Читать книгу The Jade Enchantress - E. Hoffmann Price - Страница 14

Chapter X

After standing for a moment, pondering the departing Mongol’s suggestion, Ju-hai turned to Shou-chi. “Younger Brother, I may have to consult a shaman before Tm through with all this school business. Anyway, you take charge—sell what’s to be sold, buy what’s to be bought, and don’t take too much of anyone’s advice. That includes mine! I’m going to be busy from now on—getting some clothes, paying respects to Master Wu, finding a place to live.”

“You think you ought to see the shaman? I won’t know what to do or say—I’ll make nothing but mistakes.”

“You’ll not catch up with me! Do I know how to be a student or live in a city? Did the Old Man ever tell you about the burglar whose health was failing, and how his son learned to be a burglar?”

“He never tells me stories.”

“You’ll get your fill, now that you’re taking my place. Listen with both ears:

“The old burglar and his Number One Son went to the house they were going to rob. The man handed the boy a thing to bore through the rammed earth wall, hole after hole, with no noise. When the boy made enough holes, he took out the piece of wall.

“He followed his father into a room where no people slept. In the room were chests of camphor wood and chests of cedar. The smells told him where to start. He opened the door of a tall closet—not built in; it was sitting against the wall. The father said, “Very good, go in, pick good things. Feel, smell, heft, and make no noise.’

“The son stepped in. His father closed and secured the door from the outside and got out of the house. Being in a bad position, the son wasted no time cursing or crying. He began to scratch, making a sound like mice or rats. This awakened the servants. One of the slave girls opened the cabinet. The young burglar gave her a shove, sending her tumbling. She screamed. The whole household tinned out to chase the housebreaker. To make it worse, a bright moon was rising. But he got through the hole in the wall; he ran and he ran. But with so many chasing him, one of the crowd always headed him off. Then, while he still had a lead, he saw a well, an old well, and he ran toward it till he got to the coping around the well. He flopped to the ground, but it looked as if he’d thrown himself into the well. Lying in dark shadow, he picked a stone from the coping and dropped it into the well. Being close, the people heard the loud splash and the yell. They figured he’d drowned himself rather than get beaten to death, so they went home.

“And the boy also went home. The old man said, ‘Son, do not speak unfilial words. You are now a journeyman burglar, and I bow three times. You are now head of the house.’ ”

Having thus encouraged Younger Brother, Ju-hai cleaned up at a bathhouse and made the rounds of clothing stores. Finally, he had himself fitted out in a dark gray tunic, proper felt boots, and the right sort of cap with the correct button. Ju-hai looked better than he felt. Ch’ang-an was impressive, and oppressive.

He made a detour to the street of jade workers, watched the artists at work, and looked at their finished belt buckles, pendants, hairpins, and statuettes. Finally, he left with a better opinion of the pectoral he had made for Hsi-feng and picked his way toward the home of Master Wu.

The teacher lived on one of the less affluent blocks of one of the less affluent streets. A scholar who did not reach the better official grades could always make a living, but little more than just that. One revered a teacher as one step short of a parent—but who’d want to be one!

Ju-hai managed to make one kowtow before Master Wu checked him.

“This person—Ju-hai, surname Kwan—” He dug a paper from his sleeve and offered it with both hands. “—is the son of a farmer.”

“I remember your distinguished father. Please sit with me—I am honored—”

When they had gone through the routine, with inquiries regarding the health of each other’s families for three generations back, Master Wu at last got to new business. “And where will you be living?”

Ju-hai said that he could not have been so sottishly stupid and ill-mannered as to pick a spot without first getting the jade opinion of his distinguished preceptor. After frownings and beard combings with slender, well kept fingers, the learned man admitted that he knew of an unworthy hovel. “Just vacated by one of my students—a few blocks south and a block off Red Bird Street. Not at all uncomfortable. It happens that I know of a cow-clumsy servant, cook, laundress, and clean-up wench who would keep house for you.”

“When would it be permissible for me to move my ragged possessions into the luxurious dwelling your Honor has been pleased to recommend?”

“Whenever it is your pleasure, but better that you ask Hui Kai-shek, the manager of the building.”

Minor details and leave-taking attended to, Ju-hai set out for an interview less exacting. Looking back, he was sure that he had committed no social errors; he had followed the book. And despite his dedication to Hsi-feng and jade, he began to feel that his new status was not as loathsome as he had anticipated. By their robes, he recognized fellow students, candidates for examination, and graduated scholars of three or more grades, each stately in his gown of proper color and cut. Ju-hai patterned his carriage and manner to accord with these veterans, not suspecting that some of the new arrivals were accepting him as a model.

At his destination, Ju-hai learned from the doorkeeper that his auspicious arrival had been anticipated. However, it was not the manager who welcomed him; nor was the woman who received him Mistress Hui. She wore a black jacket, little more than waist length, and black trousers, and her hairdo was in accord. A good looking servant, quite attractive. “I’m Orchid Cluster,” she announced. “I hope you’ve not brought servants with you. If you have, I’ll be out of a job, even before I’ve started. How did we hear of you so quickly? The fact is, Master Wu always sends new students to us and we’re happy to welcome them.”

Female servants had never been formal with Ju-hai. Although he liked it that way and accepted Orchid’s self-assurance as an indication of competence in knowing her way around the enormous city, he took special notice and he wondered. Her eyes and her bearing made him feel that she had always been accustomed to supervising, managing, and directing—which would be good, if it didn’t go too far.

He followed Orchid to an inner court from which she stepped into a small reception and utility room; there were also two bedrooms and servant’s quarters, as well as a bath cubicle and a kitchen annex.

“I can save some of my time for other tenants, or you can have my full time—shopping, cleaning up, and fixing all your meals; you’ll have nothing to interfere with your studies. If you like the place, you may leave a deposit, and, when your things arrive, I’ll tell the porters to arrange your belongings the way you tell me. There’s Master Hui now. Wait, I’ll tell him.”