the ninth vibration-第25部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

nterest　which　every　lady　property　takes　in　the　other　can　unravel　this　mystery；　for　my　liver　is　tormented　with　anxiety　beyond　measure。〃

As　soon　as　the　Pearl　Empress　had　spoken　she　realized　that　she　had　committed　a　great　indiscretion。　A　babel　of　voices；　of　cries；　questions　and　contradictions　instantly　arose。　Decorum　was　abandoned。　The　Lady　of　Chen　swooned；　nor　could　she　be　revived　for　an　hour；　and　the　Princess　of　Feminine　Propriety　and　the　White　Jade　Concubine　could　be　dragged　apart　only　by　the　united　efforts　of　six　of　the　Palace　matrons；　so　great　was　their　fury　the　one　with　the　other；　each　accusing　each　of　encouragement　to　the　Lady　A…Kuei's　pretensions。　So　also　with　the　remaining　ladies。　Shrieks　resounded　through　the　Hall　of　Virtuous　Tranquillity；　and　when　the　Pearl　Empress　attempted　to　pour　oil　on　the　troubled　waters　by　speaking　soothing　and　comfortable　words；　the　august　Voice　was　entirely　inaudible　in　the　tumult。

All　sought　at　length　in　united　indignation　for　the　Lady　A…Kuei；　but　she　had　modestly　withdrawn　to　the　Pearl　Pavilion　in　the　Imperial　Garden　and；　foreseeing　anxieties；　had　there　secured　herself　on　hearing　the　opening　of　the　Royal　Speech。

Finally　the　ladies　were　led　away　by　their　attendants；　weeping；　lamenting；　raging；　according　to　their　several　dispositions；　and　the　Pearl　Empress；　left　with　her　own　maidens；　beheld　the　floor　strewn　with　jade　pins；　kingfisher　and　coral　jewels；　and　even　with　fragments　of　silk　and　gauze。　Nor　was　she　any　nearer　the　solution　of　the　desired　secret。

That　night　she　tossed　upon　a　bed　sleepless　though　heaped　with　down；　and　her　mind　raged　like　a　fire　up　and　down　all　possible　answers　to　the　riddle；　but　none　would　serve。　Then；　at　the　dawn；　raising　herself　on　one　august　elbow　she　called　to　her　venerable　nurse　and　foster　mother；　the　Lady　Ma；　wise　and　resourceful　in　the　affairs　and　difficulties　of　women；　and；　repeating　the　circumstances；　demanded　her　counsel。

The　Lady　Ma　considering　the　matter　long　and　deeply；　slowly　replied：

〃This　is　a　great　riddle　and　dangerous；　for　to　intermeddle　with　the　divine　secrets　is　the　high　road　to　the　Yellow　Springs　（death）。　But　the　child　of　my　breasts　and　my　exalted　Mistress　shall　never　ask　in　vain；　for　a　thwarted　curiosity　is　dangerous　as　a　suppressed　fever。　I　will　conceal　myself　nightly　in　the　Dragon　Bedchamber　and　this　will　certainly　unveil　the　truth。　And　if　I　perish　I　perish。〃

It　is　impossible　to　describe　how　the　Empress　heaped　Lady　Ma　with　costly　jewels　and　silken　brocades　and　taels　of　silver　beyond　measuring　…　how　she　placed　on　her　breast　the　amulet　of　jade　that　had　guarded　herself　from　all　evil　influences；　how　she　called　the　ancestral　spirits　to　witness　that　she　would　provide　for　the　Lady　Ma's　remotest　descendants　if　she　lost　her　life　in　this　sublime　devotion　to　duty。

That　night　Lady　Ma　concealed　herself　behind　the　Imperial　couch　in　the　Dragon　Chamber；　to　await　the　coming　of　the　Son　of　Heaven。　Slowly　dripped　the　water…clock　as　the　minutes　fled　away；　sorely　ached　the　venerable　limbs　of　the　Lady　Ma　as　she　crouched　in　the　shadows　and　saw　the　rising　moon　scattering　silver　through　the　elegant　traceries　of　carved　ebony　and　ivory；　wildly　beat　her　heart　as　delicately　tripping　footsteps　approached　the　Dragon　Chamber；　and　the　Princess　of　Feminine　Propriety；　attended　by　her　maidens；　ascended　the　Imperial　Couch　and　hastily　dismissed　them。　Yet　no　sweet　repose　awaited　this　favored　lady。　The　Lady　Ma　could　hear　her　smothered　sobs；　her　muttered　exclamations　…　nay　could　even　feel　the　couch　itself　tremble　as　the　Princess　uttered　the　hated　name　of　the　Lady　A…Kuei；　the　poison　of　jealousy　running　in　every　vein。　It　was　impossible　for　Lady　Ma　to　decide　which　was　the　most　virulent；　this；　or　the　poison　of　curiosity　in　the　heart　of　the　Pearl　Empress。　Though　she　loved　not　the　Princess　she　was　compelled　to　pity　such　suffering。　But　all　thought　was　banished　by　the　approach　of　the　Yellow　Emperor；　prepared　for　repose　and　unattended；　in　simple　but　divine　grandeur。

It　cannot　indeed　be　supposed　that　a　Celestial　Emperor　is　human；　yet　there　was　mortality　in　the　start　which　his　Augustness　gave　when　the　Princess　of　Feminine　Propriety　flinging　herself　from　the　Dragon　couch；　threw　herself　at　his　feet　and　with　tears　that　flowed　like　that　river　known　as　〃The　Sorrow　of　China；〃　demanded　to　know　what　she　had　done　that　another　should　be　preferred　before　her；　reciting　in　frantic　haste　such　imperfections　of　the　Lady　A…Kuei's　appearance　as　she　could　recall　（or　invent）　in　the　haste　of　that　agitating　moment。

〃That　one　of　her　eyes　is　larger　than　the　other　…　no　human　being　can　doubt〃　sobbed　the　lady　…〃　and　surely　your　Divine　Majesty　cannot　be　aware　that　her　hair　reaches　but　to　her　waist；　and　that　there　is　a　brown　mole　on　the　nape　of　her　neck？　When　she　sings　it　resembles　the　croak　of　the　crow。　It　is　true　that　most　of　the　Palace　ladies　are　chosen　for　anything　but　beauty；　yet　she　is　the　most　ill…favored。　And　is　it　this　…　this　bat…faced　lady　who　is　preferred　to　me！　Would　I　had　never　been　born：　Yet　even　your　Majesty's　own　lips　have　told　me　I　am　fair！〃

The　Yellow　Emperor　supported　the　form　of　the　Princess　in　his　arms。　There　are　moments　when　even　a　Son　of　Heaven　is　but　human。　〃Fair　as　the　rainbow；〃　he　murmured；　and　the　Princess　faintly　smiled；　then　gathering　the　resolution　of　the　Philosopher　he　added　manfully　…　〃But　the　Lady　A…Kuei　is　incomparable。　And　the　reason　is　…〃

The　Lady　Ma　eagerly　stretched　her　head　forward　with　a　hand　to　either　ear。　But　the　Princess　of　Feminine　Propriety　with　one　shriek　had　swooned　and　in　the　hurry　of　summoning　attendants　and　causing　her　to　be　conveyed　to　her　own　apartments　that　precious　sentence　was　never　completed。

Still　the　Lady　Ma　groveled　behind　the　Dragon　Couch　as　the　Son　of　Heaven；　left　alone；　approached　the　veranda　and　apostrophizing　the　moon；　murmured　…

〃0　loveliest　pale　watcher　of　the　destinies　of　men；　illuminate　the　beauty　of　the　Lady　A…Kuei；　and　grant　that　I　who　have　never　seen　that　beauty　may　never　see　it；　but　remain　its　constant　admirer！〃　So　saying；　he　sought　his　solitary　couch　and　slept；　while　the　Lady　Ma；　in　a　torment　of　bewilderment；　glided　from　the　room。

The　matter　remained　in　suspense　for　several　days。　The　White　Jade　Concubine　was　the　next　lady　commanded　to　the　Dragon　Chamber；　and　again　the　Lady　Ma　was　in　her　post　of　observation。　Much　she　heard；　much　she　saw　that　was　not　to　the　point；　but　the　scene　ended　as　before　by　the　dismissal　of　the　lady　in　tears；　and　the　departure　of　the　Lady　Ma　in　ignorance　of　the　secret。

The　Emperor's　peace　was　ended。

The　singular　circumstance　was　that　the　Lady　A…Kuei　was　never　summoned　by　the　Yellow　Emperor。　Eagerly　as　the　Empress　watched；　no　token　of　affection　for　her　was　ever　visible。　Nothing　could　be　detected。　It　was　inexplicable。　Finally；　devoured　by　curiosity　that　gave　her　no　respite；　she　resolved　on　a　stratagem　that　should　dispel　the　mystery；　though　it　carried　with　it　a　risk　on　which　she　trembled　to　reflect。　It　was　the　afternoon　of　a　languid　summer　day；　and　the　Yellow　Emperor；　almost　unattended；　had　come　to　pay　a　visit　of　filial　respect　to　the　Pearl　Empress。　She　received　him　with　the　ceremony　due　to　her　sovereign　in　the　porcelain　pavilion　of　the　Eastern　Gardens；　with　the　lotos　fish　ponds　before　them；　and　a　faint　breeze　occasionally　tinkling　the　crystal　wind…bells　that　decorated　the　shrubs　on　the　cloud　and　dragon…wrought　slopes　of　the　marble　approach。　A　bird　of　brilliant　plumage　uttered　a　cry　of　reverence　from　its　gold　cage　as　the　Son　of　Heaven　entered。　As　was　his　occasional　custom；　and　after　suitable　inquiries　as　to　his　parent's　health；　the　attendants　were　all　dismissed　out　of　earshot　and　the　Emperor　leaned　on　his　cushions　and　gazed　reflectively　into　the　sunshine　outside。　So　had　the　Court　Artist　represented　him　as　〃The　Incarnation　of　Philosophic　Calm。〃

〃These　gardens　are　fair；〃　said　the　Empress　after　a　respectful　silence；　moving　her　fan　illustrated　with　the　emblem　of　Immortality　…　the　Ho　Bird。

〃Fair　indeed；〃　returned　the　Emperor。　…　〃It　might　be　supposed　that　all　sorrow　and　disturbance　would　be　shut　without　the　Forbidden　Precincts。　Yet　it　is　not　so。　And　though　the　figures　of　my　ladies　moving　among　the　flowers　appear　at　this　distance　instinct　with　joy；　yet　…〃

He　was　silent。

〃They　know　not；〃　said　the　Empress　with　solemnity　〃that　death　entered　the　Forbidden　Precincts　but　last　night。　A　disembodied　spirit　has　returned　to　its　place　and　doubtless　exists　in　bliss。〃　〃Indeed？〃　returned　the　Yellow　Emperor　with　indifference　…　〃yet　if　the　spirit　is　absorbed　into　the　Source　whence　it　came；　and　the　bones　have　crumbled　into　nothingness；　where　does　the　Ego　exist？　The　dead　are　venerable；　but　no　longer　of　interest。〃

〃Not　even　when　they　were　loved　in　life？〃　said　the　Empress；　caressing　the　bird　in　the　cage　with　one　jewelled　finger；　but　attentively　observing　her　son　from　the　corner　of　her　august　eye。　〃They　were；　they　are　not；〃　he　remarked　sententiously　and　stifling　a　yawn；　it　was　a　drowsy　afternoon。　〃But　who　is　it　that　has　abandoned　us？　Surely　not　the　Lady　Ma　…　your　Majesty's　faithful　foster…mother？〃

〃A　younger；　a　lovelier　spirit　has　sought　the　Yellow　Springs〃　replied　the　trembling　Empress。　〃I　regret　to　inform　your　Majesty　that　a　sudden　convulsion　last　night　deprived　the　Lady　A…Kuei　of　life。　I　would　not　permit　the　ne