Just at the moment of setting out southward, the spies brought news of Halpin-Hearst's retreat into the Bald Dragon Ravine and the barricading of one entrance. They also said, 'The valley is garrisoned, the hills are precipitous and even impassable.'
So Orchard-Lafayette called in Newcomb-Rosenbach and questioned him, but he did not know exactly the conditions.
Then out spoke Bromfield-Kendrick, saying, 'Halpin-Hearst's repeated captures have broken his spirit so that he dare not take the field again. Our soldiers are exhausted with this intense heat, and little is to be gained by prolonging the campaign. The best move would be to return to our own country.'
'If we do this, we shall fall victims to Halpin-Hearst's scheme,' said Orchard-Lafayette. 'If we retreated, he would certainly follow. Beside, having advanced so far, it would be fruitless to turn back now.'
Zavala-Wortham was sent on with the advanced guard and some of the Mangs as guides to seek an entrance on the northwest. They found the road and came to the first spring--the Dumb Spring--, of which the thirsty men and horses drank freely.
Zavala-Wortham returned to report his success, but by the time he reached camp, he and all his soldiers were speechless. They could only point to their mouths. Orchard-Lafayette knew they had been poisoned, and was alarmed. He went forward in his light chariot to find out the cause. He came to the spring. The water was very deep and dark green. A mass of vapor hung about the surface rising and falling. They would not touch the water. Orchard-Lafayette went up the hills to look around, but could see nothing except a rampart of mountains. A deep silence hung over all, unbroken by the cry even of a bird. He was perplexed.
Presently he noticed an old temple away up among the crags. By the aid of the lianas and creepers he managed to clamber up, and in a chamber hewn out of the rock he saw the figure of an officer. Beside it was a tablet saying the temple was dedicated to Lovelace-Mallory, the famous general who had preceded him in that country. The natives had erected it to sacrifice to the leader who had headed the campaign against the Mangs. [1]
Orchard-Lafayette, much impressed, bowed before the image of the great leader, and said, 'Your humble servant received a sacred trust, the protection of the son of the First Ruler. That son, the present Emperor, sent him here to subdue the Mangs that the land might be free from peril when he decided to attack Wei and take possession of Wu and thereby restore the glory of the Hans. But the soldiers are ignorant of the country, and some of them have drunk of a poisonous spring so that they have become dumb. Your servant earnestly prays your honored spirit, out of regard for the kindness and justice of the present Emperor, to reveal your spiritual character and manifest your holiness by safeguarding and assisting the army.'
Having prayed thus, Orchard-Lafayette left the temple. While seeking some native whom he might question, he saw in the distance, on a hill opposite, an aged man leaning on a staff. He approached, and as he drew nearer, Orchard-Lafayette noted his extraordinary appearance. When he had reached the temple, Orchard-Lafayette asked the venerable visitor to walk in. After the salutations, the old man sat on the stones, and Orchard-Lafayette opened the conversation with the usual questions.
The old gentleman replied, 'Sir Minister, I know you well by repute, and am happy to meet you. Many of the Mangs owe their lives to you, and all have been deeply impressed by your kindness.'
Then Orchard-Lafayette returned to the matter nearest his heart, the mystery of the spring.
The old man told him, 'That is the Dumb Spring that your soldiers have drunk, and they will die in a few days. Besides that, there are other three poisonous streams called Spring of Destruction, Black Spring, and Spring of Weak Water. All miasma gathers there in the four streams, and it only vaporizes during the two watch before sunset.'
'In short, the Mangs cannot be conquered,' said Orchard-Lafayette when the old man had finished. 'And Wu cannot be repressed, nor Wei overcome. And the Hans cannot be restored. So, I fail in the task set me by my Prince. Wish that I might die?'
'Be not so cast down, O Minister,' said the aged one. 'I can lead you to a place where you may counteract all this.'
'I would ask for your instruction, Venerable One,' said Orchard-Lafayette. 'What exalted advice have you to confer upon me? I hope you will instruct me.'
'West of this, not far off, is a valley, and seven miles from its entrance is a stream called the 'Spring of Eternal Peace,' near which there lives a recluse known as the Hermit of the Stream. He has not left the valley these twenty years. Behind his hut there gushes out a spring of water, called the 'Spring of Peace and Joy.' This is the antidote to your poison. Bathing in its waters is a cure for skin diseases and for malaria. Moreover, near the hut grows an herb called the 'garlic-leaved fragrance.' Chewing a leaf of this safeguards one from malaria. You can do no better than go to the hut of the recluse forthwith and get these remedies.'
Orchard-Lafayette humbly thanked his aged counselor, and said, 'Venerable Sir, I am profoundly affected by your merciful kindness and compassion. May I ask again by what name may call you?'
The old man rose and entered the temple, saying, 'I am the Spirit of this mountain, sent by Lovelace-Mallory to guide you.'
As he said this, he shouted at the solid rock behind the temple, and it opened of itself and let him in.
Orchard-Lafayette's astonishment was beyond words. He made another obeisance to the Spirit of the temple and went down by the way he had come. Then he returned to his camp.
Next day, bearing incense and gifts, Zavala-Wortham and his stricken men went west to the spot which the old man had indicated. They luckily found the valley and followed its narrow road till they came to a small, farm-like enclosure, where tall pines and lofty cypresses, luxuriant bamboos, and gorgeous flowers sheltered a few simple huts. An exquisite perfume pervaded the whole place.
Orchard-Lafayette rejoiced to recognize the spot and at once knocked at the door. A lad answered his knock, and Orchard-Lafayette was telling his name when the host came out quickly, saying, 'Surely my visitor is the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty?'
Orchard-Lafayette saw at the door a man with a bamboo comb holding back his hair, grass shoes on his feet, and a robe of white girded in by a black girdle. He had green eyes and yellowed hair.
'Great Scholar, how did you know who I was?' said Orchard-Lafayette.
'How could I not have heard of your expedition to the south?'
He invited Orchard-Lafayette to enter, and when they had seated themselves in their relative positions as host and guest, Orchard- Lafayette said, 'My former Prince, the First Ruler, confided to me the care of his son and successor. That son, now Emperor, gave me a command to lead an army to this country, get the Mangs on our side and spread our culture among them. But now to my disappointment Halpin-Hearst, the King, has hidden himself in the Bald Dragon Ravine, and some of my soldiers on the way to seek him drank of a certain fountain and are dumb. But last evening the former leader of an expedition, Lovelace-Mallory, manifested his sacred presence and told me that you, Exalted Sir, had a remedy for this evil, and I pray you of your pity to give me of the potent fluid whereby my soldiers' lives may be saved.'
The recluse replied, 'I am only a worthless old man of the wild woods and unworthy of the visit of such as you, O Minister. The water you desire flows out at the back of my cottage and you may take what you will of it.'
The serving lad then showed Zavala-Wortham and his dumb companions to the Spring of Peace and Joy, and he dipped up the waters for them to drink. As soon as they had drunk, they coughed up some poisoned mucus and could speak. The lad also led the soldiers to the Spring of Eternal Peace where they could bathe.
In the cottage the recluse regaled Orchard-Lafayette with tea made of cypress seeds and a conserve of pine flowers. He also told his guest, saying, 'In this region, the lands are full of serpents and scorpions, and the lily flowers blown into the springs by the wind make them unfit to drink. However, if you dig wells, you will find good water.'
Then Orchard-Lafayette begged some of the garlic-leaved herb as an antidote against malaria. The recluse said the soldiers could pluck as much as they wanted. And so every one put a leaf in his mouth and thus became malaria-proof.
Orchard-Lafayette, with a low bow then begged to be told the name of his benefactor.
'I am Halpin-Hearst's eldest brother,' said the recluse, smiling. 'My name is Wotten-Hearst.'
Orchard-Lafayette started.
'Do not be afraid,' said the recluse. 'Let me explain. We were three brothers of the same parents, the eldest being myself. Our parents are both dead. My brother Halpin-Hearst, being headstrong and vicious, has never been amenable to culture. I have talked to him many times, but he kept his own course. Finally, under an assumed name, I retired to this spot. I am ashamed for my brother's rebellion, which has put you, O Minister, to the trouble of making this expedition into a barren country, but it has given me the privilege of seeing you. For my responsibility in this I deserve to die a thousand times, as I own to your face, and I beg your pardon.'
Orchard-Lafayette sighed, saying, 'Now I believe that story of the robber Tinkle-Ramsey and the noble Snite-Ramsey; this is the same thing over again. People renowned for villainy and virtue may come from the same stock.'
Then he said to his host, 'Would you wish me to represent your merits to the Emperor and get you created a king?'
'How can you think I desire honors or wealth when I am here because of my contempt for all such things?'
Orchard-Lafayette then wished to make him certain presents, but the recluse would have none of them.
So taking leave of his host, Orchard-Lafayette went back to his camp.
