Page:Leaves from my Chinese Scrapbook - Balfour, 1887.djvu/217

 laugh. "How many men, do you think, are there not who would he only too glad to be visited by fairies in their distress; and to how many do the fairies come? Do you suppose it was your tears and sobs that brought her to your help? Pray let us know her name; she surely didn't make off without telling you who she was. And you really think you are going to take us in with this? Don't trouble yourselves to accuse him further," continued the mandarin to the bystanders; "he most certainly is a wizard. Quick, now, with the press-boards!"

The words were hardly out of his mouth when all the jailers rushed off to get the instruments of torture, with the ferocity of wolves and tigers. They soon came hurrying back like a swarm of bees, and grasping the old man violently, laid him by the heels, pulled his legs apart, and were just about to apply the torture when the magistrate was seized with a sudden fit of dizziness. He felt his eyes become dim; his head seemed to go round, so that he could no longer hold himself erect; indeed he nearly toppled off his bench. He therefore ordered the adjournment of the case till the next day, and told the jailers to put a cangue, or wooden frame, on Tsiu's neck, and lead the unfortunate man back to prison, guarding him strictly in the meantime. Tsiu was accordingly marched back, weeping and bemoaning his sad fate, and followed by a crowd of gaping spectators. On his way he saw Chang. "Sir," he exclaimed, "I never injured you when you came into my garden the day before yesterday, nor have I committed any fault against you to-day; why do you pursue me with this relentless cruelty, and try to take my life?"

Chang made no reply, but turned on his heel and