Who among the three hundred million sons of Han does not know the saying:
There's Paradise above, 't is true;
But here below we've Hang and Soo?
[Hangchow and Soochow]
And though no one will deny the beauty of those far-famed cities, they cannot
compare in grandeur of situation and boldness of features with many of the
towns of the providence of the "Four Streams." Foremost among the favoured
spots of this part of the empire is Mienchu, which, as its name implies, is
celebrated for the silky bamboos which grow in its immediate neighbourhood.
These form, however, only one of the features of its loveliness. Situated at the
foot of a range of mountains which rise through all the gradations from rich and
abundant verdure to the region of eternal snow, it lies embosomed in groves of
beech, cypress, and bamboo, through the leafy screens of which rise the
upturned yellow roofs of the temples and official residences, which dot the
landscape like golden islands in an emerald sea; while beyond the wall hurries,
between high and rugged banks, the tributary of the Fu River, which bears to the
mighty waters of the Yangtsze- Kiang the goods and passengers which seek an
outlet to the eastern provinces.
The streets within the walls of the city are scenes of life and bustle, while in the
suburbs stand the residences of those who can afford to live in peace and quiet,
undisturbed by the clamour of the Les and Changs [i.e., the people. Le and
Chang are the two commonest names in China.] of the town. There, in a situation
which the Son of Heaven might envy, stands the official residence of Colonel
Wen. Outwardly it has all the appearance of a grandee's palace, and within the
massive boundary-walls which surround it, the courtyards, halls, grounds,
summer-houses, and pavilions are not to be exceeded in grandeur and beauty.
The office which had fallen to the lot of Colonel Wen was one of the most sought
after in the province, and commonly only fell to officers of distinction. Though not
without fame in the field, Colonel Wen's main claim to honour lay in the high
degrees he had taken in the examinations. His literary acquirements gained him
friends among the civil officers of the district, and the position he occupied was
altogether one of exceptional dignity.
Unfortunately, his first wife had died, leaving only a daughter to keep her memory
alive; but at the time when our story opens, his second spouse, more kind than
his first, had presented him with a much-desired son. The mother of this boy was
one of those bright, pretty, gay creatures who commonly gain the affections of
men much older than themselves. She sang in the most faultless falsetto, she
played the guitar with taste and expression, and she danced with grace and
