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The Lo-Cha country and the
sea-market (2)
So they went to his house, where they were received in a very
friendly way. He seemed to be about eighty or ninety years of
age; his eyeballs protruded, and his beard curled up like a hedgehog. He said, "In my youth I was sent by the king among many
nations, but I never went to China. I am now one hundred and
twenty years of age, and that I should be permitted to see a native
of your country is a fact which it will be my duty to report to the
Throne. For ten years and more I have not been to Court, but
have remained here in seclusion; yet I will now make an effort on
your behalf." Then followed a banquet, and when the wine had
already circulated pretty freely, some dozen singing girls came in
and sang and danced before them. The girls all wore white
embroidered turbans, and long scarlet robes which trailed on the ground. The words they uttered were unintelligible, and the tunes
they played perfectly hideous. The host, however, seemed to
enjoy it very much, and said to Ma, "Have you music in China ?"
He replied that they had, and the old man asked for a specimen.
Ma hummed him a tune, beating time on the table, with which he
was very much pleased, declaring that his guest had the voice of a
phoenix and the notes of a dragon, such as he had never heard
before.
The next day he presented a memorial to the Throne, and
the king at once commanded Ma to appear before him. Several
of the ministers, however, represented that his appearance
was so hideous it might frighten His Majesty, and the king accordingly
desisted from his intention. The old man returned and told Ma,
being quite upset about it. They remained together some time
until they had drunk themselves tipsy. Then Ma, seizing a sword,
began to attitudinise, smearing his face all over with coal-dust.
He acted the part of Chang Fei, at which his host was so delighted
that he begged him to appear before the Prime Minister in the
character of Chang Fei. Ma replied, "I don't mind a little
amateur acting, but how can I play the hypocrite for my own
personal advantage?" On being pressed he consented, and the
old man prepared a great feast, and asked some of the high
officials to be present, telling Ma to paint himself as before.
When the guests had arrived, Ma was brought out to see them;
whereupon they all exclaimed, "Ai-yah! how is it he was so ugly
before and is now so beautiful?" By-and-by, when they were all
taking wine together, Ma began to sing them a most bewitching
song, and they got so excited over it that next day they recommended him to the
king. The king sent a special summons for him to appear, and
asked him many questions about the government of China, to all of which Ma replied in detail, eliciting sighs
of admiration from His Majesty.
He was honored with a banquet in the royal guest-pavilion,
and when the king had made himself tipsy he said to him, "I hear
you are a very skilful musician. Will you be good enough to let
me hear you?" Ma then got up and began to attitudinise, singing
a plaintive air like the girls with the turbans. The king was
charmed, and at once made him a privy councilor, giving him a
private banquet, and bestowing other marks of royal favor.
As time went on his fellow officials found out the secret
of his painted face, and whenever he was among them they
were always whispering together, besides which they avoided
being near him as much as possible. Thus Ma was left to
himself, and found his position anything but pleasant in
consequence. So he memorialised the Throne, asking to be allowed to retire from office, but
his request was refused. He then said his health was bad, and got
three month's sick leave, during which he packed up his valuables
and went back to the village.
The villagers on his arrival went down on their knees to him,
and he distributed gold and jewels amongst his old friends. They
were very glad to see him, and said, "Your kindness shall be
repaid when we go to the sea-market; we will bring you some
pearls and things." Ma asked them where that was. They said it
was at the bottom of the sea, where the mermaids' kept their
treasures, and that as many as twelve nations were accustomed to
go thither to trade. Also that it was frequented by spirits, and
that to get there it was necessary to pass through red vapors and
great waves. "Dear Sir," they said, "do not yourself risk this
great danger, but let us take your money and purchase these rare
pearls for you. The season is now at hand." Ma asked them how
they knew this. They said, "Whenever we see red birds flying
backwards and forwards over the sea, we know that within seven
days the market will open." He asked when they were going to
start, that he might accompany them; but they begged him not to
think of doing so. He replied, "I am a sailor: how can I be afraid
of wind and waves ?" Very soon after this people came with merchandise to forward, and so Ma packed up and went on board
the vessel that was going.
This vessel held some tens of people, was flat-bottomed, with a
railing all round, and, rowed by ten men, it cut through the water
like an arrow. After a voyage of three days they saw afar off faint
outlines of towers and minarets, and crowds of trading vessels.
They soon arrived at the city, the walls of which were made of
bricks as long as a man's body, the tops of its buildings being lost
in the Milky Way.
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