Part 26 (1/2)
”Oh no!” I pleaded. ”There has been slaughter and hacking enough! Let him go free!”
”He has lied concerning my brother. He deserves to _die_! I shall only prevent his robbing in future. Take him, and keep him in guard.”
The soldier tied the man's hands together with his belt, and drove him away before him, leaving me with the officer. My appeal had been in vain. As a fact, I had no energy to continue the question, because my bodily strength was waning fast. The excitement which had so far sustained me was already disappearing, and the disgust which had replaced it did not tend to keep me up.
The j.a.panese officer perceived this, and beckoned me to accompany him.
I saw he was anxiously looking at my pallid face. What would have become of me had he not come to my rescue I did not venture to think.
I followed him closely, and retraced my bloodstained steps through the lately prosperous-looking streets, then well furnished with shops, now a terrible line of dismantled houses; goods lying upon the ground amid the dead, and accentuating the desolation.
My conductor took me to an inn, or hotel, in which resided, temporarily, several j.a.panese. These gentlemen, I ascertained, were journalists and artists employed by the newspapers and others, for the j.a.panese people took the greatest interest in the struggle with China.
Two of these men spoke English quite sufficiently for conversational purposes, and they made me welcome by request of the officer.
”When opportunity occurs,” he said, ”we will send you home. Perhaps we may despatch you to one of your men-of-war vessels. Farewell!”
I had only time to thank him for the idea of such a happy despatch, when I felt faint and sick. My new friends immediately removed me to an upper chamber,--a rather unusual thing in China,--and laid me upon the couch or bench which was then being warmed by the hot air from the fire or ”furnace.” Handing me a thick counterpane, which the increasing cold made acceptable, my friend left me to recover myself--my strength and my self-possession.
It was long before I was able to rise. The day pa.s.sed. Food was repugnant to me. My brain reproduced all the horrors I had witnessed, and I shuddered as with ague. The night was still more dreadful, as my solitude was invaded by three of the company, and I was thankful when morning again dawned and left me alone, if listless and ailing.
I must pa.s.s rapidly on, for nothing occurred to alarm me. I lay quiet, eating and sleeping and thinking. My new companions amused me by telling me their adventures, and listening to mine. They taught me some of their language, and I imparted to them some English. The weather grew worse, frost and snow set in, with bitter winds; and I learned that the headquarters of the army had been fixed at Kinchow, till the second army--Port Arthur force--made northward for Kai-ping.
The j.a.panese fleet was in Talien Bay. Winter had set in in earnest, and transport was very difficult.
Christmas pa.s.sed. Such a Christmas it was, too. I felt like the boy who had been left at school while all the other fellows went home for the holidays. Most of my companions had scattered, but two stayed, one for some Government business, and the other awaiting orders as to the disposal of the quant.i.ties of plunder and stores, before leaving to join the fleet. We conversed in a mixture of j.a.panese and English, a dialect which did more to keep up my spirits than anything save release, because we laughed at each other's mistakes all day. The weather became very cold, and as the year came to an end I began to feel ”hipped,” and really uneasy. But the New Year caused a change in the troops' quarters, and indirectly in mine, for when the second army advanced, or rather a portion of it advanced, to the north, to join the Yalu army, I was very agreeably surprised by a visit from the officer I knew as Tomi's brother, and, best of all, he was accompanied by Tomi himself. This visit was paid in the month of January 1895, when I was feeling extremely ”low.”
My astonishment was great as my pleasure at the meeting, and in my delight, being also conceited about my new attainments, I exclaimed in ”dog” j.a.panese--
”Tenno Heika Banzai! Nippon Yusen Kabus.h.i.+ki Kaisha! So glad to see you again!”
Somewhat to my astonishment the two officers touched their caps, and, looking at each other, burst into a hearty peal of laughter. I stared.
What had I said? I felt guilty and nervous, then annoyed at the laughter.
”Well, gentlemen, what's the joke?” I said. ”Have I in any way offended you? Pray accept my excuses--in English. I a.s.sure you”--
”Please excuse _us_,” said the naval officer, seizing my hand. ”We are delighted to learn that you have mastered j.a.panese as well as Chinese and French. Thank you for Emperor _and Company_.”
”I think you do not quite understand,” remarked my military friend.
”Do you know what you _did_ say?”
”Yes--at least I think so. I intended to cheer your Emperor and you, and to wish success to the j.a.panese united arms. I suspect I made a little mistake.”
”No, no!” cried the young lieutenant Tomi. ”It was beautiful!
Splendid! It sounded so well, too. Didn't it?” he asked, turning to his brother.
”Yes; and so exactly to the point,” added the captain, laughing again.
”You are already an interpreter, Mr. Julius.”