historic girls- 第11部分

this　far　Eastern　land；　but　this　wrathful　demand　of　an　excited

little　maid　was　full　as　strange　as　any。　For　China　is　and　ever　has

been　a　land　in　which　the　chief　things　taught　the　children　are；

〃subordination；　passive　submission　to　the　law；　to　parents；　and　to

all　superiors；　and　a　peaceful　demeanor。〃



〃Revenge　is　not　for　men　to　trifle　with；　nor　maids　to　talk　of；〃　he

said。　〃Harbor　no　such　desires；　but　rather　come　with　me　and　I　will

show　thee　more　attractive　things。　This　very　day　doth　the　great

emperor　go　forth　from　the　City　of　Peace；＇1＇　to　the　banks　of　the

Yellow　River。　Come　thou　with　me　to　witness　the　splendor　of　his

train；　and　perchance　even　to　see　the　great　emperor　himself　and

the　young　Prince　Kaou；　his　son。〃



＇1＇　The　meaning　of　Chang…an；　the　ancient　capital　of　China；　is

〃the　City　of　Continuous　Peace。〃





〃That　I　will　not　then；〃　cried　the　girl；　more　hotly　than　before。

〃I　hate　this　great　emperor；　as　men　do　wrongfully　call　him；　and　I

hate　the　young　Prince　Kaou。　May　Lung　Wang；　the　god　of　the

dragons；　dash　them　both　beneath　the　Yellow　River　ere　yet　they

leave　its　banks　this　day。〃



At　this　terrible　wish　on　the　lips　of　a　girl；　the　good　master　very

nearly　forgot　even　his　most　valuable　preceptnever　to　be

surprised。　He　regarded　his　defiant　young　companion　in　sheer

amazement。



〃Have　a　care；　have　a　care；　my　daughter！〃　he　said　at　length。　〃The

blessed　Saint　James　telleth　us　that　the　tongue　is　a　little

member；　but　it　can　kindle　a　great　fire。　How　mayst　thou　hope　to

say　such　direful　words　against　the　Son　of　Heaven＇1＇　and　live？〃



＇1＇　〃The　Son　of　Heaven〃　is　one　of　the　chief　titles　of　the　Chinese

emperor。





〃The　Son　of　Heaven　killed　the　emperor；　my　father；〃　said　the

child。



〃The　emperor　thy　father！〃　Thomas　the　Nestorian　almost　gasped　in

this　latest　surprise。　〃Is　the　girl　crazed　or　doth　she　sport　with

one　who　seeketh　her　good？〃　And　amazement　and　perplexity　settled

upon　his　face。



〃The　Princess　Woo　is　neither　crazed　nor　doth　she　sport　with　the

master；〃　said　the　girl。　〃I　do　but　speak　the　truth。　Great　is

Tai…tsung。　Whom　he　will　he　slayeth；　and　whom　he　will　he　keepeth

alive。〃　And　then　she　told　the　astonished　priest　that　the

bannerman　of　the　Dragon　Gate　was　not　her　father　at　all。　For；　she

said；　as　she　had　lain　awake　only　the　night　before；　she　had　heard

enough　in　talk　between　the　bannerman　and　his　wife　to　learn　her

secrethow　that　she　was　the　only　daughter　of　the　rightful

emperor；　the　Prince　Kung…ti；　whose　guardian　and　chief　adviser　the

present　emperor　had　been；　how　this　trusted　protector　had　made

away　with　poor　Kung…ti　in　order　that　he　might　usurp　the　throne；

and　how　she；　the　Princess　Woo；　had　been　flung　into　the　swift

Hwang…ho；　from　the　turbid　waters　of　which　she　had　been　rescued　by

the　bannerman　of　the　Dragon　Gate。



〃This　may　or　may　not　be　so；〃　Thomas　the　Nestorian　said；　uncertain

whether　or　not　to　credit　the　girl's　surprising　story；　〃but　even

were　it　true；　my　daughter；　how　couldst　thou　right　thyself？　What

can　a　girl　hope　to　do？〃



The　young　princess　drew　up　her　small　form　proudly。　〃Do？〃　she

cried　in　brave　tones；　〃I　can　do　much；　wise　O…lo…pun；　girl　though

I　am！　Did　not　a　girl　save　the　divine　books　of　Confucius；　when　the

great　Emperor　Chi…Hwang…ti　did　command　the　burning　of　all　the

books　in　the　empire？　Did　not　a　girlthough　but　a　soothsayer's

daughterraise　the　outlaw　Liu　Pang　straight　to　the　Yellow

Throne？　And　shall　I；　who　am　the　daughter　of　emperors；　fail　to　be

as　able　or　as　brave　as　they？〃



The　wise　Nestorian　was　shrewd　enough　to　see　that　here　was　a　prize

that　might　be　worth　the　fostering。　By　the　assumption　of　mystic

knowledge；　he　learned　from　the　bannerman　of　the　Dragon　Gate；　the

truth　of　the　girl's　story；　and　so　worked　upon　the　good

bannerman's　native　superstition　and　awe　of　superior　power　as　to

secure　the　custody　of　the　young　princess；　and　to　place　her　in　his

mission…house　at　Tung…Chow　for　teaching　and　guidance。　Among　the

early　Christians；　the　Nestorians　held　peculiarly　helpful　and

elevating　ideas　of　the　worth　and　proper　condition　of　woman。　Their

precepts　were　full　of　mutual　help；　courtesy；　and　fraternal　love。

All　these　the　Princess　Woo　learned　under　her　preceptor's

guidance。　She　grew　to　be　even　more　assertive　and　self…reliant；

and　became；　also；　expert　in　many　sports　in　which；　in　that

woman…despising　country；　only　boys　could　hope　to　excel。　One　day；

when　she　was　about　fourteen　years　old；　the　Princess　Woo　was

missing　from　the　Nestorian　mission…house；　by　the　Yellow　River。

Her　troubled　guardian；　in　much　anxiety；　set　out　to　find　the

truant；　and；　finally；　in　the　course　of　his　search；　climbed　the

high　bluff　from　which　he　saw　the　massive　walls；　the　many

gateways；　the　gleaming　roofs；　and　porcelain　towers　of　the

Imperial　city　of　Chang…an…the　City　of　Continuous　Peace。



But　even　before　he　had　entered　its　northern　gate；　a　little　maid

in　loose　silken　robe；　peaked　cap；　and　embroidered　shoes　had

passed　through　that　very　gateway；　and　slipping　through　the

thronging　streets　of　the　great　city；　approached　at　last　the　group

of　picturesque　and　glittering　buildings　that　composed　the　palace

of　the　great　Emperor　Tai。



Just　within　the　main　gateway　of　the　palace　rose　the　walls　of　the

Imperial　Academy；　where　eight　thousand　Chinese　boys　received

instruction　under　the　patronage　of　the　emperor；　while；　just

beyond　extended　the　long；　low　range　of　the　archery　school；　in

which　even　the　emperor　himself　sometimes　came　to　witness；　or　take

part　in；　the　exciting　contests。



Drawing　about　her　shoulders　the　yellow　sash　that　denoted　alliance

with　royalty；　the　Princess　Woo；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；

walked　straight　through　the　palace　gateway；　past　the　wondering

guards；　and　into　the　boundaries　of　the　archery　court。



Here　the　young　Prince　Kaou；　an　indolent　and　lazy　lad　of　about　her

own　age；　was　cruelly　goading　on　his　trained　crickets　to　a

ferocious　fight　within　their　gilded　bamboo　cage；　while；　just　at

hand；　the　slaves　were　preparing　his　bow　and　arrows　for　his　daily

archery　practice。



Now；　among　the　rulers　of　China　there　are　three　classes　of

privileged　targetsthe　skin　of　the　bear　for　the　emperor　himself；

the　skin　of　the　deer　for　the　princes　of　the　blood；　and　the　skin

of　the　tiger　for　the　nobles　of　the　court；　and　thus；　side　by　side；

in　the　Imperial　Archery　School　at　Chang…an；　hung　the　three

targets。



The　girl　with　the　royal　sash　and　the　determined　face　walked

straight　up　to　the　Prince　Kaou。　The　boy　left　off　goading　his

fighting　crickets；　and　looked　in　astonishment　at　this　strange　and

highly　audacious　girl；　who　dared　to　enter　a　place　from　which　all

women　were　excluded。　Before　the　guards　could　interfere；　she

spoke。



〃Are　the　arrows　of　the　great　Prince　Kaou　so　well　fitted　to　the

cord；〃　she　said；　〃that　he　dares　to　try　his　skill　with　one　who；

although　a　girl；　hath　yet　the　wit　and　right　to　test　his　skill？〃



The　guards　laid　hands　upon　the　intruder　to　drag　her　away；　but　the

prince；　nettled　at　her　tone；　yet　glad　to　welcome　any　thing　that

promised　novelty　or　amusement；　bade　them　hold　off　their　hands。



〃No　girl　speaketh　thus　to　the　Prince　Kaou　and　liveth；〃　he　said

insolently。　〃Give　me　instant　test　of　thy　boast；　or　the　wooden

collar＇1＇　in　the　palace　torture…house；　shall　be　thy　fate。〃



＇1＇　The　〃wooden　collar〃　was　the　〃kia〃　or　〃cangue；〃a　terrible

instrument　of　torture　used　in　China　for　the　punishment　of

criminals。





〃Give　me　the　arrows；　Prince；〃　the　girl　said；　bravely；　〃and　I　will

make　good　my　words。〃



At　a　sign；　the　slaves　handed　her　a　bow　and　arrows。　But；　as　she

tried　the　cord　and　glanced　along　the　polished　shaft；　the　prince

said：



〃Yet；　stay；　girl；　here　is　no　target　set　for　thee。　Let　the　slaves

set　up　the　people's　target。　These　are　not　for　such　as　thou。〃



〃Nay；　Prince；　fret　not　thyself；〃　the　girl　coolly　replied。　〃My

target　is　here！〃　and　while　all　looked　on　in　wonder；　the　undaunted

girl　deliberately　toed　the　practice　line；　twanged　her　bow；　and

with　a　sudden　whiz；　sent　her　well…aimed　shaft　quivering　straight

into　the　small　white　centre　of　the　great　bearskinthe　imperial

target　itself！



With　a　cry　of　horror　and　of　rage　at　such　sacrilege；　the　guards

pounced　upon　the　girl　archer；　and　would　have　dragged　her　away。

But　with　the　same　quick　motion　that　had　saved　her　from　the　Tartar

robbers；　she　sprang　from　their　grasp　and；　standing　full　before

the　royal　target；　she　said　commandingly：



〃Hands　off；　slaves；　nor　dare　to　question　my　right　to　the　bearskin

target。　I　am　the　Empress！〃



It　needed　but　this　to　cap　the　climax。　Prince；　guards；　and　slaves

looked　at　this　extraordinary　girl　in　open…mouthed　wonder。　But　ere

their　speechless　amazement　could　change　to　instant　seizure；　a

loud　laugh　rang　from　the　imperial　doorway　and　a　hearty　voice

exclaimed：　〃Braved；　and　by　a　girl！　Who　is　thy　Empress；　Prince？

Let　me；　too；　salute　the　Tsih…tien！〃＇1＇　Then　a　portly　figure；　clad

in　yellow　robes；　strode　down　to　the　targets；　while　all　within　the

archery　lists　prostrated　themselves　in　homage　before　one　of

China's　greatest　monarchsthe　Emperor　Tai…tsung；　Wun…woo…ti。＇2＇



＇1＇　〃The　Sovereign　Divine〃an　imperial　title。



＇2＇　〃Our　Exalted　Ancestorthe　Literary…Martial　Emperor。〃





But　before　even　the　emperor　could　reach　the　girl；　the　bamboo

screen　was　swept　hurriedly　aside；　and　into　the　archery　lists　came

the　anxious　priest；　Thomas　the　Nestorian。　He　had　traced　his

missing　charge　even　to　the　imperial　palace；　and　now　found　her　in

the　very　presence　of　those　he　deemed　her　mortal　enemies。

Prostrate　at　the　emperor's　feet；　he　told　the　young　girl's　story；

and　then　pleaded　for　her　life；　promising　to　keep　her　safe　and

secluded　in　his　mission…home　at　Tung…Chow。



The　Emperor　Tai　laughed　a　mighty　laugh；　for　the　bold　front　of

this　only　daughter　of　his　former　master　and　rival；　suited　his

warlike　humor。　But　he　was　a　wise　and　clement　monarch　withal。



〃Nay；　wise　O…lo…pun；〃　he　sai