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historic girls-第15章

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Kwohthe 〃Middle Kingdom;〃 as the Chinese for nearly thirty

centuries have called their vast countrywhile the stories of

his fame and power had reached to the western courts of India and

of Persia; of Constantinople; and even of distant Rome。



It was a time of darkness and strife in Europe。 Already what

historians have called the Dark Ages had settled upon the

Christian world。 And among all the races of men the only nation

that was civilized; and learned; and cultivated; and refined in

this seventh century of the Christian era; was this far eastern

Empire of China; where schools and learning flourished; and arts

and manufactures abounded; when America was as yet undiscovered

and Europe was sunk in degradation。



And here; since the year 505; the Nestorians; a branch of the

Christian Church; originating in Asia Minor in the fifth century;

and often called 〃the Protestants of the East;〃 had been

spreading the story of the life and love of Christ。 And here; in

this year of grace 635; in the city of Chang…an; and in all the

region about the Yellow River; the good priest Thomas the

Nestorian; whom the Chinese called O…lo…punthe nearest approach

they could give to his strange Syriac namehad his Christian

mission…house; and was zealously bringing to the knowledge of a

great and enlightened people the still greater and more helpful

light of Christianity。



〃My daughter;〃 said the Nestorian after his words of thanks were

uttered; 〃this is a gracious deed done to me; and one that I may

not easily repay。 Yet would I gladly do so; if I might。 Tell me

what wouldst thou like above all other things?〃



The answer of the girl was as ready as it was unexpected。



〃To be a boy; O master! she replied。 〃Let the great Shang…ti;'1'

whose might thou teachest; make me a man that I may have

revenge。〃



'1' Almighty Being。





The good priest had found strange things in his mission work in

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 a
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