第24章 A CHINESE GIRL GRADUATE BY R.K.DOUGLAS(7)

"I am deeply indebted to your young lady," she said, and then, being determined to make a plunge into the morass of untruthfulness, for a good end as she believed, added, "and, if I had love at my disposal, I should possibly venture to make advances toward the feathery peach [a nuptial emblem]; but let me confess to you that I have already taken to myself a wife.Had I the felicity of meeting Miss King before I committed myself in another direction, I might perhaps have been a happier man.But, after all, if this were so, my position is no worse than that of most other married men, for I never met one who was not occasionally inclined to cry, like the boys at 'toss cash,' 'Hark back and try again.' ""This will be sad news for my lady, for she has set her heart upon you ever since you first came to the inn; and when young misses take that sort of fancy and lose the objects of their love, they are as bad as children when forbidden their sugar-plums.But what's the use of talking to you about a young lady's feelings!" said the woman, with a vexed toss of her head; "I never knew a man who understood a woman yet.""I am extremely sorry for Miss King," said Jasmine, trying to suppress a smile."As you wisely remark, a young lady is a sealed book to me, but I have always been told that their fancies are as variable as the shadow of the bamboo; and probably, therefore, though Miss King's sky may be overcast just now, the gloom will only make her enjoy to-morrow's sunshine all the more."The woman, who was evidently in a hurry to convey the news to her mistress, returned no answer to this last sally, but, with curtailed obeisance, took her departure.

Her non-appearance the next morning confirmed Jasmine in the belief that her bold departure from truth on the previous evening had had itscurative effect.The relief was great, for she had felt that these complications were becoming too frequent to be pleasant, and, reprehensible though it may appear, her relief was mingled with no sort of compassion for Miss King.Hers was not a nature to sympathise with such sudden and fierce attachments.Her affection for Tu had been the growth of many months, and she had no feeling in common with a young lady who could take a violent liking for a young man simply from seeing him taking his post-prandial ease.It was therefore with complete satisfaction that she left the inn in the course of the morning to pay her farewell visits to the governor and the judge of the province, who had taken an unusual interest in Colonel Wen's case since Jasmine had become his personal advocate.Both officials had promised to do all they could for the prisoner, and had loaded Jasmine with tokens of good will in the shape of strange and rare fruits and culinary delicacies.On this particular day the governor had invited her to the midday meal, and it was late in the afternoon before she found her way back to the inn.

The following morning she rose early, intending to start before noon, and was stepping into the courtyard to give directions to "The Dragon," when, to her surprise, she was accosted by Miss King's servant, who, with a waggish smile and a cunning shake of the head, said:

"How can one so young as your Excellency be such a proficient in the art of inventing flowers of the imagination?""What do you mean?" said Jasmine.

"Why, last night you told me you were married, and my poor young lady when she heard it was wrung with grief.But, recovering somewhat, she sent me to ask your servants whether what you had said was true or not, for she knows what she's about as well as most people, and they both with one voice assured me that, far from being married you had not even exchanged nuptial presents with anybody.You may imagine Miss King's delight when I took her this news.She at once asked her cousin to call upon you to make a formal offer of marriage, and she has now sent me to tell you that he will be here anon."Every one knows what it is to pass suddenly from a state of pleasurable high spirits into deep despondency, to exchange in an instantbright mental sunshine for cloud and gloom.All, therefore, must sympathise with poor Jasmine, who believing the road before her to be smooth and clear, on a sudden became thus aware of a most troublesome and difficult obstruction.She had scarcely finished calling down anathemas on the heads of "The Dragon" and his wife, and cursing her own folly for bringing them with her, than the inn doors were thrown open, and a servant appeared carrying a long red visiting- card inscribed with the name of the wealthy inn-proprietor.On the heels of this forerunner followed young Mr.King, who, with effusive bows, said, "I have ventured to pay my respects to your Excellency."Poor Jasmine was so upset by the whole affair that she lacked some of the courtesy that was habitual to her, and in her confusion very nearly seated her guest on her right hand.Fortunately this outrageous breach of etiquette was avoided, and the pair eventually arranged themselves in the canonical order.

"This old son of Han," began Mr.King, "would not have dared to intrude himself upon your Excellency if it were not that he has a matter of great delicacy to discuss with you.He has a cousin, the daughter of Vice- President King, for whom for years he has been trying to find a suitable match.The position is peculiar, for the lady declares positively that she will not marry any one she has not seen and approved of.Until now she has not been able to find any one whom she would care to marry.But the presence of your Excellency has thrown a light across her path which has shown her the way to the plum-groves of matrimonial felicity."Here King paused, expecting some reply; but Jasmine was too absorbed in thought to speak, so Mr.King went on: