評論
打印
"How could I possibly know？" answered Yue-ts'un.
"And yet，" remarked the Retainer， as he laughed coldly， "this is a person to whom you are indebted for GREat obligations； for she is no one else than the daughter of Mr. Chen， who lived next door to the Hu Lu temple. Her infant name is 'Ying Lien.'"
"What！ is it really she？" exclaimed Yue-ts'un full of surprise. "I heard that she had been kidnapped， ever since she was five years old； but has she only been sold recently？"
"Kidnappers of this kind，" continued the Retainer， "only abduct infant girls， whom they bring up till they reach the age of twelve or thirteen， when they take them into strange districts and dispose of them through their agents. In days gone by， we used daily to coax this girl， Ying Lien， to romp with us， so that we got to be exceedingly friendly. Hence it is that though， with the lapse of seven or eight years， her mien has assumed a more surpassingly lovely appearance， her general features have， on the other hand， undergone no change； and this is why I can recognise her. Besides， in the centre of her two eyebrows， she had a spot， of the size of a grain of rice， of carnation colour， which she has had ever since she was born into the world. This kidnapper， it also happened， rented my house to live in； and on a certain day， on which the kidnapper was not at home， I even set her a few questions. She said， 'that the kidnapper had so beaten her， that she felt intimidated， and couldn't on any account， venture to speak out； simply averring that the kidnapper was her own father， and that， as he had no funds to repay his debts， he had consequently disposed of her by sale！' I tried time after time to induce her to answer me， but she again gave way to tears and added no more than： 'I don't really remember anything of my youth.' Of this， anyhow， there can be no doubt； on a certain day the young man Feng and the kidnapper met， said the money was paid down； but as the kidnapper happened to be intoxicated， Ying Lien exclaimed， as she sighed： 'My punishment has this day been consummated！' Later on again， when she heard that young Feng would， after three days， have her taken over to his house， she once more underwent a change and put on such a sorrowful look that， unable to brook the sight of it， I waited till the kidnapper went out， when I again told my wife to go and cheer her by representing to her that this Mr. Feng's fixed purpose to wait for a propitious day， on which to come and take her over， was ample proof that he would not look upon her as a servant-girl. 'Furthermore，' （explained my wife to her）， 'he is a sort of person exceedingly given to fast habits， and has at home ample means to live upon， so that if， besides， with his extreme aversion to women， he actually purchases you now， at a fancy price， you should be able to guess the issue， without any explanation. You have to bear suspense only for two or three days， and what need is there to be sorrowful and dejected？' After these assurances， she became somewhat composed， flattering herself that she would from henceforth have a home of her own.
"But who would believe that the world is but full of disappointments！ On the succeeding day， it came about that the kidnapper again sold her to the Hsueeh family！ Had he disposed of her to any other party， no harm would anyhow have resulted； but this young gentleman Hsueeh， who is nicknamed by all， 'the Foolish and overbearing Prince，' is the most perverse and passionate being in the whole world. What is more， he throws money away as if it were dust. The day on which he gave the thrashing with blows like falling leaves and flowing water， he dragged （_lit_. pull alive， drag dead） Ying Lien away more dead than alive， by sheer force， and no one， even up to this date， is aware whether she be among the dead or the living. This young Feng had a spell of empty happiness； for （not only） was his wish not fulfilled， but on the contrary he spent money and lost his life； and was not this a lamentable case？"
When Yue-ts'un heard this account he also heaved a sigh. "This was indeed，" he observed， "a retribution in store for them！ Their encounter was likewise not accidental； for had it been， how was it that this Feng Yuean took a fancy to Ying Lien？
