Part 8 (1/2)
”Are you not a little mad?” asked the merchant, looking at him in astonishment. ”Why do you tell me all that? Do you wish me to act as the go-between for your marriage? I am an honest man, and have never cheated anybody.”
Hearing her admirer's words, the girl rejoiced in her heart. She suggested to her mother, who was sitting by her, that they should go away; and rising to her feet, said to the merchant: ”If you will follow us, we will pay you at once.”
But her eyes spoke in reality to the young man; who walked slowly behind her, admiring the poise of her gait. In this manner they proceeded until the two women entered their house. But the young girl came back almost at once to draw aside the big door-curtain and to look out at him as he pa.s.sed. He went on walking to and fro, as if he had lost his senses, and did not return to his house till evening.
From that particular day Victorious-Immortal remained so strangely affected that she was quite unable to swallow a grain of rice, or even to touch a cake. At last, one morning, she was too weak to rise. Her mother ran to her bed.
”My poor child,” she asked, ”what is the matter with you?”
”I ache all over my body. I have pains in my head and cough a little.”
Her mother at once thought of calling in a doctor; but, in the absence of the master of the house and his servant, there was no man to go on the errand. But an old female attendant, named Kind-Welcome, was present and observed:
”The ancient woman w.a.n.g lives, as you know, quite close at hand. She has helped more than a hundred children into the world. She can sew, and she can act as go-between; but she can also feel a pulse and diagnose an illness. Everybody calls her as soon as there is anything the matter.”
”That is true. Go and fetch her quickly.”
Some few moments later the healer came and the mother began a long explanation. But the woman interrupted her:
”I shall know all about it when I have examined the patient.”
The sick girl put out a wasted hand, and the woman felt her pulse for a long time. At last she said:
”You have pains in the head, and all your body aches. You are in continual agony, and the earth is hateful to you.”
”That is exactly the case,” she answered from her bed. ”Also I cough a little.”
”But what has caused this illness?”
As the girl did not answer, this wise old visitor turned to the mother and the attendant, and signed them to go away. They dared not refuse, and left the room.
”Now we are going to cure you. The illness lies in your heart, and nowhere else.”
”In my heart?” questioned the sick girl.
”You have seen a handsome young man, and he pleases you. Your suffering rises from that; is it not so?”
”There is nothing of the sort,” denied the other.
”Come, come! Tell me the truth, and I will soon find a means to save your life.”
Seeing a chance to reach to her desire, little Victorious-Immortal decided to tell everything. When she had finished, the very old woman said:
”Do not be troubled. I know one of his relations who has spoken to me of him. He is intelligent and level-headed. I shall go and see his brother, to make arrangements for your marriage, if you finally wish to marry him.”
”You know very well that I do,” said the sick child with a smile. ”But will my mother consent?”
”Do not be uneasy. I have my methods.”
She was already out of the room, and saying to the mother: