Chinese Literature Part 52

EMPEROR. We have complied with all our minister's propositions--shall they not, then, accede to ours? Be it as it may, we will witness her departure--and then return home to hate the traitor Maouyenshow!

PRESIDENT. Unwillingly we advise that the princess be sacrificed for the sake of peace; but the envoy is instructed to insist upon her alone--and from ancient times, how often hath a nation suffered for a woman's beauty!

PRINCESS. Though I go into exile for the nation's good, yet ill can I bear to part from your Majesty! _[Exeunt._

[Footnote 1: The honor of the imperial alliance being the chief object.]

[Footnote 2: Changngo, the G.o.ddess of the moon, gives her name to the finely curved eyebrows of the Chinese ladies, which are compared to the lunar crescent when only a day or two old.]

[Footnote 3: Chow-wong was the last of the Shang dynasty, and infamous by his debaucheries and cruelties, in concert with his empress Takee, the Theodora of Chinese history.]

[Footnote 4: The imperial p.r.o.noun "Tchin," _me_, is with very good taste supplied by _I_ in these impa.s.sioned pa.s.sages.]

~ACT THIRD~

_Enter Envoy, escorting the Princess, with a band of music_.

PRINCESS. Thus was I, in spite of the treachery of Maouyenshow, who disfigured my portrait, seen and exalted by his Majesty; but the traitor presented a truer likeness to the Tartar king, who comes at the head of an army to demand me, with a threat of seizing the country. There is no remedy--I must be yielded up to propitiate the invaders! How shall I bear the rigors--the winds and frosts of that foreign land! It has been said of old, that "surpa.s.sing beauty is often coupled with an unhappy fate." Let me grieve, then, without entertaining fruitless resentment at the effects of my own attractions.

_Enter Emperor, attended by his several officers_.

EMPEROR. This day we take leave of the princess at Pahling bridge! [_To his ministers_.] Can ye not devise a way to send out these foreign troops, without yielding up the princess for the sake of peace? [_Descends from his horse and seems to grieve with Chaoukeun_.] Let our attendants delay awhile, till we have conferred the parting cup.

ENVOY. Lady, let us urge you to proceed on your way--the sky darkens, and night is coming on.

PRINCESS. Alas! when shall I again behold your Majesty? I will take off my robes of distinction and leave them behind me.

To-day in the palace of Han--to-morrow I shall be espoused to a stranger. I cease to wear these splendid vestments--they shall no longer adorn my beauty in the eyes of men.

ENVOY. Again let us urge you, princess, to depart; we have delayed but too long already!

EMPEROR. 'Tis done!--Princess, when you are gone, let your thoughts forbear to dwell with sorrow and resentment upon us! [_They part_.] And am I the great Monarch of the line of Han?

PRESIDENT. Let your Majesty cease to dwell with such grief upon this subject!

EMPEROR. She is gone! In vain have we maintained those armed heroes on the frontier. [1] Mention but swords and spears, and they tremble at their hearts like a young deer. The princess has this day performed what belonged to themselves: and yet they affect the semblance of men!

PRESIDENT. Your Majesty is entreated to return to the palace: dwell not so bitterly, Sir, on her memory:--allow her to depart!

EMPEROR. Did I not think of her, I had a heart of iron--a heart of iron! The tears of my grief stream in thousand channels--this evening shall her likeness be suspended in the palace, where I will sacrifice to it--and tapers with their silver lights shall illuminate her chamber.

PRESIDENT. Let your Majesty return to the palace--the princess is already far distant! [_Exeunt_.

_The Tartar Camp. Enter K'han at the head of his tribes, leading in the Princess_.

K'HAN. The Emperor of Han having now, in observance of old treaties, yielded up to me the Lady Chaoukeun in marriage, I take her as my rightful queen. The two nations shall enjoy the benefits of peace. [_To his generals_] Leaders, transmit my commands to the army to strike our encampment, and proceed to the north. [_They march_.

_The river Amoor. [2] Tartar army on its march_.

PRINCESS. What place is this?

ENVOY. It is the River of the Black Dragon, the frontier of the Tartar territories and those of China. This southern sh.o.r.e is the Emperor's; on the northern side commences our Tartar dominion.

PRINCESS [_to the K'han_]. Great King, I take a cup of wine, and pour a libation towards the South--my last farewell to the Emperor--[_pours the libation_] of Han, this life is finished. I await thee in the next!

[_Throws herself into the river. The K'han, in great consternation, endeavors to save her, but in vain_.

K'HAN. Alas! alas!--so determined was her purpose against this foreign alliance--she has thrown herself into the stream, and perished! Tis done, and remediless! Let her sepulchre be on this river's bank, and be it called "the verdant tomb," [3] She is no more; and vain has been our enmity with the dynasty of Han! The traitor Maouyenshow was the author of all this misery. [_To an officer_] Take Maouyenshow and let him be delivered over to the Emperor for punishment. I will return to our former friendship with the dynasty of Han. We will renew and long preserve the sentiments of relationship. The traitor disfigured the portrait to injure Chaoukeun--then deserted his sovereign, and stole over to me, whom he prevailed on to demand the lady in marriage. How little did I think that she would thus precipitate herself into the stream, and perish!--In vain did my spirit melt at the sight of her! But if I detained this profligate and traitorous rebel, he would certainly prove to us a root of misfortune: it is better to deliver him for his reward to the Emperor of Han, with whom I will renew, and long retain, our old feelings of friendship and amity. _[Exeunt._

[Footnote 1: It may be observed that the great wall is never once expressly mentioned through this drama. The expression used is Peensih, the border, or frontier. The wall had existed two hundred years at this time, but the real frontier was beyond it.]

[Footnote 2: Or Saghalien, which falls into the sea of Ochotsk.]

[Footnote 3: Said to exist now and to be green all the year.]

~ACT FOURTH~

_Enter Emperor, with an attendant_.

EMPEROR. Since the princess was yielded to the Tartars, we have not held an audience. The lonely silence of night but increases our melancholy! We take the picture of that fair one and suspend it here, as some small solace to our griefs, [_To the attendant_]

Keeper of the yellow gate, behold, the incense in yonder vase is burnt out: hasten then to add some more. Though we cannot see her, we may at least retain this shadow; and, while life remains, betoken our regard. But oppressed and weary, we would fain take a little repose.

[_Lies down to sleep. The Princess appears before him in a vision_.] [1]

PRINCESS. Delivered over as a captive to appease the barbarians, they would have conveyed me to their Northern country: but I took an occasion to elude them and have escaped back. Is not this the Emperor, my sovereign? Sir, behold me again restored.

[_A Tartar soldier appears in the vision_.]

SOLDIER. While I chanced to sleep, the lady, our captive, has made her escape, and returned home. In eager pursuit of her, I have reached the imperial palace.--Is not this she?

[_Carries her off. The Emperor starts from his sleep_.]

EMPEROR. We just saw the Princess returned--but alas, how quickly has she vanished! In bright day she answered not to our call--but when morning dawned on our troubled sleep, a vision presented her in this spot. [_Hears the wild fowl's [2] cry_] Hark, the pa.s.sing fowl screamed twice or thrice!--Can it know there is no one so desolate as I? [_Cries repeated_] Perhaps worn out and weak, hungry and emaciated, they bewail at once the broad nets of the South and the tough bows of the North. [_Cries repeated_] The screams of those water-birds but increase our melancholy.

ATTENDANT. Let your Majesty cease this sorrow, and have some regard to your sacred [3] person.