of the most abandoned and best trained was at that moment
in the immediate neighbourhood of Si-chow.

Ling was not destined long to remain in any doubt concerning the truth
of these matters, for as he made his way through a dark cypress wood,
a few li from the houses of Si-chow, the sounds of a confused outcry
reached his ears, and on stepping aside to a hidden glade some distance
from the path, he beheld a young and elegant maiden of incomparable
beauty being carried away by two persons of most repulsive and
undignified appearance, whose dress and manner clearly betrayed them to
be rebels of the lowest and worst-paid type. At this sight Ling became
possessed of feelings of a savage yet agreeable order, which until
that time he had not conjectured to have any place within his mind, and
without even pausing to consider whether the planets were in favourable
positions for the enterprise to be undertaken at that time, he drew his
sword, and ran forward with loud cries. Unsettled in their intentions
at this unexpected action, the two persons turned and advanced upon Ling
with whirling daggers, discussing among themselves whether it would be
better to kill him at the first blow or to take him alive, and, when
the day had become sufficiently cool for the full enjoyment of the
spectacle, submit him to various objectionable tortures of so degraded a
nature that they were rarely used in the army of the Emperor except upon
the persons of barbarians. Observing that the maiden was not bound, Ling
cried out to her to escape and seek protection within the town, adding,
with a magnanimous absence of vanity:

"Should this person chance to fall, the repose which the presence of
so lovely and graceful a being would undoubtedly bring to his departing
spirit would be out-balanced by the unendurable thought that his
commonplace efforts had not been sufficient to save her from the two
evilly-disposed individuals who are, as he perceives, at this moment,
neglecting no means within their power to accomplish his destruction."
Accepting the discernment of these words, the maiden fled, first
bestowing a look upon Ling which clearly indicated an honourable regard
for himself, a high-minded desire that the affair might end profitably
on his account, and an amiable hope that they should meet again, when
these subjects could be expressed more clearly between them.

In the meantime Ling had become at a disadvantage, for the time occupied
in speaking