Chinese Literature
“How long have you been married?”
“Three years.”
‘Ts she a native of Chengchow named Wang Chin-nu?”
Greatly surprised, Hsu asked: “How did you know?”
“She was my wife,” replied the other. “I lost her when we were flying from the fighting; and I little thought that she was with you.”
When Hsu heard this, he felt very much put out. He explained to the other man how after losing his own wife at Yucheng he had met Wang Chin-nu in a country inn at Suiyang, concluding: “I took pity on her because she was all alone with no one to look after her; but I did not know she was your wife, sir. Now what’s to be done?”
‘Don’t worry,” said the other. “I have married another, so we can just forget about that former marriage. We were separated so suddenly, though, that we had no chance to say goodbye to each other; and if I can see her only once more to tell her what I suffered, I shall die content.”
By this time, Hsu felt melancholy too. “We can bare our hearts to each other,” he said. “There will be no difficulty: tomorrow I shall expect you. But since you have married again, why don’t you bring your new wife with you, so that we may become relatives and the neighbours will see nothing suspicious in your visit?”
The other was very pleased and bowed to express his thanks. When he was leaving, Hsu asked his name and learned that he was Liu Tsunching of Chengchow.
That night after Hsu broke the news to Wang Chin-nu, the thought of her former husband’s love made her shed tears in secret and kept her awake all night. The next morning just after they had washed, Liu and his wife arrived. Hsu went to the gate to greet them; but when he saw Liu’s wife he gave a start and both he and she wept bitterly; for Liu’s wife was no other than Hsu’s former wife! After losing Hsu at Yucheng, she had gone with an old woman to Chienkang, where she sold some jewels to rent a house. When three months passed and there was no news of Hsu, the old woman urged her to marry again and introduced her to Liu who became her husband. Now, by an amazing coincidence, the two couples had come together again!
When the former husbands and wives had embraced each other and wept, Hsu and Liu bowed to each other and became sworn brothers, drinking to pledge their friendship. That evening they exchanged wives, each taking back his first partner; and ever after the two families remained on the friendliest footing.
When wives and husbands interchange, That surely is a strange exchange!
But, their reunion ordained above, Hach smiles to see his former love.
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