Читать книгу Vietnamese Legends - George F. Schultz - Страница 14

5

THE GAMBLER'S WIFE

ONCE THERE lived a man named Trong Qui who was so fond of gambling that he squandered all his money on games of chance. Trong Qui came from an illustrious family, and his father, Phung Lap Ngon, was a mandarin greatly admired for his integrity and righteousness.

Trong Qui's wife, Tu Nhi Khanh, was sweet-tempered, virtuous, and beautiful beyond description. Her father had given her in marriage to the son of his friend, Phung Lap Ngon.

From early childhood, Tu Nhi Khanh had dreamed of marrying a gifted scholar, a holder of many degrees. But instead, it was her misfortune to be married to a gambler and wastrel.

Tu Nhi Khanh tried to dissuade her husband from his dangerous passion, but her pleas availed nothing. Trong Qui was discharged from his job for debts and intoxication, and chose as companions a group of rascals who cheated and robbed him at every opportunity. He cared neither for his parents nor for his wife and children. He lived merrily, frequented tea-houses, and wasted his time and money. People began to call him the "King of Gambling." Finally, Tu Nhi Khanh became silent and resigned herself to fate.

One day Trong Qui met a rich merchant named Do Tam, who was also an inveterate gambler. Do Tam was actually attracted by the great beauty of Tu Nhi Khanh and secretly determined that he would win her away from her husband.

For his part, Trong Qui coveted Do Tam's wealth, but he was not as clever as the latter at cards. Do Tam permitted Trong Qui to win various sums of money from him over a period of weeks, and then one day placed a large sum of money on the table and said:

"Dear friend, you have been very lucky for the past weeks. Today, let us play for some really big stakes. You cannot cover this sum, I know; but let us play for it anyhow. If you win, you keep it; if I win, I will take your wife as your bond."

Trong Qui was slightly intoxicated, but looked at the money with covetous eyes and thought;

"Why not? I have been lucky lately and I may win again. If it comes to the worst, I can work hard to redeem my wife." And he accepted the bet.

In three hands Trong Qui had lost everything, and could do nothing but ask Tu Nhi Khanh to come to Do Tam's home. He said to her: "I have been mad, but it is too late now to make amends. I have staked my happiness and lost. You must remain here with Do Tam until I can earn the money to repay the debt and take you home again."

Tu Nhi Khanh was sick with horror, for she knew that she would not be able to resist the advances of the rich merchant. Her face turned pale, but she tried to hide her emotions and said to Do Tam in a meek voice:

"When one must choose between poverty and wealth, there is a clear choice. This meeting should have a happy ending. If you deign to accept me into your house, I will be your servant as I have been the servant of my husband. But first I would like to return home to say farewell to my children.

Do Tam was delighted to hear this speech, for he had expected some resistance on the part of Tu Nhi Khan, and he was only too happy to grant her request.

The betrayed woman returned home, took her two young children into her arms, covered them with kisses, and said:

"My little ones, I must abandon you, but it will not be to live with another man, whatever may be the wrongs of your father." Then she committed suicide.

This act brought Trong Qui to his senses, and his grief was profound and sincere. A real change took place in his character. He foreswore gambling and was truly ashamed of his former life. Unfortunately his meager means diminished day by day, and he soon became entirely destitute.

Having learned that one of his old friends was mandarin in Qui Hoa, he decided to go there to beg for help. At the halfway point of the journey, he became exhausted and sat down to rest at the foot of a tree. Suddenly he heard a voice from above.

"Is it you, Trong Qui? If you remember old associations, wait for me in the temple of Truong Vuong on the tenth day of the coming month. Do not fail to be there, and do not believe that the world of the dead is without communication with that of the living."

Trong Qui recognized his wife's voice. He raised his eyes towards the sky and saw a black cloud, which passed fleetingly towards the north. He thought himself the victim of an illusion.

Nevertheless, on the tenth day of the following month he went to the temple of Truong Vuong as directed. When he arrived there, it was already late. The evening shadows had enveloped the melancholy landscape in silence. Trong Qui entered the temple, and stretched out in the gallery reserved for pilgrims.

Towards the end of the third watch, he heard the sound of gentle weeping. Distant at first, the sound drew nearer. Trong Qui then made out the figure of Tu Nhi Khanh in the darkness.

"After my death," said his wife, "the Emperor of Jade took pity on me and permitted me to enter his service. Until the present time I have been too busy to see you again. It was in the course of a mission that I met you yesterday; I was going to carry ram to the lands of the North. But for this fortuitous circumstance, we would not have found each other again."

Trang Qui expressed his regrets for his misdeeds and begged her to pardon him. The two lovers talked until dawn. Before leaving him, Tu Nhi Khanh said:

"I have had the opportunity of attending the audiences of the Emperor of Jade, and I have heard the fairies announce that the prosperity of the Ho is approaching an end. During the year of Binh Ti, war will break out and 200,000 men will perish. All those who have failed to cultivate the tree of virtue will be delivered to torment. Order and Peace will be reestablished by a Righteous One of the Le family. I beg you to rear our sons properly and, when the moment comes, advise them to follow this hero without fear or hesitation."

Then she vanished.

Trang Qui did all that Tu Nhi Khanh had requested. He devoted his life to the care and education of their sons and never remarried. When the future Le Thai To rebelled in the region of Lam Son, the two sons of Trang Qui recruited partisans in his behalf. After the accession of the Great King, both rose to the rank of privy councilor and, even in our day, their progeny prosper in the district of Khoai.