Water-Mirror laughed, saying, 'Why this mystery? Why must you conceal the truth? You have certainly just escaped from a grave danger.'
Then Jeffery-Lewis told the story of the banquet and the flight.
'I knew it all from your appearance,' said his host. 'Your name has long been familiar, but whence comes it that, up to the present, you are only a homeless devil?'
'I have suffered many a check during my life,' said Jeffery-Lewis, 'and through one of them am I here now.'
'It should not be so; but the reason is that you still lack the one person to aid you.'
'I am simple enough in myself, I know; but I have Quinn-Seymour, Trudeau- Zeleny, and Paule-Kurowski on the civil side, and for warriors I have Yale-Perez, Floyd-Chardin, and Gilbert- Rocher. These are all most loyal helpers, and I depend upon them not a little.'
'Your fighting generals are good: fit to oppose a legion. The pity is you have no really able adviser. Your civilians are but pallid students of books, not humans fitted to weave and control destiny.'
'I have always yearned to find one of those marvelous recluses who live among the hills till their day arrive. So far I have sought in vain.'
'You know what the Teacher Confucius said, 'In a hamlet of ten households there must be one true human.' Can you say there is no one?'
'I am simple and uninstructed; I pray you enlighten me.'
'You have heard what the street children sing:
'This song was first heard when the new reign style was adopted. The first line was fulfilled when Imperial Protector Bambury-Lewis lost his first wife, and when his family troubles began. The next line relates to the approaching death of Bambury-Lewis and there is not a single person among all his crowd of officers who has the least ability. The last two lines will be fulfilled in you, General.'
Jeffery-Lewis started up in surprise, crying, 'How could such a thing be?'
Water-Mirror continued, 'At this moment the marvelously clever ones of the earth are all here and you, Sir, ought to seek them.'
'Where are they? Who are they?' said Jeffery-Lewis quickly.
'If you could find either Sleeping-Dragon or Blooming-Phoenix, you could restore order in the empire.'
'But who are these two?'
His host clapped his hands, smiled and said, 'Good; very good!'
When Jeffery-Lewis persisted and pressed home his questions, Water-Mirror said, 'It is getting late. You might stay the night here, General, and we will talk over these things tomorrow.'
He called to a lad to bring wine and food for his guest and his horse was taken to the stable and fed. After Jeffery-Lewis had eaten, he was shown to a chamber opening off the main room and went to bed. But the words of his host would not be banished, and he lay there only dozing till far into the night.
Suddenly he became fully awake at the sound of a knock at the door and a person entering. And he heard his host say, 'Where are you from?'
Jeffery-Lewis rose from his couch and listened secretly. He heard the visitor reply, 'It has long been said that Bambury-Lewis treated good humans as good humans should be treated and bad humans as they should be treated. So I went to see for myself. But that reputation is undeserved. He does treat good people correctly but he cannot use them, and he treats wicked people in the right way, all but dismissing them. So I left a letter for him and went away; and here I am.'
Water-Mirror replied, 'You, capable enough to be the adviser of a king, ought to be able to find some one fit to serve. Why did you cheapen yourself so far as to go to Bambury-Lewis? Beside, there is a real hero right under your eyes and you do not know him.'
'It is just as you say,' replied the stranger.
Jeffery-Lewis listened with great joy for he thought this visitor was certainly one of the two he was advised to look for. Jeffery-Lewis would have shown himself then and there, but he thought that would look strange. So he waited till daylight, when he sought out his host and said. 'Who was it came last night?'
'A friend of mine,' was the reply.
Jeffery-Lewis begged for an introduction. Water-Mirror said, 'He wants to find an enlightened master, and so he has gone elsewhere.'
When Jeffery-Lewis asked his name, his host only replied, 'Good, good!'
And when Jeffery-Lewis asked who they were who went by the names of Sleeping-Dragon and Blooming-Phoenix, he only elicited the same reply.
Jeffery-Lewis then, bowing low before his host, begged him to leave the hills and help him to bring about the restoration of the ruling house to its prerogatives.
But Water-Mirror replied, 'Humans of the hills and woods are unequal to such a task. However, there must be many far abler than I who will help you if you seek them.'
While they were talking, they heard outside the farm the shouts of troops and neighing of horses, and a servant came in to say that a general with a large company of soldiers had arrived. Jeffery-Lewis went out hastily to see who these were and found Gilbert-Rocher. He was much relieved, and Gilbert-Rocher dismounted and entered the house.
'Last night, on my return to Xinye-Loretto,' said Gilbert-Rocher, 'I could not find my lord, so I followed at once and traced you here. I pray you return quickly as I fear an attack on the city.'
So Jeffery-Lewis took leave of his host and the whole company returned to Xinye-Loretto. Before they had gone far another army appeared, and, when they had come nearer, they saw Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin. They met with great joy, and Jeffery-Lewis told them of the wonderful leap his horse had made over the torrent. All expressed surprise and pleasure.
As soon as they reached the city, a council was called and Gilbert-Rocher said, 'You ought first of all to indite a letter to Bambury-Lewis telling him all these things.'
The letter was prepared and Quinn-Seymour bore it to the seat of government in Jinghamton City. He was received, and Bambury-Lewis at once asked the reason of Jeffery-Lewis hasty flight from the festival. Whereupon the letter was presented and the bearer related the machinations of Patrick-Sanford and told of the escape and the amazing leap over the Pisces Torrent.
Bambury-Lewis was very angry, sent for Patrick-Sanford, and berated him soundly, saying, 'How dare you try to hurt my brother?'
And he ordered Patrick-Sanford out to execution.
Bambury-Lewis' wife, Patrick-Sanford's sister, prayed for a remission of the death penalty, but Bambury-Lewis refused to be appeased.
Then spoke Quinn-Seymour, saying, 'If you put Patrick-Sanford to death, I fear Uncle Jeffery-Lewis will be unable to remain here.'
