京华烟云Moment in Peking Chapter 18.docx

京华烟云Moment in Peking Chapter 18.docx

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京华烟云MomentinPekingChapter18

CHAPTERXVIII

JUEN’smoneywasgonesoonerthanhehadthought—how,hecouldnotunderstand,althoughherememberedthathehadlent

severalhundreddollarstotwofriends,wholaterdisappeared.TowardtheendofNovember,hisfatherreceivedaletteraskingformoney,andrepliedperemptorilytellinghissontoreturnorhewouldcuthimoffentirely.

SoonedayduringthewintersolsticerecesswhenMulanandMo-chowhadreturnedtotheirhome,Tijenarrived.Hisappearancewasgreatlychanged.Helookedgauntandpale,hiseyesweresunken,hischeekbonesstuckout,hishairwaslong,andhehadgrownawispofamustacheandworeapairofdark'spectacles.Moreover,hehadarrivedhomewithexactlythirteencentsinhispocket.

Themotherwasbothshockedandhappy.“Mypoorchild,howyoumusthavesuffered!

Therewasnoonetotakecareofyouinastrangecity.Ineverbelievedinsendingyouawayatthisage.”Sheimmediatelyorderedchickennoodleforhim.Asthenoodlewasbeingplacedonthetable,CoralsaidtoTijen,“Nowyoumusteat.Inthissoupthereareatleastthreeorfourchickens.ThreedaysagoMotheraskedpeopletokillachicken,butyoudidn’tcome,andeverydaywekilledonemorechicken,andwehavestewedthemalldowntothisbitofsoup.Ifyoureyesdonotbrightenaftertastingit,thechickenshavediedanunjustdeath.”

WhileTijenwashavinghissoup,surroundedbyallthewomenofthefamilyandthemaidsandservants,hisfathersweptintotheroom.Tijenimmediatelystoodup.Mulansawthatherfather’seyesweredistendedandshethoughthemightstrikeTijenonthehead

thenandthere;butthefathermerelygruntedandwalkedoutagain,andkeptawayfromhimthewholeday.Hedidnotevenappearforlunch,probablytogivethemotheranddaughtersandsonaperiodofpeace.Afterlunch,whenBrocadegaveTijenahottowel,hecasuallyaskedher,“WhereisSilverscreen?

Howdidshedisappear?

”

“Wedon’tknow,youngmaster.Onenightshedisappearedandsojustdisappeared,"repliedBrocadeinaringingvoice,bitingherlipandlookingwistfullyathimandatthemistress.

“Yourdogdisappearedwithher,”saidAfei.

“Soafterallthedogwasmorefaithful,”saidTijenimpulsivelyandmorebrusquelythanhehadintended.

“Areyoupraisingthedogorareyoucondemninghumanheings?

”askedMochow.

“Sister,youarestilllikethat,”saidTijen.“Iwasonlyasking.Butsincetherewasthedog,wasn’titeasytofindher?

Didyoutrytofindher?

Evenifyoudidn91careforSilverscreen,youmighthavecaredtofindmydog.Themomentmybackwasturned,theywereturnedoutofthehouse.”

“Myson,’’saidthemother,“youmisunderstand.Nobodydrovethemaidaway.Sheranawayherself.”

“Shemusthavehadareasonforrunningaway,”heinsisted.

“Well,"saidhismother,“yourunclereturnedattheendofJulyshortlyafteryoudeparted,andhebroughtwordfromSilverscreen*sauntthatshewastobemarriedoffinPeking....”

“Didyoutrytomarryheroff?

”askedtheson.“Youpromisedtf

me.

“Itwasthegirl’sfamily.Youdon’tunderstand.Youweregoingawayforyears,andtheirgirlwasoftheagetomarryandhertermhadexpired.Howcouldwepreventthemfromwantingtomarryheroff?

Therewasheraunt’sletter.”

“Heruncle’s,”correctedMrs.Feng,whousuallydidnotspeakmuchandwasextremelyobedienttohersister-in-lawbecauseherhusband’spositionwasentirelydependentuponthelatter.NowMrs.Yaolookedatherandsaid,“Sheisright.Heraunttoldyourunclebe-foreheleft,butSilverscreendemandedawrittenwordandherunclethensenttheletter.”

“No,Mother,itwasheraunt’sletter,notheruncle’s,"saidAfei,whohadheardoftheforgedletterbutnotoftheuncle’sletterthatcamelater.Brocadesuppressedasmileandthesisterswhoalsodidnotknowoftheuncle’sletter,lookedateachotherinsurprise.Tijennoticedtheconfusion.

“You,littlechild,whatdoyouknowaboutit?

”saidthemother,scoldingAfei.“Theuncle’sletterisstillhere,ifyoudon’tbelieve.Haveyougotit?

”sheaskedMrs.Feng.

“No.Hekeepsitattheshop,”saidMrs.Feng.

“I’llaskhimtoshowittoyou,”saidthemother.“Butbygonesarebygones.Wedonotknowwheresheisnow.Don'twasteyourthoughtsonsuchthings.”

“Idon’tthinkyouwouldcareevenifshedied,”saidTijen,angri-erthanbefore.

“Myson,youarecrazy,”saidthemother.“Sheranawayandevenifshestarvedtodeath,itwasherfault.Wetriedtoarrangeagoodmatchforher.Bluehazesuggestedaverygoodmerchant.Yourmoth-erdidn’tdowrong.”

Tijenflewintoarage.“Youdroveheraway.Iknowit,Youtriedtomarryheroff.Youpromisedmenotto,andyoubrokeyourpromise.Didn’tyou?

Didn’tyou?

”

Hismotherbegantoweepandsaid,“Itisdifficulttobeamother.”Hewasreallyunashamed,buthissisterswereashamedforhimandcametotheirmotherandtriedtocomforther.Frankincensebroughtahottoweltothemistress,whileMulansaid,

“Brother,Ithinkthisisenough.YouweregoingawaytoEnglandandthenyouwouldn’tgo.Youweretobegoneforyears,andhowcouldyouatthesametimeexpecttoholdupotherpeople’saffairs?

Motherwasdoingnothingwrongtomarryheroffwhenhertermhadexpired.Andnowontheverydayofyourarrival,youhavemadeMothercry.Isthereevergoingtobepeaceinthisfamily?

”

“Good!

Youareallgood,andIamtheonlybadsoninthefamily,"criedTijen.“Ifyoudon’twantmetoaskquestions,I’llgetoutandletyouallhavepeace.”

Themothersaidthroughhertears,“Justonaccountofabondmaid,therehasbeennopeaceinthishouse.Idon’tunderstandwhatyouseeinher.Whenyouaregrownup,myson,afamilylikeourscanfindtenbetterbondmaidsforyou,ifyoulike.Nowyouaretired,goandtakearest.”

Mulanwasangrybecausehermotherwassosofttowardherbroth-er.

Nowatsupper,thefathersatdownatthetablewithanexpressionthatfrightenedeverybody,mostofallMrs.Fengandherdaughter,Redjade,whohadneverseensuchalookonhisface.Theoldman,thoughshortinstature,hadabigheadandpowerful,penetratingeyes,andthehaironhistempleswasnowabeautifulgray,andwhenhewasangered,helookedveryimpressive.Tijenatehisricequietly,knowingthatthetimeofreckoningwasnear.Helookedridiculous,inthatChinesehome,withhisforeigndressandlittlemustacheanddarkspectacles,asifhewereanimportedmonstrosity—nolongerason,nolongeraChinese.Thesistersalsosatandatequietlyandthereweremomentsoftensesilence.CoraltriedtoleadtheconversationbyaskingTijenwhyhehadarrivedacoupleofdayslaterthantheyex-pected,andheansweredinanabnormallyhoarsemanlyvoicethatthevoyagewasrough.UponhearingTijen’svoice,thefatherglowered.

“Whatdidyoucomebackfor?

”hegrowled.

“Youaskedmeto,Father,"repliedtheson.

“Don’tletoffyourwind!

DidyouthinkIwouldprovideyoufundstogowhoringintheSouth?

Theniehchang!

”InthepastmonthsMr.Yaohadchangedhisreferencetohissonfromniehchung（seedofsin）toniehchang,orapredetermineddisasterinone’slifebroughtaboutbysomeprevioussin.Itmeantthewagesofsin,thestumblingblocktoapeacefullife,theinescapablesnaresetbythedevil;henceitsvariation,mochang,whichmeantliterally“devil’s

stumblingblock.”

“Hejustcameback,”saidthemother.“Yououghttoleavehimalittleface,atleastbeforetheservants.”

“What?

Face?

”shoutedthefatheraloud.“Hashestillgotface?

Canhestillbecalledaman?

Whatdidyougoabroadtolearnbutsuchmonstrosities?

Takeoffyourspectacles....Givethemtome!

”Thefathercrunchedthepairofspectaclesinhispowerfulrighthand,untiltheywereonlyamassoftwistedwiresandbrokenglass.Hishandwasprickedbythebrokenglassandbled,butherefusedtohaveanybodydoanythingtoit.Withthebleedinghandhepushedhisbowlandplateaside,andhepushedhischairbackandroseandpacedthefloor,andnoonedaredtotouchthefood.Hisfaceandbeardbe-camesmearedwithbloodandhelookedfearsome.Afeibegantocry,“Brother!

”andMr.Yaosaid,“Besilent!

Thatisnotyourbrother;thatisthedevil’sstumblingblock!

Lethimbeawarningtoyou!

Ifyougrowuptobelikehim,theYaofamilyisfinished!

”Mulan,whosatnexttolittleAfei,hushedhim,whileMrs.FengheldRedjade’shandinfearandstaredherintoimmobility.

Turningsharply,theoldmanaddressedhiselderson:

“Iamnotgo-ingtoflogyou.AndIwon’taskyouforaccounts—howyouspentathousandtwohundreddollarsinthreemonths.ButIamthroughwithyou.Youhadbettermakeupyourownplansastowhatyouaregoingtodo."

NowTijenhadrisenandstoodatattention,andMr.Fengalsohadlefthisseat.Inarepentantvoice,Tijensaid,“Father,Iwaswrong.ButnowIamgoingtostudy.”

“Study?

”sneeredhisfather.“Youhadyourchanceandnowyouarenotgoingtohaveit.Doyouknowwhatyouneed?

Starvationisthebestthingforyou.Ifyouknowwhathungermeans,youwillap-preciatemorewhereyouare.”MochowcouldnothelprememberingthequotationfromMenciusandlookedatherbrother.Withhisgauntfacehereallylookedasifhehadnotbeenwell-fed.

“Shuthimupinmystudyandletnoonegivehimfoodforaday.”Tijenfeltbothrebelliousandfrightened.ItwasMr.Fengwho

spokeup,inhisbestbusinesstone.“Brother,letmesaysomething.Mynephewofcourseiswrong.Isn’tthatso?

Butthericeisalreadycookedandthereisnousegoingovertheoldaccountsnow.Isn’tthatso?

OfcoursegoingtoEnglandisoutofthequestion.Butgoingtocollegehereisalsounnecessary.HewillbetwentythisNewYearandoughttolearnbusiness,don