The Mirror of Kong Ho | Page 8

person has been relating his experience or inquiring into
the nature and meaning of certain matters which he has witnessed, he
has become aware that his words have been obliterated, as it were, and
his remarks diverted from their original intention by the sudden and
unanticipated desire of those present to express themselves loudly on
some topic of not really engrossing interest. Not infrequently on such
occasions every one present has spoken at once with concentrated
anxiety upon the condition of the weather, the atmosphere of the room,
the hour of the day, or some like detail of contemptible inferiority. At
other times maidens of unquestionable politeness have sounded
instruments of brass or stringed woods with unceasing vigour, have
cast down ornaments of china, or even stood upon each other's--or this
person's--feet with assumed inelegance. When, therefore, in the midst
of my agreeable remark on the asserted no fragrance of the hound

Hercules, a gentleman of habitual refinement struck me somewhat
heavily on the back of the head with a reclining seat which he was
conveying across the room for the acceptance of a lady, and
immediately overwhelmed me with apologies of almost unnecessary
profusion, my mind at once leapt to an inspired conclusion, and smiling
acquiescently I bowed several times to each person to convey to them
an admission of the undoubted fact that to the wise a timely omen
before the storm is as effective as a thunderbolt afterwards.
It chanced that there was present the exceptionally prepossessing
maiden to whom this person has already referred. So varied and ornate
were her attractions that it would be incompetent in one of my less than
average ability to attempt an adequate portrayal. She had a
light-coloured name with the letters so harmoniously convoluted as to
be quite beyond my inferior power of pronunciation, so that if I wished
to refer to her in her absence I had to indicate the one I meant by
likening her to a full-blown chrysanthemum, a piece of rare jade, an
ivory pagoda of unapproachable antiquity, or some other object of
admitted grace. Even this description may scarcely convey to you the
real extent of her elegant personality; but in her presence my internal
organs never failed to vibrate with a most entrancing uncertainty, and
even now, at the recollection of her virtuous demeanour, I am by no
means settled within myself.
"Well," exclaimed this melodious vision, with sympathetic tact, "if
every one is going to disown poor Hercules because he has eaten all our
dinners, I shall be quite willing to have him, for he is a dzear ole
loveykins, wasn't ums?" (This, O my immaculate and dignified sire,
which I transcribe with faithful undeviation, appears to be the dialect of
a remote province, spoken only by maidens--both young and of
autumnal solitude--under occasional mental stress; as of a native of
Shan-si relapsing without consciousness into his uncouth tongue after
passing a lifetime in the Capital.) "Don't you think so too, Mr. Kong?"
"When the sun shines the shadow falls, for truly it is said, 'To the
faithful one even the voice of the corncrake at evening speaks of his
absent love,'" replied this person, so engagingly disconcerted at being

thus openly addressed by the maiden that he retained no delicate
impression of what she said, or even of what he was replying, beyond
an unassuming hope that the nature of his feelings might perchance be
inoffensively revealed to her in the semblance of a discreet allegory.
"Perhaps," interposed a person of neglected refinement, turning
towards the maiden, "you would like to have a corncrake also, to
remind you of Mr. Kong?"
"I do not know what a corncrake is like," replied the maiden with
commendable dignity. "I do not think so, however, for I once had a pair
of canaries, and I found them very unsatisfying, insipid creatures. But I
should love to have a little dog I am sure, only Miss Blank won't hear
of it."
"Kong Ho," thought this person inwardly, "not in vain have you burnt
joss sticks unceasingly, for the enchanting one has said into your eyes
that she would love to partake of a little dog. Assuredly we have
recently consumed the cold portion of sheep on more occasions than a
strict honourableness could require of those who pay a stated sum at
regular intervals, and the change would be a welcome one. As she truly
says, the flavour even of canaries is trivial and insignificant by
comparison." During the period of dinner--which consisted of eggs and
green herbs of the field--this person allowed the contemplation to grow
within him, and inspired by a most pleasant and disinterested ambition
to carry out the expressed wishes of the one who had spoken, he
determined that the matter should be unobtrusively