historic girls-第13章

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in。　She　was　facing　the　enemy　as　boldly　as　had　he；　and　her　little

almond　eyes　fairly　danced　with　mischievous　delight　at　their

perplexity。



At　once　he　recognized　the　child。　She　was　Woo　（the　〃high…spirited〃

or　〃dauntless　one〃；　the　bright　young　girl　whom　he　had　often

noticed　in　the　throng　at　his　mission…house　in　Tung…Chow；the

little　city　by　the　Yellow　River；　where　her　father；　the　bannerman；

held　guard　at　the　Dragon　Gate。



He　was　about　to　call　out　to　the　girl　to　save　herself；　when；　with

a　sudden　swoop；　the　Tartar　whom　he　had　braced　himself　to　resist；

bent　in　his　saddle　and　made　a　dash　for　the　child。　But　agile

little；　Woo　was　quicker　than　the　Tartar　horseman。　With　a　nimble

turn　and　a　sudden　spring；　she　dodged　the　Tartar's　hand；　darted

under　his　pony's　legs；　and　with　a　shrill　laugh　of　derision；

sprang　up　the　sharp　incline；　and　disappeared　in　one　of　the　many

cliff　caves　before　the　now　doubly　baffled　horsemen　could　see　what

had　become　of　her。



With　a　grunt　of　discomfiture　and　disgust；　the　Tartar　riders

turned　their　ponies'　heads　and　galloped　off　along　the　road　that

skirted　the　yellow　waters　of　the　swift…flowing　Hwang…ho。　Then　a

little　yellow　face　peeped　out　of　a　cave　farther　up　the　cliff；　a

black…haired；　tightly　braided　head　bobbed　and　twitched　with

delight；　and　the　next　moment　the　good　priest　was　heartily

thanking　his　small　ally　for　so　skilfully　saving　him　from

threatened　capture。



It　was　a　cool　September　morning　in　the　days　of　the　great　Emperor

Tai；　twelve　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago。　And　a　great　emperor　was

Tai…tsung；　though　few；　if　any；　of　my　young　readers　ever　heard　his

name。　His　splendid　palace　stood　in　the　midst　of　lovely　gardens　in

the　great　city　of　Chang…an；that　old；　old　city　that　for　over　two

thousand　years　was　the　capital　of　China；　and　which　you　can　now

find　in　your　geographies　under　its　modern　name　of　Singan…foo。　And

in　the　year　635；　when　our　story　opens；　the　name　of　Tai…tsung　was

great　and　powerful　throughout　the　length　and　breadth　of　Chung

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

elevat