United States or Niue ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
We return to our occupation, Ephrinell to his accounts, Mrs. Ephrinell to her work. Nothing is changed in the train. There are only two more married people. Major Noltitz, Pan-Chao and I go out and smoke on one of the platforms, leaving to their preparations the Caternas, who seem to be having a sort of rehearsal in their corner. Probably it is the surprise for the evening.
Two hours to visit Sou-Tcheou, that is not much. In Turkestan we have seen two towns side by side, an ancient one and a modern one. Here, in China, as Pan-Chao points out, we have two and even three or four, as at Pekin, enclosed one within the other. Here Tai-Tchen is the outer town, and Le-Tchen the inner one. It strikes us at first glance that both look desolate.
"Nothing could be truer," said Pan-Chao. "Unfortunately Kinko has fallen into the hands of the police, and they have taken him to prison, and it is not easy to get out of a Chinese prison." "Let us be off," I replied, "and see the company." "See here," said Madame Caterna, "is there any need of a subscription to defray the cost of the affair?"
We retired while Caterna poured out all the locutions in his marine and theatrical vocabulary. What was to be done? "Gentlemen," said Pan-Chao, "I know how things are managed in Pekin and the Celestial Empire. Two hours will not elapse from the time Kinko is arrested to the time he is brought before the judge charged with this sort of crime. He will not only be sent to prison, but the bastinado "
Nos. 9 and 10, Pan-Chao and Dr. Tio-King: what can I say except that Pan-Chao is always the Parisian you know, and that if he comes to France we shall meet at dinner at Durand's or Marguery's. As to the doctor, he has got down to eating only the yolk of an egg a day, like his master, Cornaro, and he hopes to live to a hundred and two as did the noble Venetian.
"I agree with you, but where you have a railway you might as well get all the advantage out of it that you can." "Bah!" said Pan-Chao carelessly. "Speed," said I, "is a gain of time and to gain time " "Time does not exist in China, Monsieur Bombarnac, and it cannot exist for a population of four hundred millions. There would not be enough for everybody.
"For life like two bullfinches," said the actress, who had not forgotten that these birds are noted for the fidelity of their armours. "In China," said Pan-Chao, "it is not the bullfinch but the mandarin duck that symbolizes fidelity in marriage." "Ducks or bullfinches, it is all one," said Caterna philosophically. The ceremony is over. We compliment the newly married pair.
"But," said Pan-Chao, "how does it happen the Nanking branch was open when the Tjon viaduct is not finished? Had the switch been interfered with?" "Undoubtedly," said Popof, "and probably out of carelessness." "No," said Ephrinell, deliberately. "There has been a crime a crime intended to bring about the destruction of the train and passengers " "And with what object?" asked Popof.
That is why Pan-Chao never heard of Yen Lou, nor of any exalted personage of that name existing in the Celestial Empire! We started to time, and, as may be supposed, our traveling companions could talk of nothing else but the millions which were enough to enrich every one in the train. "This pretended mortuary van has always been suspicious to me," said Major Noltitz.
Evidently Faruskiar had cleared off. The Chinese police would have to deal with the bandit and his accomplices. Would they catch him? I hoped so, but I doubted. At the station Pan-Chao explained matters to the stationmaster, who telegraphed for an engine to be sent from Tai-Youan to the Nanking line. At three o'clock, just at daybreak, we returned to wait for the engine at the junction.
Word Of The Day