My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard | Page 6

our compound walls. I alone was left to
direct the placing of this furniture. Li-ti was like a butterfly, flitting
hither and thither, doing nothing, talking much. The bed must be so
placed that the Spirits of Evil passing over it in the night-time could not
take the souls of sleepers away with them. The screens must stand at
the proper angle guarding the doorways from the spirits who, in their
straight, swift flight through the air, fall against these screens instead of
entering the house. She gravely explained to me that the souls who
dwell in darkness like to take up their abode in newly organised
households, and many precautions must be made against them. She
even seriously considered the roof, to see if all the points curved
upward, so that the spirits lighting upon them be carried high above the
open courtyards. I do not know what would have happened to thine
ancestral rooftree if it had not met with her approval. I was many
heartfuls glad that thine August Mother was taking tea in a far-off
village, as Li-ti even wanted to install a new God in the kitchen. This I
would not permit. Canst thou imagine thy Mother's face if a God from a
stranger family was in the niche above the stove? Happily all was over

when thine Honourable Mother returned. She is not pleased with this,
her newest, daughter-in-law, and she talks-- and talks-- and talks. She
says the days will pass most slowly until she sees the father of Li-ti.
She yearns to tell him that a man knows how to spend a million pieces
of money in marrying off his daughter, but knows not how to spend a
hundred thousand in bringing up his child. If this great Governor of
Chih-li has much wisdom, he will stay long within his province. I have
just heard for the hundredth time the saying of Confucius, "Birth is not
a beginning, nor is death an end." In my despair I said deep down
within my breast, "I am sure it will not be an end for thee, O
Mother-in-law. Thou wilt go to the River of Souls talking, talking,
always talking-- but the Gods will be good to me. Thou must pass
before me, and I will not hasten so as to overtake thee on the way." I
beg thy pardon, dear one. I lack respect to thy Most Honourable Parent,
but my soul is sore tried and I can find no quite.
I am, Thy Wife.
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My Dear One, "The five worst infirmities that afflict the female are
indocility, discontent, slander, jealousy, and silliness. The worst of
them all, and the parent of the other four, is silliness. "Does that not
sound familiar to thine ears? Life is serious here in thine ancestral
home since we have taken to ourselves a daughter-in-law. The written
word for trouble is two women beneath one rooftree, and I greatly fear
that the wise man who invented writing had knowledge that cost him
dear. Perhaps he, too, had a daughter-in-law.
Yet, with it all, Li-ti is such a child. Ah, I see thee smile. Thou sayest
she is only three years less in age than I; yet, thou seest, I have had the
honour of living a year by the side of thy Most August Mother and
have acquired much knowledge from the very fountain-head of wisdom.
Perchance Li-ti also will become a sage, if-- she be not gathered to her
ancestors before her allotted time, which depends upon the strength of
body and mind which they may have willed her.
To me she is the light of this old palace. She is the true spirit of

laughter, and, "When the happy laugh, the Gods rejoice." She is
continually in disgrace with thine Honourable Mother, and now the
Elder One has decided that both she and Mah-li, thy sister, shall learn a
text from the sage Confucius each day for penance. They are now in the
inner courtyard, studying the six shadows which attend the six virtues. I
can hear them saying over and over to each other, "Love of goodness
without the will to learn casts the shadow called foolishness--" now a
laugh-- then again they begin, "Love of knowledge without the will to
learn casts the shadow called instability--" giggle and much talking. I
am afraid they will never arrive at the shadow cast the love of truth, and
after I have written thee I will go in and help them, that they may not
be reprimanded.
Li-ti takes her duties now most seriously, these same duties consisting
of dressing for the day. In the morning she seats herself before her
mirror, and two maids attend her, one to hold the great brass bowl of
water, the