In the Yellow Sea Part 20

We presently reached a river which I learned was called Pilu (or Pihliu), and proceeded to a small village where we got some food, which I did not relish, but had to eat in order to keep up my character. We learned that the invaders were expected, and that it would be better for us to keep away to the north-west, else we might get into trouble.

We therefore a.s.sented, and pa.s.sed on for a while, intending to change our route as soon as possible, but fate had ordained otherwise. My companion had intended to proceed in the direction of Putsewo, and then strike westward again, marching by a compa.s.s and map which I had secured in my tunic, but when we took the advice of the well-meaning villagers we left our former direction, and when again essaying to recover our route we came to grief. For a long time we wandered amidst the hills and rough country seeking a track, but finding nothing promising, until almost suddenly we descended a hillside and found ourselves near a rather substantial village, from which there was no escape without questioning from the natives.

Hoko quickly gave me to understand that I was his brother, that we were South Chinamen seeking a ship at Port Arthur, and that we had been north and intended to return to Chefoo.[1] We had rehea.r.s.ed this little play before, and my South-China lingo was supposed sufficient to deceive the Mongolians. If necessary, my guide informed me, a little "geomaney," or "wind and weather" fortune-telling, would keep suspicion at bay. So, primed with a few simple maxims, I braced myself for the encounter.

[1] Chefoo or Chifu.--H.F.

The natives were decidedly of the race of Didymus. They did not credit half our a.s.surance, and we--at least I--wished we had more of it.

Certainly the interpreter remained as cool as possible, and his calm method of lying would have discredited Ananias of old, and deceived St.

Peter himself. I give my impressions of the examination to which the interpreter was subjected.

"Your name?" demanded the chief of the villagers.

"Ho-wuh-Chang."

"Where do you come from?"

"Panchw.a.n.g, in the province of Fuhkien."

"Where have you been?"

"At Takushan."

"Whither bound?

"Chefoo and Shanghai."

"Who is this man?"

Here the interpreter made a pretence of great reverence and respect, as he answered--

"My all-enlightened brother of _Tau_."

This reply drew attention to me, for Tau is the "priest" of Chinese theosophy or magic art, and is accordingly respected, for every Chinaman fears Tau, the more so as he has no idea what it is, any more than its votary. Tau is "The Right": what one cannot see, nor hear, nor seize. It is a kind of "_Feng Shui_" in its essence, and Tau is the true Reason for all things in the universe, the Great Primitive Cause in the world, not a religious dogma.

The Tauist, then, becomes by inheritance, or profession, a kind of priest, a miracle-man, supposed to be versed in ancient lore, able to tell fortunes, and decide social questions with authority as regards the work and operations of nature, and "Feng Shui"--the effects of wind and weather. Superst.i.tious as the Chinese are, these attributes confer great authority upon the adherents and practice of the Tauists. Hence, if I was not found out, my companion concluded we should escape.

Unfortunately one of the villagers perceived the accent of the j.a.panese interpreter, and declared him a Corean! This at once gave cause of mischief, and my companion was searched, his small knapsack, or pack, was turned upside down, and all the while a rush of epithets a.s.sailed us both. I carried no pack, but had the compa.s.s and map and revolver in my possession. If the suspicious and antagonistic villagers had found those articles our fates would have been sealed, and a cruel death must have ensued.

While the natives were thus examining the j.a.panese, I was not molested, though several glances were directed at me, and some remarks made--which I did not notice. All the time I was endeavouring to discover some means whereby I could satisfy, if I could not alarm, the villagers, but for a while no idea appeared to my mind feasible. The pack had been examined, the j.a.p had been interrogated freely and rudely, and now my turn was approaching. Fortunately the villagers had been informed that I did not wish to be disturbed, but they had evident intentions of finding things out for themselves!

Luckily, I possessed one of the attributes of the Tauists, perhaps quite as sincere as theirs--the knowledge and antic.i.p.ation of the ordinary phases of weather. The morning had been misty and almost frosty, and a change of wind, I noticed, had been causing a fog to arise. Hitherto it had been almost imperceptible even in the hills, the vale was clear; but while looking about me I noticed the vapour gradually creeping down the slopes behind the men who barred our way.

My plan was quickly matured: the mist would serve us well. I remembered Fennimore Cooper, and the eclipse as adapted by Haggard in _Solomon's Mines_, and hoped for success.

I calmly approached my companion, and managed to give him a hint, in French, that he was to make me out a necromancer; thus I intended to play upon the fears of the natives, and he must back me up. Meantime, if we were attacked, I would shoot as many of the a.s.sailants as I could. My suggestions and gestures were understood, and when the natives advanced to search me, demanding some explanation, the interpreter motioned them to stand aside. He told them to be careful.

I was a necromancer--one who had the weather "in the palm of his hand"; was related to the _genii_, and if I (and he) were interrupted further, and our peaceful progress barred, the immediate consequences would be serious, and the future disastrous for the village. Their graves would suffer, their families die; and I could change them themselves into stocks and stones, and cause them to disappear from the village. In fact, I could transform them! When once the j.a.panese Ananias had fully embarked upon the marvellous, his imagination carried him away more completely than ever the villagers could be. If we were properly treated, he added, money might be showered upon them!

While the interpreter was thus hoodwinking the villagers, one or two of whom seemed sceptical, I bethought me of a simple trick which I had practised in "parlour magic" at home. If the fog did not serve my purpose I could convince the natives, so I beckoned to the chief sceptic, and taking a piece of money from my wallet, which contained little of value, I placed the coin in his palm, pressing it firmly into the hand and closing the fingers. He looked pleased, and retired, keeping his fingers closely shut as directed; my "a.s.sistant" hinted if the man were unfriendly his coin would disappear, at which the villager called up a smile or grimace as a protest, evidently hypocritical, and his a.s.sociates also watched him.

Seeing the gift, they came forward with much curiosity, and as I examined their features I found that some of the men were fairly honest, and a "tip" would not be thrown away upon them, though it must be merely a token, not a gift. So while bestowing these "tips" I kept my eyes upon the weather, and by the time I had given all the men small presents, as they fancied, but only a few of the most influential actually received money, the mist came rolling down thickly. To escape was now my intention.

It was rather amusing to see the party of men standing in a row helplessly with their right hands guarding the magic gifts thus bestowed by the "Tauist." The interpreter had already grasped the situation, and at my request desired the natives to turn at the necromancer's order, step ten paces, and open their hands. The order was impressed upon them by myself. I waved my hands and made as if impelling some invisible force to urge these simple superst.i.tious men.

They moved in obedience to my order, slowly, and when I had counted six, pausing between each number, the interpreter and I rushed away through the glade, and into the mist, which perhaps the Chinese may have fancied I had induced. The last I saw of my dangerous adherents was a line of stupid-looking men each gazing at his closed hand, and speculating upon what it contained for him.

I am afraid most of them were disappointed when they had released their grasps of the magic gifts, and they found money in only four palms, and those of the most influential of the party.

Meantime my faithful companion and I hurried away into the mist, which effectually shrouded us, and pursued a devious course, now and then halting to listen for the pursuers, for we did not doubt they would pursue us. But we heard nothing to alarm us, and made good progress when the mist lifted later.

We congratulated ourselves greatly upon this ruse, but it would not serve us again. I managed to explain the trick to the j.a.panese, who, when I had finished the laboured sentences, told me of some far more intelligent tricks which he had seen performed, and tried to explain them to me. But I was a very simple amateur in these matters, and could do little beyond the easy _legerdemain_ of the drawing-room at home.

"It was a dangerous game," said Hoko, "and if any of the men meet us again they will kill us."

"But they won't catch us," I replied, with all the fine a.s.surance of a sharp "hare" in the schoolboy paper chase. "We can turn, and return on our path. How do you propose to travel?"

"I am considering," he replied. "Please lend me the map and compa.s.s.

It was well they did not search you, because you would have been killed. The map would have betrayed us."

"You can keep it," I said with great magnanimity. "By all means keep it. I can steer by the points of the heavens, and by my watch, and the sun and stars."

The j.a.panese nodded, and concealed the articles in his dress.

"The pistol?" he asked presently. "Is it ready?"

"Yes. I think I will keep it, thank you. Shall we continue our journey?"

He nodded again, and we proceeded cautiously for several miles, bending and twisting the route until we were both certain that we must have put miles between us and the enraged natives, whom I had some reason to fear notwithstanding my a.s.sumed influential character. The interpreter proposed a halt, and being hungry I gladly acceded; then, having eaten a few cakes and refreshed ourselves, we rested. I slept soundly for some time. When I awoke it was dusk, and I was alone! Alone!

deserted! betrayed!

CHAPTER XII

ABANDONED!--I FALL AMONG THIEVES, BUT FIND SOME "GOOD SAMARITANS"

Raising myself upon my elbow, with sleepy eyes I looked around me. I was half hidden by brushwood, and did not recognise the place as that in which I had lain down. I at once scrambled to my feet, and made the unpleasant discovery that my companion had quitted me, and had managed to abstract my revolver. Then a great rush of blood flushed my veins.

I had been betrayed! The j.a.panese had managed to extract from me the compa.s.s and map, had stolen the revolver, and had dragged me into the brushwood to die, perhaps.

I stood, utterly depressed; I cursed the fellow who had thus betrayed me, and the officers who had sent me to my doom. I swore that if I got back I would be revenged upon the treacherous j.a.ps, who after ridding themselves of me had sent me to die in the wilderness. Yet the interpreter had really saved my life, I thought, at first. "Yes,"

replied Reflection, "because you were armed." Yes, that was so. Still why, if he had desired my death, had he not shot me at once when he had stolen the revolver?

I cast myself down in despair, and again looked around me. I had been hidden evidently, dragged when asleep into the small thicket and thrust out of sight. What then had become of the interpreter, and why had I been concealed? These were questions which I could not answer, nor could I conjecture any reasons for the man's conduct. Perhaps he had been instructed to get rid of me, and not to kill me, and had taken this opportunity.

This was maddening. Here was I in a perfectly strange country in disguise, and certain to be taken prisoner either by Chinese or j.a.ps, and in either case sure to be ill-treated. To be sure the j.a.panese do not kill their prisoners, and they appeared lenient to the natives so far as I could ascertain, but in those cases the natives were submissive and frightened. I doubted not that amid the excitement of battle the little sleepy-looking j.a.ps would quickly arouse themselves and slay without compunction. The Mikado's men are quiet and polite, pleasant and kind; but under any superficial polish, even under the influence of real kindness, there lies a strong and determined, slowly and surely rising determination, which when it rises to "boiling-point"

cannot be stayed. An explosion must ensue, as the enemies of j.a.pan will find out some day.

Lying there in the chilly darkness, which an already waning moon only partly dissipated, I reflected upon my condition. I determined to find my way to Port Arthur, avow myself an Englishman, and if questioned declare the advance of the j.a.panese. Why should I keep their faith when they had betrayed me? I would "give them away," as they had forsaken me. That would be my revenge. Some of the Chinese officers surely could speak English or French, and even a little German, picked up at a tutor's, might a.s.sist me, though my knowledge of the last-named tongue was limited to phrases.