Page:Eminent Authors of Contemporary Japan.pdf/144

128 “If you had kept your silence….”

Tiehkuantzu looked intently into Tu Tzuchun’s face, and his expression suddenly became very severe.

“If you had kept your silence,” he continued, I would have killed you at once. You don’t wish to be a magician, and to be rich again is distasteful to you. Then, what would you like to be?” [sic]

“No matter what I become,” he answered, “I intend to lead only an honest and humane life hereafter..” [sic] And a happiness hitherto unknown came into his voice as he said these words.

“I shall never forget what you have said! And, now, I will bid you goodbye. Perhaps I shall never see you again.”

So saying, Tiehkuantzu turned to go, but stopping suddenly he turned again toward Tu Tzuchun and said, smiling pleasantly:

“O, before I go, I have just remembered that I own a house, which is at the southern foot of Mt. Taishan. I will give it to you, with the surrounding fields, and everything that is in it. You had better take up your abode there at once. At this time of the year the peach-trees that surround it will be in full bloom.”

And Tiehkuantzu disappeared.