He summoned two palankeens,
which he caused the sham penitents to enter, and himself conducted
the procession to the monastery. He left the women in their cells, and
came back to inform the monk on duty.
After his departure, a little novice brought tea to the present
visitors, who were more than ten in number. Who would have thought of
troubling to examine the two new arrivals?
At the sounding of the first watch, all the cells were locked. The
members of the various families took up their positions before the
doors. The bonzes shut themselves into their own apartments.
When Mei-chieh found herself alone, she put her little box of
vermilion near the pillow, turned up the lamp, undressed herself,
and lay upon the bed. But she was unable to sleep for thinking of her
mission, and continually kept looking through the bed curtains.
The second watch sounded. On every side the sounds of human life were
silenced, and all things were still. Suddenly she heard, under the
floor, this noise: Ko-Ko. She sat up, thinking it was a rat, and saw
a part of the floor move to one side. A shaven head appeared, and
was quickly followed by the whole body. It was a bonze. Mei-chieh was
astounded, and thought:
"So these rascally priests have been outraging honest women!"
But she did not stir. The bonze quietly blew out the lamp, came
towards the bed, let fall his robe, and slipped under the blankets.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110