“His housekeeper replied: ‘What you have said is very true, and yet, if you had not engaged me, you would be subject to the demands of all these various girls, unable to defend yourself. As it is, I stand between you and them. Thus you may in peace and confidence see your household kept in order, while I, in return for my labours in organising and controlling them, enjoy for a short time each day a little leisure and freedom to reflect on the causes which have thus satisfied both of us.’ Tseng looked at his store of silver, now not so large as before, and said: ‘That is all very well, but I think that, in order to satisfy both ourselves and our neighbours, it would be better if you came into my household permanently. Thus you would gain warmth at night and authority in dealing with the girls.’ His housekeeper answered, laughing: ‘And you would be saving my salary and gaining the right to paint religious symbols on my person! Oh, no: if the arrangement does not suit you, I can always return to my own husband. I hear from friends that he has spoken kindly of me since I left him. Then you would be able to do what you will with the girls of your house. The sewing-girl comes tomorrow. She is a big, powerful girl, and I cannot think why she has not married already. Her name is Deep Well, and I expect that the name suits her.’ She bowed and left him.”
Clear Rain observed: “He seems to have had all the trouble and expense without the usual compensations.”
Han Im went on: “Tseng was perplexed by this state of affairs, and often, when he knew that his housekeeper was sleeping soundly in her room while he, from behind the lock of his door, had perpetually to be assuring his growing number of maid-servants that he needed nothing more save quiet, he would reflect on the days when his difficulties were limited to one woman, and his store of silver was higher than now.
“Then, one day, he found that a ball of paper had been put into the lock of his room, so that the key would not turn. He went to his store, and found that his housekeeper had moved it to some other hiding-place. As he was leaving the house, his housekeeper called after him: ‘You are going out?’ But determination lent wings to his feet, and he did not answer her. He went to the nearest Buddhist temple and took vows as a novice. Here, in the peace of religious contemplation, he forgot to consider his indigestion. The housekeeper, who had chosen her sewing-maids carefully, now set a blue lantern over the door and began to invite, to the house the men of the town. The store of silver grew higher and higher. Dawn Gate proved very popular, and Deep Well justified her name. The housekeeper’s husband, hearing of this, came to live in the house on the best possible terms, since he could not be turned out by his own wife, and the only loser was the wife of the man Tseng, for the magistrate, hearing of the illegal compact with the spirits of the moon, had her whipped in public and sent to another city. The man Tseng, when he was being initiated into the full Buddhist faith, reflected that the little pastilles of burning sulphur which had been stuck to his shaven head really caused much less pain than the loss of his house, his money and his position. That is all the story.”
They laughed to show that they did not understand Han Im’s story. Only Wang Wei, leaning over, whispered to Han Im: “You show so perfect an understanding of the mind of a woman that I find it hard to believe that you have not invented the story.”
The servants had brought in the remaining dishes for those capable of eating further. The wine was taken round by Honeysuckle and Clear Rain, and these two pledged the various guests, one by one as they poured out for them.
Peng Yeh said: “This is indeed a delightful party, and quite exhilarating for one who, like myself, uses the plough more often than the pen. I wish you to understand how much I appreciate your courtesy and kindness.”
Liu grumbled: “It is nearly all eating and drinking, with very little else. For instance, we have not yet heard the flute-playing which was promised us by your young friend Foam on the Stream, who has sat silent and is drinking hardly anything at all.”
Then Winter Cherry took her flute and played, alone,
Ah Lai replied: “If my friend chooses to go, it can only be because of the way in which you treated him. If this girl, Foam on the Stream, arrives late because of family troubles, am I to know the precise reason? Better that you should devote yourself to entertaining our friend Peng Yeh, to whom you have said hardly a word. Here are the two girls and their wine jar. Now is your opportunity to aid the honourable Wang Wei in acting his difficult part of host.”