pleased with the letter: but could
not help thinking it very extraordinary
that this young couple should
both adopt the same opinions. "Certainly,
said he, Heaven hath designed
this pair for each other: there is a
wonderful similitude in their fortunes,

manners and sentiments. But yet, he
added, if they do not live under the
same roof, it will soon be discovered
that they are not married: I will therefore
send my son to reside in the house
of Shuey-keu-yé; and then whether they
are married or not, their true situation
will not be known abroad." He accordingly
sent to ask the other's opinion
concerning this proposal: who
intirely approved of it. They soon after
visited each other, and chusing a fortunate
day celebrated the marriage;
at which a great number of Manda-rines
assisted with the highest splendour
and magnificence. Tieh-chung-u
went in state to the house of the bride,
accompanied by his father and the other
Mandarines. When he arrived at the
door, the Lord President came out in
person to receive him: and after the
usual ceremonies were over, there was
a great entertainment prepared for the
guests. The bridegroom however left
them, and was led into the inner apartments.

As it was now evening, the rooms
were lighted up with greatest splendor:
and as soon as he was come into the second
hall, Shuey ping-sin entered also,
followed by a long train of female
attendants. She received him with
the same easy chearfulness, as she
would have received a friend: she
betrayed no particular emotion or

gesture, but accosted him with a decent
and becoming freedom. "Sir,
said she, I am ever sensible of the former
benefits I received at your hands:
and was my life to be laid down in
your behalf, it would not discharge
the debt I owe you. By my father's
order I have the good fortune to meet
with you here this day; which affords
me an opportunity of returning
you thanks for the services you have done
me." Then making a deep court'sy
she presented him with a seat. Tiehhung-u
seeing the graceful ease with
which she accosted him, and the beauty
of her person set off with the richness
and exactness of her dress, thought her
handsomer than she had even appeared
to him at their first encounter: he was
so ravished with the sight of her, that
he thought she could be nothing less
than an angel from heaven. When
he had recovered his surprize, he replied,
"Madam, the benefit I have
received at your hands is so great
that I want words to express it: A
deep sense of it is however engraved
in my heart, and is the subject of my
daily thoughts and nightly dreams. By
your father's permission, I have the
good fortune to meet with you here
this day, to pay you my acknowledgments."
This said, he saluted her with
great respect. Then a carpet was spread,
and they both together performed the
usual ceremony of bowing their heads
down to the ground. After which
they sat down and drank tea. Then
retiring to two different tables they
drank three cups of wine to each other.

Afterwards Tieh-chung-u thus addressed
the young lady, "Madam, I
am so much obliged to you for all
your favours, especially for the good
instructions you gave me, that I shall
ever retain them in my memory. It
is owing to you that I am arrived to
the great honours conferred upon me.
If I had not had the happiness of
meeting with you, I should very likely
have been still a wanderer." "Your
present advancement, said the young
lady, was not owing to any thing
I could say; which was but trifling.
A mere child might by chance point

out the way to those that had lost it.
The source of your reputation was your
redressing the injury of the young lady,
who had been forced away; and your
appearing in behalf of the General Hû-hiau:
these were actions so brave, that
none beside yourself were equal to
them. You also got my father restored
to the Emperor's favour: a benefit
that can be never repaid. How happy
am I then, that I can now offer you
my service! But, Sir, permit me to propose
one word or two. When I invited
you to my house in order to attend
you in your illness, Heaven knows we
were void of all bad intentions; but
the malignity of the world led them
to speak very ill of us abroad: and
shall we now for the sake of a few days
of mirth and pleasure, obscure the remaining
part of our lives? In my
opinion it would be much better to
stay, and see this cloud pass over
before we conclude the marriage farther.
These are my sentiments, and
I should be very glad if yours were
the same." Tieh-chung-u hearing this,
made her a very low bow, and told
her, he highly approved of her opinion;
which he had as much wished
her to adopt, as a shower of rain
is desired in a time of drought. "It
is true, said he, the commands of our
parents would be sufficient to warrant
our completing the marriage: but as
it would cause a deal of reflection,
I am intirely of your opinion that
it will be better to wait a little while
longer." "Our parents' impatience,
said the young lady, proceeds from the
impertinence of Tah-quay and the Eunuch:
[but your regard for deccncy
and good order merits my regard, and
greatly heightens my opinion of you."]
"The people you mention, answered
he, know nothing about us; and are
unacquainted with our affairs: they are
incited to trouble us by Kwo-sho-su:
but when they see the step we have
taken, their mouths will be stopped,
and they can proceed no farther."
"And yet, said Shuey-ping-sin, they may
still shew their spite by raising ill and
calumnious reports of us. Upon all
these accounts it is best to forbear a
while." "For my part, said Tieh-chung-u,
when I came ill into your house,
I thought none knew of it but four,
namely,[9] Heaven and Earth, you and
myself." "Well, said she, if Heaven
hath decreed any thing, it will perfect it.
Our parents' commands would justify
our union in the eye of the world: but
as there is this secret reason for our
forbearance, we must only feign to be
husband and wife: this may pass with
the public, 'till the difficulty is removed
that prevents us from being
such in reality." The young Man-darine
was charmed with her discretion,
and said, "Your ingenious reasoning
informs my mind, at the same time
that it strengthens my resolutions in
virtue[10] ."

Thus they held conversation on their
present circumstances, and on the great
regard that ought to be paid to honour

and virtue: they also related the various
passages that had happened, as well
through the persecution of Kwo-khé-tzu,
as through the plots of him and
his father. They were very pleasant
and chearful: and having drunk
just enough to put them in mind
to have the tables removed, they rose
up, and retired into two separate chambers.
So that their marriage was no
otherwise completed than as to the
outward appearance, and belief of it.

What happened in consequence of
these measures will be found in the following
chapter.