the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第21章
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troubles before。 There was his old employer； Dantin； whose children
had wrested from him； by due process of law； the management of his
property； having the Court appoint guardians to administer it for him。
Ah Chun knew； and knew thoroughly well； that had Dantin been a poor
man； it would have been found that he could quite rationally manage his
own affairs。 And old Dantin had had only three children and half a
million； while he； Chun Ah Chun； had fifteen children and no one but
himself knew how many millions。
〃Our daughters are beautiful women；〃 he said to his wife； one
evening。 〃There are many young men。 The house is always full of
young men。 My cigar bills are very heavy。 Why are there no
marriages？〃
Mamma Achun shrugged her shoulders and waited。
〃Women are women and men are menit is strange there are no
marriages。 Perhaps the young men do not like our daughters。〃
〃Ah； they like them well enough；〃 Mamma Chun answered； 〃but you
see； they cannot forget that you are your daughters' father。〃
〃Yet you forgot who my father was；〃 Ah Chun said gravely。 〃All you
asked was for me to cut off my queue。〃
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〃The young men are more particular than I was； I fancy。〃
〃What is the greatest thing in the world？〃 Ah Chun demanded with
abrupt irrelevance。
Mamma Achun pondered for a moment； then replied： 〃God。〃
He nodded。 〃There are gods and gods。 Some are paper； some are
wood； some are bronze。 I use a small one in the office for a paper…
weight。 In the Bishop Museum are many gods of coral rock and lava
stone。〃
〃But there is only one God；〃 she announced decisively； stiffening her
ample frame argumentatively。
Ah Chun noted the danger signal and sheered off。
〃What is greater than God； then？〃 he asked。 〃I will tell you。 It is
money。 In my time I have had dealings with Jews and Christians；
Mohammedans and Buddhists； and with little black men from the
Solomons and New Guinea who carried their god about them； wrapped in
oiled paper。 They possessed various gods； these men； but they all
worshipped money。 There is that Captain Higginson。 He seems to
like Henrietta。〃
〃He will never marry her；〃 retorted Mamma Achun。 〃He will be an
admiral before he dies〃
〃A rear…admiral；〃 Ah Chun interpolated。
〃Yes； I know。 That is the way they retire。〃
〃His family in the United States is a high one。 They would not like
it if he married 。 。 。 if he did not marry an American girl。〃
Ah Chun knocked the ashes out of his pipe； thoughtfully refilling the
silver bowl with a tiny pleget of tobacco。 He lighted it and smoked it
out before he spoke。
〃Henrietta is the oldest girl。 The day she marries I will give her
three hundred thousand dollars。 That will fetch that Captain Higginson
and his high family along with him。 Let the word go out to him。 I
leave it to you。〃
And Ah Chun sat and smoked on； and in the curling smoke…wreaths he
saw take shape the face and figure of Toy ShueyToy Shuey； the maid
of all work in his uncle's house in the Cantonese village； whose work
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was never done and who received for a whole year's work one dollar。
And he saw his youthful self arise in the curling smoke； his youthful self
who had toiled eighteen years in his uncle's field for little more。 And
now he； Ah Chun； the peasant； dowered his daughter with three hundred
thousand years of such toil。 And she was but one daughter of a dozen。
He was not elated at the thought。 It struck him that it was a funny；
whimsical world； and he chuckled aloud and startled Mamma Achun
from a revery which he knew lay deep in the hidden crypts of her being
where he had never penetrated。
But Ah Chun's word went forth； as a whisper； and Captain Higginson
forgot his rear…admiralship and his high family and took to wife three
hundred thousand dollars and a refined and cultured girl who was one
thirty…second Polynesian； one…sixteenth Italian； one… sixteenth Portuguese；
eleven thirty…seconds English and Yankee； and one…half Chinese。
Ah Chun's munificence had its effect。 His daughters became
suddenly eligible and desirable。 Clara was the next； but when the
Secretary of the Territory formally proposed for her； Ah Chun informed
him that he must wait his turn； that Maud was the oldest and that she
must be married first。 It was shrewd policy。 The whole family was
made vitally interested in marrying off Maud； which it did in three
months； to Ned Humphreys； the United States immigration
commissioner。 Both he and Maud complained； for the dowry was only
two hundred thousand。 Ah Chun explained that his initial generosity
had been to break the ice； and that after that his daughters could not
expect otherwise than to go more cheaply。
Clara followed Maud； and thereafter； for a space of two years； there
was a continuous round of weddings in the bungalow。 In the meantime
Ah Chun had not been idle。 Investment after investment was called in。
He sold out his interests in a score of enterprises； and step by step； so as
not to cause a slump in the market； he disposed of his large holdings in
real estate。 Toward the last he did precipitate a slump and sold at
sacrifice。 What caused this haste were the squalls he saw already rising
above the horizon。 By the time Lucille was married； echoes of
bickerings and jealousies were already rumbling in his ears。 The air
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was thick with schemes and counter…schemes to gain his favour and to
prejudice him against one or another or all but one of his sons…in…law。
All of which was not conducive to the peace and repose he had planned
for his old age。
He hastened his efforts。 For a long time he had been in
correspondence with the chief banks in Shanghai and Macao。 Every
steamer for several years had carried away drafts drawn in favour of one；
Chun Ah Chun； for deposit in those Far Eastern banks。 The drafts now
became heavier。 His two youngest daughters were not yet married。
He did not wait； but dowered them with a hundred thousa
