Read Online Gods Men by Pearl S. Buck - Free Book Online Page B

then of the Manchus to whom she belonged and the Chinese whom she ruled. To these she spoke long of the evils the foreigners had done. She said the Manchus wanted war.
    â€œThen she was confounded,” the cousin whispered, “for even among the Manchus there was Natsung, a man of sense, who told her she could not fight the world. He was upheld by a Chinese, Hsu Ching-cheng. The young Emperor, as her nephew, also begged her not to ruin the country. Upon this the great quarrel burst forth. That fool Prince Tuan spoke for the Boxers, though Prince Su spoke against him, saying that it was madness to believe that these ignorant men could not be shot to strips of flesh.”
    On the eighteenth day the cousin told Mr. Fong that the Empress had seen the Boxers prove their powers, and she had decided to join with them.
    â€œWhen the young Emperor heard the Old Demon declare this,” the cousin said, “he began to weep aloud and he left the room. It is now too late for us to hope. Prepare yourself, Elder Brother, and prepare our family for what must come, for we are lost. The forts at Tientsin have already fallen to the foreign armies but our people do not know it. Neither do the foreigners here in the city know it, since they have no word from the advancing armies sent to rescue them. And the Old Demon puts her faith in these monsters, the Boxers! Tomorrow, before the foreigners can hear of the loss of the forts or of their own coming rescue, she will demand that they leave the city. But how can they go, hundreds of them with women and little children? They will not go. Then the Boxers will try to kill them all. For this our people will be cruelly punished when the foreign armies reach the city. Prepare—prepare, Elder Brother!”
    On the twentieth day of that month Clem was waked by his mother in the early morning. He opened his eyes and saw her finger on her lips. He got up and followed her into the court. There were times when between his parents he felt he had no life of his own. Each made him the keeper of secrets from the other, each strove to bear the burden of danger alone, with only Clem’s help.
    â€œClem dear,” his mother said in her pretty coaxing voice. In the dawn she had a pale ghostlike look and he saw what he had seen before but today too clearly, that she was wasting away under this strain of waiting for lonely death.
    â€œYes, Mama,” he said.
    â€œClem, we haven’t anything left to eat. I’m afraid to tell Papa.”
    â€œOh Mama,” he cried. “Is all that bread gone?”
    â€œYes, and all the tins. I have a little flour I can mix with water for this morning. That’s all.”
    He knew what she wanted and dreaded to ask him and he offered himself before she spoke.
    â€œThen I will go into the streets and try to find something, Mama.”
    â€œOh Clem, I’m afraid for you to, but if you don’t Papa will, and you can slip through the hutungs better than he can. He’ll stop maybe to pray.”
    â€œI won’t do that,” he said grimly.
    â€œThen put on your Chinese clothes.”
    â€œI’d better not go until after breakfast, Mama, or Papa will notice.”
    â€œOh yes, that’s true. Go after breakfast when he is studying his Bible.”
    â€œYes.”
    His mother’s soft eyes were searching his face with anxious sadness. “Oh Clem, forgive me.”
    â€œThere isn’t anything to forgive, Mama. It’s not your fault.” He saw the tears well into her eyes and with love and dreadful impatience he stopped them.
    â€œDon’t cry, please, Mama. I’ve got all I can bear.” He turned away, guilty for his anger, and yet protecting himself with it.
    He was silent during the meager breakfast, silent when his father prayed longer than usual. The food was hot. They were out of fuel but he had torn some laths from a plaster wall. Their landlord did not come near them now. They were