He listened with controlled breath.
Unmistakably the rough breathing of a man was mingled with the softer
murmur of a woman.
He was suddenly blinded with violent anger:
"This is why she did not answer my signal. The vile child has another
man within. It was to get rid of me that she told me of her father's
suspicion!"
In his jealous madness he drew his knife and gently felt for the man's
throat. With a clean blow he drove the weapon into the flesh, and
before the woman could move, he cut her throat also, almost beheading
her.
He wiped the knife and his hands on the blanket, opened the window,
and descended. He had closed the catches. Once outside, he ran to
replace the ladder, and went back to his house. Denounced by his
mother and brought before the Court, Wu-ban tried to deny the
accusation. But the officers, on uncovering his shoulder, brought
a scar to view. Eternal Life recognized his voice and his body. The
first tortures overcame his obstinacy, and he confessed all.
The murderer was condemned to slow death.
Eternal Life was strangled, as was old Lu.
Chang, whose lecherous intentions had been the cause of all, was
sentenced to a heavy fine. In dismay, and half ruined, he no more
left his study chamber. Not long afterwards, he was carried off by a
lassitude and a languor.
_Lu Wu-han yin liu ho chin hsieh (Lu Wi-han keeps
an Embroidered Slipper to his scathe) Hsing
Shih heng yen (1627), 16th Tale.
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