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Now for Kinko, my No. 11: I need hardly say that my No. 11 was married to Zinca Klork with great ceremony. We were all at the wedding, and if the Son of Heaven had richly endowed the young Roumanian, his wife received a magnificent present in the name of the passengers of the train he had saved. That is the faithful story of this journey.
About one o'clock in the morning I visited Kinko, and handed him over my purchases at Nia. The young Roumanian was in high spirits. He anticipated no further obstacles, he would reach port safely, after all. "I am getting quite fat in this box," he told me. I told him about the Ephrinell-Bluett marriage, and how the union was to be celebrated next morning with great pomp.
"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?"
It is evident that the fraud has not been discovered yet, for there would have been a great stir at the news. Suppose the case is passed? Will its position be shifted? Will it be put hind side before or upside down? Kinko will not then be able to get out, and that would be a complication. The Chinese officers have come out of the van and shut the door, so that I cannot give a glance into it.
Kinko is thoroughly disheartened, which astonishes me on the part of one I know to be so energetic. But as soon as he sees us his face betrays a ray of hope.
Arguments were of no avail with this pitiless magistrate, who had not acquitted ten prisoners in is life. He spared the delinquent the bastinado; but he gave him six months in prison, and condemned him in damages against the Grand Transasiatic Company. And then at a sign from this condemning machine poor Kinko was taken away. Let not my readers pity Kinko's fate.
I saw myself discovered, handed over to the police, taken to prison at Merv or Bokhara, and my little Zinca waiting for me in vain; and never should I see her again, unless I resumed the journey on foot. Well, I would have resumed, yes, I would." And he said it with such an air of resolution that it was impossible not to see that the young Roumanian had unusual spirit. "Brave Kinko!" I answered.
As I know we are to halt at Fuen-Choo, I shake hands with Kinko, and rise to take my leave. At this moment I seem to hear some one on the platform in the rear of the van. "Look out, Kinko!" I say in a whisper. The lamp is instantly extinguished, and we remain quite still. I am not mistaken. Some one is opening the door of the van. "Your panel," I whisper.
There is no doubt, in our opinion, but what it will end in a wedding as soon as the train arrives. Both will have their romance of the rail. Frankly, I like that of Kinko and Zinca Klork much better. It is true the pretty Roumanian is not here!
It was all Faruskiar's fault, and were it only for having wrecked my reportorial endeavors he ought to be hanged by the most fantastic executioner in China. Nothing happened for the rest of our run. I was very sorry at the thought that I was not bringing Kinko along with me, and that his box was empty. And he had asked me to accompany him to Mademoiselle Zinca Klork!
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