University of Virginia Library

CHAP. IX.

THE Mandarine Kwo-sho-su was
so mortified by this disappointment
that he was ashamed to appear
in public, and begged to lay down his
office under pretence of indisposition.
On the other hand, Shuey-keu-yé had
no sooner returned to court but he
was made Shang-shu, or President [of
the tribunal of arms.] The Mandarines
who had threatened him for refusing
to listen to their proposals in
favour of Kwo-sho-su and his son, were

afraid he would now remember them.
But he told them when they came to
visit him and ask his pardon, that they
could not be blamed for acting as
they did, and that the harm which
might have accrued was owing to himself.
As soon as he had waited on
the Emperor, he went immediately to
visit the Supreme Viceroy and his son.
That Mandarine received him in person,
but his son was absent: the other
inquired after him, but was told he
was gone into the country to study.
"I am come, said Shuey-keu-yé, to pay
my acknowledgments to the young
gentleman for the benefit I have received
from his wisdom and courage;
and nothing would rejoice me so much
as to see him." "To morrow, said
his father, I will send him to visit
you." Upon which the other departed
with great satisfaction.

The Mandarine Tieh did not approve
of his son's keeping a great deal
of company, but could not avoid complying
with the request of the Lord
President; he therefore sent to command
his son to visit him. Tieh-chung-u said,
to the servant who brought the message,
"As that Mandarine only came
to see us out of compliment, it will
be sufficient for my father to return it.
It would but interrupt my studies to
go to the city: where the public ceremonies
would take up more time than I
can spare; and so much company is
but irksome." He therefore humbly

intreated his father not to engage for
any return of visits to be made by him.
The servant reported his message to
his master, who was so well satisfied
with it, that he went and returned
the visit alone. Shuey-keu-yé asked for
his son: and the other apologized for
his absence under pretence that he was
indisposed. "Very well, replied he,
it is the custom of people of sense and
ingenuity not to be forward in making
themselves public: as your son is a
youth of great wisdom, and chuses to
live sequestered from public company,
I will go to his house, and see him
there." After a[55] little farther discourse
they parted.

The Mandarine Shuey-keu-yé thought
it a great proof of the young gentleman's
discretion and good sense,
that he chose to be retired. It increased
his desire to see him. He
had formed in his mind so favourable
an opinion of him, that he
thought he would be a very proper
match for his daughter, whom now
he began to think of marrying. He
accordingly sent a servant to the village,
where Tieh-chung-u at present resided,
to see if he were at home, and
being informed that he was, he went
to see him on the morrow[56] : of
which he gave him the customary
notice.

The name of the village was Séé-shan,
or West-mountain, where Tieh-chung-u
lived retired; he had just dined when
he received notice that the Mandarine
Shuey-keu-yé intended him a visit: the
name brought to his mind his beautiful
daughter Shuey-ping-sin, which caused
him to fetch a deep sigh, and led
him to reflect on the wonderful manner
in which things had happened.
"I little thought, said he, of contributing
to the restoration of that young
lady's father, when I became surety
for Hû-hiau. I was not only the
happy instrument of saving a brave
man from death, but of bringing
back to honour a Mandarine of so
much merit. I might now ask him
for his daughter in marriage; if I had

not become acquainted with her at
the Che-hien's tribunal; and if she had
not received me afterwards into her
house. But alas! after all this public
intercourse, our union is impossible,
unless I would bring all the calumny
in the world both upon her and myself;
and confirm the suspicion of a private
correspondence." He considered
with himself whether it was not possible
to find out some means of getting over
this difficulty: [but his delicacy raised
so many scruples, and painted the censure
of the world in so terrible a light,
as extending not only to himself, but
his posterity, that] at length he said,
"I shall be forced to refuse her, although
her father should make me the
offer." He was buried in these distracting
reflections, when there was
shewn into the room an old gentleman
dressed in the habit of a doctor of law:
who cried out, "Hiong, or brother,
why are you so difficult of access[57] , that
I could not see you before to-day?"
"Surely, Sir, said the youth, you do
not know me, or you would not say
this." Then he paid him the compliments
due to his appearance. When
these were over the old gentleman took
hold of his hand, and looking earnestly
in his face, said, "When I only heard
of you, I conceived a great esteem for
you; which after all might possibly
have been ill-grounded: but now I
must confess the sight of you increases
that esteem, and gives me great satisfaction.
Yesterday I went to pay you
a visit, but only saw your father: he
told me you did not care to be seen
in public: I therefore came hither privately
to visit you." Tieh-chung-u at
these words started, saying: "Ah!
Sir, you seem to be the Mandarine
Shuey-keu-yé[58] :" then getting ready a
Tieh-tsé, or billet of compliments, and
presenting it to him, he said, "I hope,
Sir, you will pardon me, that although
you are a person of so much honour,
I did not know you." "Why did
I come here, replied the other, but to
thank you for being the cause of my
return to court: as likewise to be acquainted
with a youth of such uncommon
endowments as fame reports you
to be possessed of?" "Pray, Sir, excuse
me, said Tieh-chung-u; it proceeded from
my not being sufficiently acquainted
with you, that I did not pay that respect
to you I ought in waiting upon you
yesterday. I am now very sensible of
my error." After these compliments,
he ordered an entertainment to be got
ready. At the sight of that, Shuey-keu-yé
was very well pleased, as it would
afford them an opportunity for discourse.
Accordingly their conversation turned
upon history, antiquity, poetry, law,
and other subjects proper for learned
and ingenious men. After these topics
were exhausted, the old Mandarine said,
he had one word to speak, which he
hoped the other would not take amiss.
"My Lord, said Tieh-chung-u, as I am
your son and disciple[59] , why do you
shew me so much condescension?" "I
have no son, replied the other, but one
only daughter, who hath just attained
her eighteenth year. If I am not partial
to her, I never saw a young woman
of such beautiful features, or of
so fine a person: and as to knowledge
in books, I believe there are none
able to converse with her, except yourself.
This I mention, as I have a great
value for you; but if you don't believe
me, examine first into the truth of it
yourself: if you find it to be true, you
shall have her for your wife." Tieh-chung-u
was so surprized, and confounded
at these words, that he could give
no answer, but remained as it were
thunderstruck, and sighed deeply with
a great appearance of concern in his
face. Shuey-keu-yé observing his looks,
said, "Perhaps you are already engaged."
The other shook his head,
and answered, "No!" "Perhaps then,
replied he, you do not think all is
true that I tell you." "Sir, said the
youth, it is impossible for a man or
woman to excell in understanding so
much as she doth, but a whole kingdom
must be acquainted with it. You
have spoke nothing but truth, and your
offer would be exceedingly acceptable
to any one, but myself: circumstanced
as I am, I should be very blameable to
accept of it." The Mandarine hearing
him speak so obscurely, said, "You
are a person of an open generous heart;
you must tell me what you mean."
"Sir, said he, when you get home you
will understand every thing." The
Lord President imagined there might
be something or other amiss, which had
not yet reached his ears: this he thought
the more probable, as he had been so
long from home, and had not heard
any news from thence: he therefore
dropt the subject, and after some little
discourse upon indifferent topics took
his leave, and went home.

As he went along he could not help
reflecting on the engaging aspect of
Tieh-chung-u, and what a proper husband
he would be for his daughter;
he therefore could not easily resolve
to part with him. Nay he thought

he could discern in his words and manner,
as through a mist, that he had a
secret inclination for her, although he
seemed to have some great objection:
what that was he could not possibly
divine, unless she had been guilty of
any misconduct: "But that, said he,
cannot be; I know her to be of the
most steady temper, and immoveable
virtue. Perhaps this Kwo-khé-tzu, out
of revenge for my refusing him my
daughter, hath played her some trick,
or reported ill of her, which hath occasioned
this disgust in Tieh-chung-u:
however all these objections will vanish,
if the offer prove but agreeable to the
Mandarine his father." He therefore
resolved to get an intimate acquaintance
to go and talk over the affair
with the latter; for from what he had
heard of his daughter's carriage and
ingenuity, he thought there was none
but Tieh-chung-u worthy to obtain
her.