評論
打印
"This Ying Lien had， during all these years， to endure much harsh treatment from the hands of the kidnapper， and had， at length， obtained the means of escape； and being besides full of warm feeling， had he actually made her his wife， and had they come together， the event would certainly have been happy； but， as luck would have it， there occurred again this contretemps.
"This Hsueeh is， it is true， more laden with riches and honours than Feng was， but when we bear in mind what kind of man he is he certainly， with his large bevy of handmaids， and his licentious and inordinate habits， cannot ever be held equal to Feng Yuean， who had set his heart upon one person！ This may appositely be termed a fantastic sentimental destiny， which， by a strange coincidence， befell a couple consisting of an ill-fated young fellow and girl！ But why discuss third parties？ the only thing now is how to decide this case， so as to put things right."
"Your worship，" remarked the Retainer smiling， "displayed， in years gone by， such GREat intelligence and decision， and how is it that today you， on the contrary， become a person without any resources！ Your servant has heard that the promotion of your worship to fill up this office is due to the exertions of the Chia and Wang families； and as this Hsueeh P'an is a relative of the Chia mansion， why doesn't your worship take your craft along with the stream， and bring， by the performance of a kindness， this case to an issue， so that you may again in days to come， be able to go and face the two Dukes Chia and Wang？"
"What you suggest，" replied Yue-ts'un， "is， of course， right enough； but this case involves a human life， and honoured as I have been， by His Majesty the Emperor， by a restoration to office， and selection to an appointment， how can I at the very moment， when I may strain all my energies to show my gratitude， by reason of a private consideration， set the laws at nought？ This is a thing which I really haven't the courage to do."
"What your worship says is naturally right and proper，" remarked the Retainer at these words， smiling sarcastically， "but at the present stage of the world， such things cannot be done. Haven't you heard the saying of a man of old to the effect that GREat men take action suitable to the times. 'He who presses，' he adds， 'towards what is auspicious and avoids what is inauspicious is a perfect man.' From what your worship says， not only you couldn't， by any display of zeal， repay your obligation to His Majesty， but， what is more， your own life you will find it difficult to preserve. There are still three more considerations necessary to insure a safe settlement."
Yue-ts'un drooped his head for a considerable time.
"What is there in your idea to be done？" he at length inquired.
"Your servant，" responded the Retainer， "has already devised a most excellent plan. It's this： To-morrow， when your Lordship sits in court， you should， merely for form's sake， make much ado， by despatching letters and issuing warrants for the arrest of the culprits. The murderer will naturally not be forthcoming； and as the plaintiffs will be strong in their displeasure， you will of course have some members of the clan of the Hsueeh family， together with a few servants and others， taken into custody， and examined under torture， when your servant will be behind the scenes to bring matters to a settlement， by bidding them report that the victim had succumbed to a sudden ailment， and by urging the whole number of the kindred， as well as the headmen of the place， to hand in a declaration to that effect. Your Worship can aver that you understand perfectly how to write charms in dust， and conjure the spirit； having had an altar， covered with dust， placed in the court， you should bid the military and people to come and look on to their heart's content. Your Worship can give out that the divining spirit has declared： 'that the deceased， Feng Yuean， and Hsueeh P'an had been enemies in a former life， that having now met in the narrow road， their destinies were consummated； that Hsueeh P'an has， by this time， contracted some indescribable disease and perished from the effects of the persecution of the spirit of Feng.' That as the calamity had originated entirely from the action of the kidnapper， exclusive of dealing with the kidnapper according to law， the rest need not be interfered with， and so on. Your servant will be in the background to speak to the kidnapper and urge him to make a full confession； and when people find that the response of the divining spirit harmonizes with the statements of the kidnapper， they will， as a matter of course， entertain no suspicion.
