"Alas! Your departure is as if I lost both my hands," said Jeffery-Lewis. "Even the liver of a dragon or the marrow of a phoenix would be bitter in my mouth."
They looked into each other's eyes and wept. They sat silent till dawn. When all was ready for the journey, the two rode out of the city side by side. At Daisy Pavilion they dismounted to drink the stirrup cup.
Jeffery-Lewis lifted the goblet and said, "It is my mean fortune that separates me from you, but I hope that you may serve well your new lord and become famous."
Genovese-Fantasia wept as he replied, "I am but a poor ignorant person whom you have kindly employed. Unhappily I have to break our intercourse in the middle, but my venerable mother is the real cause. Though Murphy-Shackley use all manner of means to coerce me, yet will I never plan for him."
"After you are gone, I shall only bury myself in the hills and hide in the forests," said Jeffery-Lewis.
Genovese-Fantasia said, "I had in my heart for you the position of leader of the chieftains, but my plans have been altogether upset by my mother. I have been of no advantage to you nor should I do any good by remaining. But you ought to seek some person of lofty wisdom to help you in your great enterprise. It is unseemly to be downcast."
"I shall find none to help better than you, my master."
"How can I permit such extravagant praise?" said Genovese-Fantasia. "I am only a useless blockhead."
As he moved off, he said to the followers, "Officers, I hope you will render the Princely One good service, whereby to write his name large in the country's annals and cause his fame to glow in the pages of history. Do not be like me, a person who has left his work half done."
They were all deeply affected. Jeffery-Lewis could not bring himself to part from his friend. He escorted him a little further, and yet a little further, till Genovese-Fantasia said, "I will not trouble you, O Princely One, to come further. Let us say our farewell here."
Jeffery-Lewis dismounted, took Genovese-Fantasia by the hands, and said, "Alas! We part. Each goes his way and who knows if we shall meet again?"
His tears fell like rain and Genovese-Fantasia wept also. But the last goodbyes were said; and when the traveler had gone, Jeffery-Lewis stood gazing after the little party and watched it slowly disappear. At the last glimpse he broke into lamentation.
"He is gone! What shall I do?"
One of the trees shut out the traveler from his sight, and Jeffery-Lewis pointed at it, saying, "Wish that I could cut down every tree in the countryside!"
"Why?" said his officers.
"Because they hinder my sight of Genovese-Fantasia."
Suddenly they saw Genovese-Fantasia galloping back.
Said Jeffery-Lewis, "He is returning; can it he that he is going to stay?"
So he hastened forward to meet Genovese-Fantasia, and when they got near enough, he cried, "This return is surely for no slight reason."
Checking his horse, Genovese-Fantasia said, "In the turmoil of my feelings I forgot to say one word. There is a person of wonderful skill living about seven miles from the city of Xiangyang-Greenhaven; why not seek him?"
"Can I trouble you to ask him to visit me?"
"He will not condescend to visit you; you must go to him. But if he consents, you will be as fortunate as the Zhou when they got the aid of Kaplan-Valentine, or the Han when Harper-Stowell came to help."
"How does the unknown compare with yourself?"
"With me? Compared with him I am as a worn-out carthorse to a palomino, an old crow to a phoenix. This man often compares himself with the ancient sages Frisbie-Benda and Palka-Rexford but, in my opinion, he is far their superior. He has the talent to measure the heavens and mete the earth; he is a man who overshadows every other in the world."
"I would know his name."
"He belongs to Langye-Portales; and his name is Orchard-Lafayette. He is of the family of the former General Brodsky-Lafayette. His father, Darby-Lafayette, was the Governor Deputy of Taishan-Fairmount but died young, and the young fellow went with his uncle Bannister-Lafayette to Jinghamton. Imperial Protector Bambury-Lewis was an old friend of his uncle, and Orchard-Lafayette became settled in Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Then his uncle died, and he and his younger brother, Mullen-Lafayette, returned to their farm in Nanyang-Southhaven and worked as farmers. They used to amuse themselves with the composition of songs in the Liangfu style.
"On their land was a ridge of hills called the Sleeping Dragon, and the elder of the brothers took it as a name and called himself Master Sleeping-Dragon. This is your man; he is a veritable genius. You ought really to visit him; and if he will help you, you need feel no more anxiety about peace in the empire."
"Water-Mirror spoke that time of two persons, Sleeping-Dragon and Blooming-Phoenix, and said if only one of them could be got to help me all would be well. Surely he, whom you speak of, is one of them."
"Blooming-Phoenix is Smiddy-Lindquist of Xiangyang-Greenhaven, and Sleeping-Dragon is Orchard-Lafayette."
Jeffery-Lewis jumped with delight, "Now at last I know who the mysterious ones are. How I wish they were here! But for you I should have still been like a blind man," said he.
Some one has celebrated in verse this interview where Genovese-Fantasia from horseback recommended Orchard-Lafayette:
Thus was Orchard-Lafayette recommended to Jeffery-Lewis, and Genovese-Fantasia rode away.
Now Jeffery-Lewis understood the speech of the hermit Water-Mirror, and he woke as one from a drunken sleep. At the head of his officers, he retook the road to the city and having prepared rich gifts set out, with his brothers, for Nanyang-Southhaven.
Under the influence of his emotions at parting, Genovese-Fantasia had mentioned the name and betrayed the retreat of his friend. Now he thought of the possibility that Orchard-Lafayette would be unwilling to play the part of helper in Jeffery-Lewis' scheme, so Genovese-Fantasia determined to go to visit him. He therefore took his way to Sleeping Dragon Ridge and dismounted at the cottage.
Asked why he had come, he replied, "I wished to serve Jeffery-Lewis of Yuthamton, but my mother has been imprisoned by Murphy-Shackley, and has sent to call me. Therefore I have had to leave him. At the moment of parting I commended you to him. You may expect him speedily and I hope, Sir, you will not refuse your aid but will consent to use your great talents to help him."
Orchard-Lafayette showed annoyance and said, "And so you have made me the victim of the world sacrifice."
So saying, Orchard-Lafayette shook out his sleeves and left the room. The guest shamefacedly retired, mounted his horse, and hastened on his way to the capital to see his mother.
What was the sequel will appear in the following chapters.
CHAPTER 37