Part 19 (2/2)
”O pract.i.tioner! You have done a fine thing! What will happen if people come to know of it?”
”I did not search her out. Her mother led her to my bed. How could I have avoided this?”
”You ought to have resisted with all your might.”
”With such an adorably beautiful girl? Even a man of iron and stone could not have resisted. Also, if you say nothing, who will know of it?”
When the process of disguise was again completed, he went to salute the wife of Liu. Then all the women of the house and the cousins came to see him. Finally Prudence came in, and they two laughed together.
For that day, as was the custom, Liu and his wife had invited their relations and friends, and there was a great feast, with music and a dinner lasting until the evening. Then, when the house was quiet again, the girl went, as on the previous night, to keep young Yu-lang company. That night, even more so than the preceding one, the b.u.t.terflies beat their wings, and the pa.s.sionate phoenixes were convulsed.
In the morning, they kept together. Therefore the scandalized nurse ran out and told everything to Sun said his wife, and they reeled with surprise and emotion.
”Alas, misfortune will certainly come of it! We must bring him back as soon as possible.”
They summoned the go-between and told her that, according to custom, on the third day after the marriage they wished to see their daughter at their house. She therefore went to the home of Liu, and the two lovers trembled when they heard of this request. But the wife of Liu had not forgotten the difficulties which Sun had made with regard to the marriage; and she was afraid of not seeing her daughter-in-law again. So she said:
”But my son is still suffering, and the marriage has not been altogether accomplished. We will speak of this again at some later time.”
This answer had to be sufficient. The nurse was in terror, and watched the approaches of the room all night for fear lest anybody should hear the rapturous exclamation of the lovers.
The days pa.s.sed, and Virgin Diamond gradually grew better. Since he admired the beauty of his young wife, his desire to know her hastened his recovery, and the time came when he was able to get up. Still walking unsteadily, he went into the nuptial pavilion to see her who was his bride, and came before the door, supported by his attendants.
The nurse was there, and cried out loud:
”My Lord wishes to enter!”
Yu-lang was, quite naturally, holding Prudence in his arms. He hastily released her, and went close to the door.
”You have succeeded in rising, my elder brother?” said Prudence. ”You will fatigue yourself.”
”That is no matter,” he answered, making a deep obeisance before her whom he believed to be his wife.
”Ten thousand happinesses be with you!” Yu-lang graciously replied.
”What an exquisite pair!” cried the wife of Liu, proud of her son and happy at his fortune.
The false bride's beauty was meanwhile strangely reviving the invalid's vitality. And the other lad thought:
”He is a fine boy in spite of his illness: there is no need to pity my sister. But if he can get up, he will waste no time in coming to spend the night with me. I must depart as quickly as possible.”
When evening came, he explained his fears to Prudence.
”It is quite necessary to persuade your mother to send me back to my home, that I may change places with my sister. Everything will be discovered if we delay.”
”You wish to go? But what will become of me alone?”
”I have already thought of that. Alas. Alas! But we are both betrothed to another. What can we do?”
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