VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER FOUR.
"Mustapha," observed the pacha, taking his pipe out of his mouth, "whatmakes the poets talk so much about the Book of Fate?"
"The Book of Fate, your highness, is where is written our _Talleh_, ordestiny. Can I say more?"
"Allah acbar! God is great! and it is well said. But why a book, whennobody can read it?"
"These are great words, and spiced with wisdom. O pacha! doth not Hafizsay, `Every moment you enjoy, count it gain?' Who can say what will bethe event of any thing?"
"Wallab thaib! well said, by Allah! Then why a book, if the book issealed?"
"Yet there are wise men who can read our kismet, and foretell."
"Yes, very true; but I have observed that it is not until after an eventhas happened, that they tell you of it. What are these astrologers?_Bosh_--nothing--I have said." And the pacha remained some time smokinghis pipe in silence.
"May it please your highness," observed Mustapha, "I have outside awretch who is anxious to crawl into your presence. He comes from thefar-distant land of Kathay--an unbeliever, with two tails."
"Two tails! was he a pacha in his own country?"
"A pacha! Staffir Allah!--God forgive me! A dog--a most miserabledog--on my eyes be it; but still he hath two tails."
"Let the dog with two tails be admitted," replied the pacha. "We havesaid it."
A yellow-skinned, meagre, and wrinkled old Chinaman was brought inbetween two of the guards. His eyes were very small and bleared, hischeek-bones prominent; all that could be discovered of his nose were twoexpanded nostrils at its base; his mouth of an enormous width, withteeth as black as ink. As soon as the guards stopped, he slipped downfrom between them on his knees, and throwing forward his body,_kow-tow-ed_ with his head in the dust nine times, and then remainedwith his face down on the floor.
"Let the dog with two tails rise," said the pacha.
This order not being immediately obeyed by the servile Chinaman, each ofthe two guards who stood by him seized one of the plaited tails of hair,which was nearly an ell in length, and pulled up his head from thefloor. The Chinaman then remained cross-legged, with his eyes humblyfixed upon the ground.
"Who art thou, dog?" said the pacha, pleased with the man's humility.
"I am of Kathay, and your vilest slave," replied the man, in goodTurkish. "In my own country I was a poet. Destiny hath brought mehere, and I now work in the gardens of the palace."
"If you are a poet you can tell me many a story."
"Your slave has told thousands in his lifetime, such hath been my fate."
"Talking about fate," said Mustapha, "can you tell his highness a story,in which destiny has been foretold and hath been accomplished? if so,begin."
"There is a story of my own country, O vizier! in which destiny wasforetold, and was most unhappily accomplished."
"You may proceed," said Mustapha, at a sign from the pacha.
The Chinaman thrust his hand into the breast of his blue cotton shirt,and pulled out a sort of instrument made from the shell of a tortoise,with three or four strings stretched across, and in a low monotonoustone, something between a chant and a whine, not altogether unmusical,he commenced his story. But first he struck his instrument and ran overa short prelude, which may be imagined by a series of false notes,running as follows:--
Ti-tum, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti-tum, tilly-lilly,tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
As he proceeded in his story, whenever he was out of breath, he stopped,and struck a few notes of his barbarous music.
THE WONDROUS TALE OF HAN.
Who was more impassioned in his nature, who was more formed for love,than the great Han Koong Shew, known in the celestial archives as thesublime Youantee, brother of the sun and moon?--whose court was sosuperb--whose armies were so innumerable--whose territories were sovast--bounded as they were by the four seas, which bounded the wholeuniverse; yet was he bound by destiny to be unhappy, and thus do Icommence the wondrous tale of Han--the sorrows of the magnificentYouantee.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly--
Yes, he felt that some one thing was wanting. All his power, hiswealth, his dignity, filled not his soul with pleasure. He turned fromthe writings of the great Fo--he closed the book. Alas! he sighed for asecond self to whom he might point out--"All this is mine." His heartyearned for a fair damsel--a maid of beauty--to whose beauty he mightbow. He, to whom the world was prostrate, the universe were slaves,longed for an amorous captivity and sighed for chains. But where wasthe maiden to be found worthy to place fetters upon the brother of thesun and moon--the magnificent master of the universe? Where was she tobe found?
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
Yes, there was one, and but one, worthy to be his mate, worthy to be thequeen of a land of eternal spring, filled with trees whose stems were ofgold, branches of silver, leaves of emerald, and whose fruits were thefragrant apples of immortality. And where was this moon, fit bride untothe sun? Was she not plunged in grief--hidden in a well of her owntears--even in the gardens of joy? Those eyes which should have sunneda court of princes, were dimmed with eternal sorrow. And who was thecause of this eclipse, but the miscreant gold-loving minister, _SuchongPollyhong Ka-te-tow_.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly.
The mandarins were summoned by the great Youantee, the court in itssplendour bowed down their heads into the dust of delight as theylistened to the miracle of his eloquence. "Hear me, ye first chopmandarins, peers, lords, and princes of the empire. Listen to the wordsof Youantee. Hath not each bird that skims the air its partner in thenest? Hath not each beast its mate? Have not you all eyes which beambut upon you alone? Am I then so unfortunately great, or so greatlyunfortunate, that I may not be permitted to descend to love? Even thebrother of the sun and moon cannot, during his career on earth, existalone. Seek, then, through the universe a maiden for thy lord, thatlike my brother, the sun, who sinks each night into the bosom of theocean, I too may repose upon the bosom of my mate. Seek, I say, searcheach corner of the world, that its treasures may be poured forth at ourgolden feet, and one gem be selected for our especial wear. But first,O wise men and astrologers, summon ye the planets and stars of destiny,that they may ascertain whether, by this conjunction, aught of evil bethreatened to our celestial person, or to our boundless empire."
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
Where is the star which leaps not in his course with delight to obey thewishes of the brother of the sun and moon? Where was the planet thatrejoiced not to assist so near a relative? Yes, they all hearkened,bowing down to the astrolabes of the astrologers, like generous steeds,who knelt to receive their riders; yet when they all did meet to throwlight upon the required page of destiny, was not their brightness dimmedwhen they perceived as they read it that it was full of tears, and thatjoy floated but as a bubble? The wise men sighed as the decree of fatewas handed down to them, and with their faces to the earth, thus didthey impart the contents of the revealed page to the magnificentYouantee.
"The brother of the sun and moon would wed. Beauty shall be laid at thegolden feet, but the pearl beyond price will be found and lost. Therewill be joy and there will be sorrow. Joy in life, sorrow both in lifeand death; for a black dragon, foe to the celestial empire, threatenslike an overhanging cloud. More the stars dare not reveal."
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here the pacha looked at Mustapha and nodded his head in approbation, asmuch as to say, "Now we are coming to the point." Mustapha bowed, andthe Chinese poet continued.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The golden eyes of the great Youantee were filled with silver tears whenthe page of destiny was made known; but the sun of hope rose and boreaway the sacred dew to heaven. Then called he the minister, ever to bedisgraced in story, Suchong Pollyhong Ka-te-tow, and the empe
ror desiredhim to make a progress through the universe, his dominions, to find outthe most beautiful maidens to be brought to the celestial feet at thecoming feast of Lanterns. But before they could be permitted to shootup the rays of love through the mist of glory which surrounded theimperial throne--before their charms were to make the attempt upon theheart of magnanimity, it was necessary that all their portraits shouldbe submitted to the great Youantee, in the hail of delight. That is tosay, out of the twenty thousand virgins whose images were to beimpressed upon the ivory, one hundred only, selected by a committee oftaste, composed of the first class mandarins and princes, were to behonoured with the beam of the celestial eye.
The avaricious, gold-seeking, Suchong Pollyhong Kate-tow, had performedhis task--wealth poured into his coffers from the ambitious parents, wholonged to boast of an alliance with the brother of the sun and moon, andmany were the ill-favoured whose portraits were dismissed by thecommittee of taste, with surprise at the minister's ideas of beauty.
Now there was a certain mandarin, whose daughter had long been extolledthrough the province of Kartou as a miracle of beauty, and her father,Whanghang, brought her in a litter to the minister Suchong PollyhongKa-te-tow. He felt that her charms were piercing as an arrow and thathe had found a fit mate for the brother of the sun and moon; but hisavarice demanded a sum which the father would not pay. Refuse to sendher portrait he dare not, it was therefore ordered to be taken as wellas the others, and Whanghang considered himself as the father-in-law ofthe celestial Youantee. The young painter who was employed finished histask, then laid down his pencil, and died with grief and love of suchperfection which he never could hope to obtain. The picture was sent tothe vile minister, who reserved it for himself, and wrote the name ofthis pearl beyond price under that of another, unworthy to unloose herzone as her handmaiden. The committee of taste did, however, selectthat picture among the hundred to be placed in the hall of delight, notbecause the picture was beautiful, but because the fame of her beautyhad reached the court, and they thought it right that the emperor shouldsee the picture. The virgins, whose pictures were thus selected, wereall ordered to repair to the imperial palace, and the magnificentYouantee entered the hall of delight, which was illumined with tenthousand lanterns, and cast his eyes over the portraits of the hundredbeauties, but not one feature touched his heart, he turned away indisgust at the degenerate countenances of the age. "Is this all,"exclaimed he, "that the world can lay at the feet of its lord?" And thecommittee of taste prostrated themselves when they beheld hisindignation. "And this," exclaimed he, pointing to the supposedportrait of the daughter of Whanghang; "who is this presumptuous one whohath dared to disgrace with her features the hall of delight?"
"That, O emperor," said the wily Suchong Pollyhong Ka-te-tow, "is thefar-famed beauty _Chaoukeun_, whose insolent father dared to say, thatif it was not sent, he would lay his complaint at the celestial feet.In her province the fame of her beauty was great, and I did not like tobe accused of partiality, so it has been placed before the imperialeye."
"First, then," exclaimed the emperor, "let it be proclaimed, that thewhole province of Kartou is peopled by fools, and levy upon it a fine ofone hundred thousand ounces of gold, for its want of taste; and next,let this vain one be committed to perpetual seclusion in the easterntower of the imperial palace. Let the other maidens be sent to theirparents, for as yet there is not found a fit bride for the brother ofthe sun and moon."
The imperial mandates were obeyed; and thus was the first part of theprophecy fulfilled, that "the pearl beyond price would be _found_ and_lost_."
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
Yes, she was lost, for the resplendent Chaoukeun was shut up to wasteaway her peerless beauty in sorrow and in solitude. One small terracewalk was the only spot permitted her on which to enjoy the breezes ofheaven. Night was looking down in loveliness, with her countless eyes,upon the injustice and cruelty of men, when the magnificent Youantee,who had little imagined that the brother of the sun and moon would bedoomed to swallow the bitter pillau of disappointment, as had beenlatterly his custom, quitted the palace to walk in the gardens andcommune with his own thoughts, unattended. And it pleased destiny, thatthe pearl beyond price, the neglected Chaoukeun also was induced, by thebeauty and stillness of the night, to press the shell sand which coveredthe terrace walk, with her diminutive feet, so diminutive, that shealmost tottered in her gait. The tear trembled in her eye as shethought of her own happy home, and bitterly did she bewail that beauty,which, instead of raising her to a throne, had by malice and avaricecondemned her to perpetual solitude. She looked upwards at the starryheaven, but felt no communion with its loveliness. She surveyed thegarden of sweets from the terrace, but all appeared to be desolate. Oflate, her only companions had been her tears and her lute, whose noteswere as plaintive as her own.
"O my mother!" exclaimed she; "beloved, but too ambitious mother! butfor one little hour to lay this head upon your bosom! Fatal hath beenthe dream you rejoiced in at my nativity--in which the moon shone out sobrilliantly, and then descended into the earth at your feet. I haveshone but a little, little time, and now am I buried, as it were, in theearth, at my joyous age. Immured in this solitary tower, my hopesdestroyed--my portrait cannot have been seen--and now I am lost forever. Thou lute, sole companion of my woes, let us join our voices ofcomplaint. Let us fancy that the flowers are listening to our grief,and that the dews upon the half-closed petals are tears of pity for mymisfortunes." And Chaoukeun struck her lute, and thus poured out herlament:--
"O tell me, thou all-glorious sun, Were there no earth to drink thy light, Would not, in vain, thy course be run, Thy reign be o'er a realm of night?
"Thus charms were born to be enthroned In hearts, and youth to be carest, And beauty is not, if not own'd, At least by one adoring breast."
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
The musical notes of the peerless Chaoukeun were not thrown away onlyupon flowers deaf and dumb, they vibrated in the ears of the magnificentYouantee, who had sat down on the back of an enormous metal dragon,which had been placed in the walk under the terrace. The emperorlistened with surprise at her soliloquy, with admiration at herenchanting song. For some minutes he remained in a profound reverie,and then rising from the dragon, he walked towards the gate of thetower, and clapped his hands. The eunuch made his appearance. "Keeperof the Yellow Tower," said the emperor, "but now I heard the sounds of alute."
"Even so, O Sustenance of the world," responded the slave.
"Was it not rather an angel than a mortal, whose mellifluous notesaccompanied the instrument?" said the magnificent Youantee.
"Certainly is she blessed beyond mortality, since her melody has foundfavour in the celestial ears," replied the black keeper of the YellowTower.
"Go then, and quickly summon all our highest officers of state, to laytheir robes upon the ground, that she may pass over them to our presenceat the dragon below the terrace."
The magnificent Youantee, brother of the sun and moon, returned to hisformer seat, filled with pleasing anticipations, while the eunuchhastened to obey the celestial commands. The mandarins of the firstclass hastened to obey the orders of Youantee; their furred and velvetcloaks, rich in gold and silver ornaments, were spread from the tower tothe dragon at the terrace, forming a path rich and beautiful as themilky way in the heavens. The pearl beyond price, the peerlessChaoukeun, like the moon in her splendour, passed over it into thepresence of the great Youantee.
"Immortal Fo," exclaimed the emperor, as the attendants raised theirlanterns, so as to throw light upon her countenance, "by what blackmischance have such charms been hidden from our sight?"
Then did the peerless Chaoukeun narrate, in few words, the treachery andavarice of Suchong Pollyhong Ka-te-tow.
"Hasten, O mandarins, let the scissors of disgrace cut off the two tailsof this wretch, and then let the sword of justice sever off his head."
But the rumour of his sentence flew on the wind to Suchong PollyhongKa-te-tow; and before the executioner could arrive, he had mounted ahorse fleeter than the wind, and with the portrait of the peerlessChaoukeun in his vest, had left even rumour far behind.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
And to whom did the miscreant minister fly, to hide his devoted head?He flew to the wild nations of the north, the riders of wild horses,with sharp scimitars and long lances. For three days and three nightsdid the hoofs of his fiery steed strike fire upon the flints, which hespurned in his impetuous course, and then, as an immortal poet hathalready sung, "he bowed his head and died," With the portrait of thepeerless Chaoukeun in his bosom, and his mandarin garments raised upunder each arm, the miscreant Suchong Pollyhong Ka-te-tow reached thepresence of the Great Khan. "O khan of Tartary," said he, "may thysword be ever keen, thy lance unerring, and thy courser swift. I am thyslave. O thou who commandest an hundred thousand warriors--hath thyslave permission to address thee?"
"Speak, and be damned," replied the warrior chief, of few words, whoseteeth were busy with some pounds of horse-flesh.
"Thou knowest, O khan, that it hath been the custom for ages, that thecelestial empire should provide for thee a fair damsel for thy nuptialbed, and that this hath been the price paid by the celestial court, toprevent the ravages of thy insatiate warriors. O khan, there is a maid,whose lovely features I now have with me, most worthy to be raised up tothy nuptial couch." And the miscreant laid at the feet of the greatkhan the portrait of the peerless Chaoukeun.
The chief finished his repast, and then with his lance, turned over theimage of the pearl beyond all price. He looked at it, then passed it tothose around him. The savage warriors stared at the lovely portrait,and admired it not--yet did they long for war. "Tell me, O chiefs,"said the great khan, "is that baby-face you look at worth contendingfor?"
And, with one voice, the chiefs replied, that she was worthy to sharethe nuptial couch of the great khan.
"Be it so," replied he, "I am no judge of beauty. Let the encampment bebroken up--this evening we move southwards." And the Tartar chiefentered the northern provinces of the celestial empire, with his hundredthousand warriors, destroying all with fire and sword, proving hissincere wish to unite himself to the Chinese nation by theindiscriminate slaughter of man, woman, and child; and his ardent lovefor the peerless Chaoukeun, by making a nuptial torch of every town andvillage.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
But we must return to the celestial court, and astonish the world withthe wonderful events which there took place. The astrologers and wisemen had consulted the heavens, and had ascertained that on thethirty-third minute after the thirteenth hour, the marriage processionmust set out, or the consummation would not be prosperous. Who candescribe the pomp and glory of the spectacle, or give an adequate ideaof its splendour? Alas! it would not be possible, even if it wereattempted by ten thousand poets, each with ten thousand tongues ofsilver, singing for ten thousand years. Such, however, was the order ofthe procession.
First walked ten thousand officers of justice, with long bamboos,striking right and left to clear the way, to the cadence of soft music,blending with the plaintive cries of those who limped away and rubbedtheir shins.
Then marching, ten abreast, one hundred thousand lanterns to assist thesun, partially eclipsed by the splendour of the procession.
Next appeared, slowly keeping time to a dead march, five thousanddecapitated criminals, each carrying his own head by its long tail ofhair.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Staffir Allah! What is that but a lie?" exclaimed the pacha. "Did youhear what the dog has dared to breathe into our ears, Mustapha?"
"Mighty pacha," replied the Chinaman, with humility, "if your wisdompronounces it to be a lie--a lie it most certainly must be; still it isnot the lie of your slave, who but repeats the story as handed down bythe immortal eastern poet."
"Nevertheless, there appears to be a trifling mistake," observedMustapha. "Is the procession to proceed, O pacha?"
"Yes, yes; but by the Prophet, let the dog tremble, if again he presumesto laugh at our beards."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
After the decapitated criminals, which your highness objects to, came inprocession those criminals with their heads on, who were to suffer fortheir offences on this day of universal happiness.
First came two thousand robbers, sentenced to be hung up by their heels,emblematic of their wish to turn every thing, upside down--so to remainuntil they were pecked to death by the crows, or torn to pieces by thevultures.
The banner of innovation.
One of the robber chiefs, ordered to be choked with an abacus, which wassuspended round his neck.
Another of the robber chiefs. This man, although a follower of thecourt, and sunned in the celestial presence, had dared to utter vilefalsehoods against the celestial dynasty. He was sentenced to have hisskin peeled off; and to eat his own words, until he died from thevirulent poison which they contained.
The most important of all the criminals next appeared, who being greatin favour at court, and appointed to the high office of physician to thecelestial conscience, had been discovered in the base attempt ofdrugging it with opium; he had also committed several other enormities,such as being intoxicated in his mandarin robes, and throwing mud at thefirst chief mandarin; also of throwing aside his robes, mingling withthe lower classes, and associating with mountebanks, jugglers, andtight-rope dancers. His enormities were written on a long scrollsuspended round his neck. His sentence was the torture ofdisappointment and envy, previous to a condign political death.
After him came a disgraced yellow mandarin, who had been a great enemyof the criminal who preceded him. He was seated upon a throne of jet,and his arms supported in derision by two prize-fighters. His crime wasplaying at pitch and toss with the lower classes. His punishment wasmerely exposure.
Such were the criminals who were to suffer upon this day of universalhappiness and delight.
Then came fifty thousand archers of the blue dragon battalion, carryingin their hands chowries of horses' tails to clear away the blue-bottleflies.
Next appeared ten thousand virgins, all modest, lovely, and in lightdrapery, singing hymns in praise of Ganesa on the Rat, the god of pureLove.
Attended by ten thousand youths, who tickled the said ten thousandvirgins, singing hymns in praise of the upright Fo.
Fifty thousand archers of the green dragon battalion, each carrying along peacock's feather in his right band, to ascertain how the windblew.
Five hundred physicians attending the celestial court, each carrying asilver box with golden pills.
The head physician to the celestial wits, and always in attendance upona crisis. He carried in his right-hand a bladder-full of peas at theend of a wand, to recall his majesty's wits when they wandered; and wasfollowed by...
Fifty thousand fools marching five abreast in union.
And fifty thousand rogues, marching off with every thing they could laytheir hands upon.
Then came a notorious faquir and mendicant, who was leader of acelebrated sect. He wore but one tail instead of the two usually wornby our nation, but that tail was of forty feet. He was followed bynumerous devotees, who threw their worldly goods at his feet, and inreturn he presented them with writings and harangues, which he declaredwere infallible _in all diseases_.
Ten thousand young married women, each hushing an infant to repose uponthe left breast to the sound of clarions and trumpets, emblematical ofthe peaceful and quiet state of matrimony.
The banner of impudence.
Five thousand political mountebanks, contradicting each other, andexerting themselves for the amusement of the people, who, however,suffered rather severely from their mad tricks.
The second in command, explaining their system i
n an unknown tongue.
The emperor's juggler, who astonished the whole empire by hisextraordinary feats, and the rapidity with which he relieved them of allthe money in their pockets.
The banner of Love.
The celestial secretary, with goose wings on his shoulders, goose-quillsin each hand, looking very much like a goose, mounted on a mule, gailycaparisoned in colours quadripartite, and covered with jingling brassbells.
Five thousand old women, singing the praises of the said secretary andtaking snuff to the flourish of hautboys.
The prosperity of the celestial empire, carried by the court fool, in abasket beautifully carved out of a wild cherry-stone; and guarded by...
Fifty thousand archers of the red dragon battalion, picking their teethto soft music.
Ten thousand poets, each singing at the same time, and to a differenttune, his ode upon this joyful occasion.
The immortal poet of the age, attired in velvet to his feet, andsuperbly ornamented with rings and chains of gold and precious stones.He carried his silver harp in his hand, and was mounted on a beautifulwhite jackass with his face towards the tail, that he might behold andbe inspired by the charms of the peerless Chaoukeun, the pearl beyondall price.
Then came the magnificent Youantee, and the peerless Chaoukeun, seatedin a massive car of gossamer richly studded with the eyes of livehumming-birds, drawn by twelve beautiful blue load-stars, presented bythe heavenly bodies to the brother of the sun and moon.
Twenty thousand young men, beautiful as angels, clad in the skins of theblack fox, and playing upon ivory jew's harps, all mounted uponcoal-black steeds.
Twenty thousand niggers, ugly as devils, clad in the skins of the whitepolar bear, and sounding mellifluous catcalls, all mounted upon purewhite Arabian horses.
All the first class mandarins of the celestial empire, turning up theireyes to heaven, and wishing that the procession was over.
All the second class mandarins of the celestial empire, choked withdust, and wishing the procession at the devil.
Twenty millions of the people, extolling the liberality of the greatemperor, and crying out for bread.
Ten millions of women, who had lost their children in the crowd, andwere crying out bitterly in their search.
Ten millions of children, who had lost their mothers in the crowd, andwere crying out bitterly till they found them.
The remainder of the inhabitants of the celestial empire.
Such was the grand and pompous marriage procession, which employed thewhole population, so that there were no spectators except three blindold women, who were so overcome with delight that, when it had passed,they bowed their heads and died.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
The procession arrived at the palace, and the pearl beyond all price wasnow his bride, and the heart of Youantee was oppressed with love. Upona jewelled throne they sat, side by side; but what was the blaze of thediamonds, compared to one glance from her lightning eye? What were thebright red rubies, compared to her parted coral lips--or the whitenessof the pearls when she smiled, and displayed her teeth? Her archedeyebrows were more beautifully pencilled than the rainbow; the blushupon her cheek turned pale with envy every rose in the celestialgardens; and in compassion to the court, many of whom were alreadyblind, by rashly lifting up their eyes to behold her charms, an edicthad been promulgated, by which it was permitted to the mandarins andprinces attending the court, to wear green spectacles to save theireyes. The magnificent Youantee was consumed with love as with a ragingfever, and the physicians of the emperor were alarmed for his celestialhealth; by their advice Chaoukeun consented only to receive him in adarkened chamber. All was joy. The empire rang with the praises of thepearl beyond all price. The gaols were ordered to be levelled to theground--criminals to be pardoned--the sword of justice to remain in itsscabbard--the bastinado to be discontinued. Even the odious lantern-taxwas taken off, in honour of the peerless Chaoukeun, whose praises werecelebrated by all the poets of the country, until they were too hoarseto sing, and the people too tired to listen to them.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm sure I don't wonder at their being tired," observed the pacha,yawning, "if they were like you."
"God is great," replied Mustapha, with another yawn. "Shall heproceed?"
"Yes, let him go on; wake me when the story is ended," replied thepacha, laying down his pipe.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alas! how soon was all this delirium of happiness to be overthrown: howsoon was the prophecy to be fulfilled, that there should be not only joyin life, but also sorrow! the magnificent Youantee was roused from hisdream of delight by courier after courier coming in, and laying at thecelestial feet tidings of the advance of the hundred thousand warriors.A solemn council was summoned, and the imperial edict was passed, thatthe barbarians of the north, should be driven back to their lands ofeternal frost and snow. The imperial armies departed from the capital,each individual composing its hundred of thousands, vowing by his twotails that he would eat all that he killed. This bloody vow wasaccomplished, for they killed none; they returned discomfited, withouttheir bows, or arrows, or their swords, fleeing before the rage of theTartar chief. Then rose the great Youantee in wrath, and issued anotheredict that the barbarians should be driven even into the sea whichbounds the empire of the world. And the armies were again sent forth,but again they returned discomfited, saying, "How can we, who eat ricewith chop sticks, combat with barbarians, who not only ride on horses,but eat them too?" The celestial edict was not attended to by theTartars, for they were barbarians, and knew no better; and theycontinued to advance until within one day's progress of the celestialcapital; and the brother of the sun and moon, the magnificent Youantee,was forced to submit to the disgrace of receiving an envoy from thebarbarians, who thus spoke, in sugared words:--
"The great khan of Tartary greets the magnificent Youantee; he hasslaughtered some millions of his subjects, because they were traitors,and would not defend the celestial throne. He has burnt some thousandsof his towns, that the great Youantee may order them to be rebuilt ingreater beauty. All this has he done with much trouble and fatigue, toprove his regard to the magnificent Youantee. All that he asks inreturn is, that he may receive as his bride the peerless Chaoukeun, thepearl beyond all price."
The great Youantee spoke from his celestial throne--"Return my thanks tothe great khan your master, for his considerate conduct, and tell him,that he well deserves a bride from our celestial empire, but the pearlbeyond all price is wedded to the brother of the sun and moon. Anyother maiden in our empire shall be sent to him with gifts worthy to beoffered by the great Youantee, and worthy to be accepted by the greatkhan of Tartary. Let it be an edict."
But the Tartar replied, "O great monarch, the great khan my master doesnot require an edict, but the peerless Chaoukeun. If I return withouther, he enters the celestial city, and spares not man, or woman, orchild." Then fell at the celestial feet all the princes and mandarinsof every class, performing solemnly the great _kow tow_, and the chiefminister of state spoke thus:--"Lord of the universe, brother of the sunand moon, who governs the world with thine edicts, whose armies areinvincible, and numerous as the sands upon the shores of the four seas,listen to thy faithful slaves. Surrender up to this barbarian the pearlbeyond all price, so shall we all live to humble ourselves before thee."And all the princes and mandarins cried out with one voice, "Surrenderup the pearl beyond all price." And all the brave generals drew theirswords, and waved them in the air, crying out, "Surrender up to thisbarbarian the pearl beyond all price." And all the army and all thepeople joined in the request.
Then rose up Youantee in great wrath, and ordered that the primeminister, and all the mandarins, and the princes, and all the generals,and all the army, and all
the people, should be disgraced anddecapitated forthwith. "Let it be an _edict_." But as there was no oneleft to put the great Youantee's edict into force, it was not obeyed.And the brother of the sun and moon perceived that he was in theminority; concealing therefore his bile, he graciously orderedrefreshments for the envoy, saying, "Let the dog be fed," and retired tothe apartment of the peerless Chaoukeun.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
Now the beauteous empress had listened to all which had taken place inthe great hall of audience, and she threw herself at the celestial feet,saying, "Let me be sacrificed--it is my destiny. Send your slave to thegreat khan to do with me as he pleases--I am all submission. They sayhe is a handsome man, and of great size and strength. It is mydestiny."
Then did the great Youantee shed bitter tears at his bitter fate; but heknew it was his destiny--and O destiny, who can resist thee? He wipedhis celestial eyes, and leading forth the peerless Chaoukeun, put herinto the hands of the barbarian envoy, saying, "I send your master thepearl beyond all price. I have worn her for some time, but still she isas good as new. And now let your master the great khan return, with hishundred thousand warriors, to the confines of our territories, as it wasagreed. Thou hearest. It is an edict."
"It is enough that my great master hath given his word, and the greatYouantee hath given the pearl beyond all price. There needs not anedict," replied the envoy, departing with the peerless Chaoukeun. Thuswas the magnificent Youantee left without a bride.
Now when the envoy had brought the peerless Chaoukeun in a close litterto the tent of the great khan, he forthwith commanded his army toreturn. Much to the mortification of the peerless damsel, he did notexpress any curiosity to behold her, but commenced a rapid retreat, and,in a few days, arrived at the confines of the celestial territory, whichwas separated from the Tartar dominions by an impetuous river. As soonas he had forded the river, he encamped on the other side, and sat downwith his generals to a sumptuous feast of horseflesh and quass. Whenthe liquor had mounted into his brain, he desired that the litter of thepearl beyond price should be brought nigh to his tent, that he mightsend for her, if so inclined. And the peerless Chaoukeun peeped out ofthe litter, and beheld the great khan as he caroused; and when shebeheld his hairy form, his gleaming eyes, his pug-nose, and histremendously wide mouth--when she perceived that he had the form andfeatures of a ghoul, or evil spirit, she wrung her hands, and weptbitterly, and all her love returned for the magnificent Youantee.
Now the great khan was drunk with quass, and he ordered the pearl beyondprice to be brought to him, and she replied, trembling, saying, "Tellyour lord that I am not fit to appear in his sublime presence until Ihave washed myself in the river." And those who had charge of her tookback her message to the great khan, who replied, "Let her wash, sinceshe is so dirty."
Then was the litter of the peerless Chaoukeun taken down to the banks ofthe river, and she stood upon a rock which overhung the black waters."How callest thou this river?" said she to her attendants.
And they replied, "This river, O princess, divides the territory ofTartary from China, and it is called the river of the Black Dragon."
"Then is the prophecy fulfilled," cried the pearl beyond price. "It ismy destiny; and destiny who shall resist?"
She raised up her arms to heaven, and uttering a loud shriek at herunhappy fate, she plunged headlong into the boiling waters anddisappeared for ever.
Thus was the prophecy fulfilled. The brother of the sun and moon hadwed--beauty had been laid at the golden feet--the pearl beyond price hadbeen found and lost. There had been joy and there had been sorrow inlife--and sorrow in death. The Black Dragon had proved the foe to thecelestial empire, for it had swallowed up the pearl beyond all price.
Ti-tum, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
The twang of the rude instrument awoke the pacha, who had been fastasleep for some time.
"Is it finished, Mustapha?" said he, rubbing his eyes.
"Yes, your highness; and the destiny foretold was truly accomplished."
"Bismillah! but I'm glad of it. Before he had whined ten minutes, Iforetold that I should go to sleep. My destiny has also beenaccomplished."
"Will your highness foretell the destiny of this dog with two tails?"
"Two tails! that reminds me that we have only had one out of him as yet.Let's have him again to-morrow, and have another. At all events, weshall have a good nap. God is great."