Chinese Literature

in a kindly voice, “Whatever you have to say you can tell us just as well.” - ;

The women had already gotten word of the disposition of the case of Huan’s death. Moreover, they had heard that the Elder was showing signs of comprehension. Aunt Li and Chun-mei were intending to take this opportunity to help the old man a little further along in his thinking. But right after tea was served, before they had a chance to open their mouths, the old man began to talk. Starting with the decision in the case, he told of the education he had been given at the county and district governments. When he related the “warp and woof” of the principles he now understood, he became very excited and tense. He thought carefully before each sentence, anxious to remember every point correctly.

Aunt Li thought the leadership had done a good job of teaching the Elder. Not only was he able to say, “What counts with the peasants is class, not clan!” but he could even distinguish between the bestial ways of the landlord class and today’s proper freedom of association prior to marriage. He spoke quite well. Aunt Li stole a glance at Chun-mei’s mother.

Sitting quietly, the widow hadn’t heard a word of what the Hlder was saying. From the moment she had entered the room, her mind was filled with the image of Huan. That well-behaved, gentle girl who wouldn’t even crush an ant. “It’s always the good who are tormented,” she mused, her thoughts turning from Huan’s character to her own. She couldn’t repress a glare at the old man.

She noticed the grandson standing beside the door, and she beckoned to him. “Tell me,’ she asked softly, “before Huan killed herself, did she say anything special?”

The boy didn’t know what she meant by “special.” He stared at her.

“What I’m asking is—did she hate your grandfather? Did she tell you to say anything to him?”

The boy thought a moment, then answered, “She fooled me! I walked with her to the river bank. She said her back ached, her legs hurt. She had just been beaten again that morning. Of course she hurt! She said she couldn’t walk any further. I said I’d see her home. She wouldn’t let me. She said it wasn’t far, she could go back herself. She gave me a bundle and told me to give it to grandpa. She said, ‘Be sure to give it to him. Tell him I’m sending back all the things I took with me. When he looks at them, it’ll be just like seeing me at home again. She said, ‘Thank your grandpa for me. I’ve been a lot of trouble to him all these years. When I get better I’ll come and see him.’ I didn’t know she was fooling me! She went in that direction, I came in this. When I reached the top of the stone-flagged path, she ran back

and jumped in the river! The water is deep. I shouted, but nobody came... .”