It was
interpreted by the Chinaman standing on the right by the screens, in well
cadenced, cultured English.
"I have to tell you," said Li Choo--the other's voice repeated the words
after him--"that I am the son of greatness, of a ruler in my own land. It
was by the Yang-tze-kiang, and there were riches and pleasant things in
the days of my youth. In the hunt, at the tavern, I was first amongst
them all. I had great strength. I once killed a bear with my bare hands.
My hands had fame.
"I had office in the city where my cousin ruled. He was a bad man, and
was soon forgotten, though his children mourn for him as is the custom. I
killed him. He gave counsel concerning the city when there was war, but
his counsel was that of a traitor, and the city was lost. Now behold, it
is written that he who has given counsel about the country or its capital
should perish with it when it comes into peril. He would not die--so I
killed him; but not before he had heaped upon me baseness and shame. So I
killed him.
"Yet it is written that when a minister kills his ruler, all who are in
office with him shall without mercy kill him who did the deed. That is
the law. It was the word of the Son of Heaven that this should be. But
those who were in office with me would not kill me, because they approved
of what I did. Yet they must kill me, since it was the law. What was
there to do but in the night to flee, so that they who should kill me
might not obey the law? Had I remained, and they had not obeyed the law,
they also would have been slain.
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