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to Yunsan； who had need of me； puppet to Hamel； who schemed the wit
of the affair that was so deep that alone I should have drowned。
Only with the Lady Om was I man； not puppet 。 。 。 and yet； and yet；
as I look back and ponder across time； I have my doubts。 I think
the Lady Om； too； had her will with me； wanting me for her heart's
desire。 Yet in this she was well met； for it was not long ere she
was my heart's desire； and such was the immediacy of my will that
not her will； nor Hendrik Hamel's； nor Yunsan's； could hold back my
arms from about her。
In the meantime； however； I was caught up in a palace intrigue I
could not fathom。 I could catch the drift of it； no more； against
Chong Mong…ju； the princely cousin of the Lady Om。 Beyond my
guessing there were cliques and cliques within cliques that made a
labyrinth of the palace and extended to all the Seven Coasts。 But I
did not worry。 I left that to Hendrik Hamel。 To him I reported
every detail that occurred when he was not with me； and he； with
furrowed brows； sitting darkling by the hour； like a patient spider
unravelled the tangle and spun the web afresh。 As my body slave he
insisted upon attending me everywhere； being only barred on occasion
by Yunsan。 Of course I barred him from my moments with the Lady Om；
but told him in general what passed； with exception of tenderer
incidents that were not his business。
I think Hamel was content to sit back and play the secret part。 He
was too cold…blooded not to calculate that the risk was mine。 If I
prospered； he prospered。 If I crashed to ruin； he might creep out
like a ferret。 I am convinced that he so reasoned； and yet it did
not save him in the end； as you shall see。
〃Stand by me；〃 I told Kim； 〃and whatsoever you wish shall be yours。
Have you a wish？〃
〃I would command the Tiger Hunters of Pyeng…Yang； and so command the
palace guards；〃 he answered。
〃Wait；〃 said I； 〃and that will you do。 I have said it。〃
The how of the matter was beyond me。 But he who has naught can
dispense the world in largess； and I； who had naught； gave Kim
captaincy of the palace guards。 The best of it is that I did fulfil
my promise。 Kim did come to command the Tiger Hunters； although it
brought him to a sad end。
Scheming and intriguing I left to Hamel and Yunsan； who were the
politicians。 I was mere man and lover； and merrier than theirs was
the time I had。 Picture it to yourselfa hard…bitten； joy…loving
sea…cuny； irresponsible； unaware ever of past or future； wining and
dining with kings； the accepted lover of a princess； and with brains
like Hamel's and Yunsan's to do all planning and executing for me。
More than once Yunsan almost divined the mind behind my mind； but
when he probed Hamel； Hamel proved a stupid slave； a thousand times
less interested in affairs of state and policy than was he
interested in my health and comfort and garrulously anxious about my
drinking contests with Taiwun。 I think the Lady Om guessed the
truth and kept it to herself； wit was not her desire； but； as Hamel
had said； a bull throat and a man's yellow hair。
Much that pawed between us I shall not relate； though the Lady Om is
dear dust these centuries。 But she was not to be denied； nor was I；
and when a man and woman will their hearts together heads may fall
and kingdoms crash and yet they will not forgo。
Came the time when our marriage was mootedoh； quietly； at first；
most quietly； as mere palace gossip in dark corners between eunuchs
and waiting…women。 But in a palace the gossip of the kitchen
scullions will creep to the throne。 Soon there was a pretty to…do。
The palace was the pulse of Cho…Sen； and when the palace rocked；
Cho…Sen trembled。 And there was reason for the rocking。 Our
marriage would be a blow straight between the eyes of Chong Mong…ju。
He fought； with a show of strength for which Yunsan was ready。
Chong Mong…ju disaffected half the provincial priesthood； until they
pilgrimaged in processions a mile long to the palace gates and
frightened the Emperor into a panic。
But Yunsan held like a rock。 The other half of the provincial
priesthood was his； with； in addition； all the priesthood of the
great cities such as Keijo； Fusan； Songdo； Pyen…Yang； Chenampo； and
Chemulpo。 Yunsan and the Lady Om； between them； twisted the Emperor
right about。 As she confessed to me afterward； she bullied him with
tears and hysteria and threats of a scandal that would shake the
throne。 And to cap it all； at the psychological moment； Yunsan
pandered the Emperor to novelties of excess that had been long
preparing。
〃You must grow your hair for the marriage knot；〃 Yunsan warned me
one day； with the ghost of a twinkle in his austere eyes； more
nearly facetious and human than I had ever beheld him。
Now it is not meet that a princess espouse a sea…cuny； or even a
claimant of the ancient blood of Koryu； who is without power； or
place； or visible symbols of rank。 So it was promulgated by
imperial decree that I was a prince of Koryu。 Next； after breaking
the bones and decapitating the then governor of the five provinces；
himself an adherent of Chong Mong…ju； I was made governor of the
seven home provinces of ancient Koryu。 In Cho…Sen seven is the
magic number。 To complete this number two of the provinces were
taken over from the hands of two more of Chong Mong…ju's adherents。
Lord； Lord； a sea…cuny 。 。 。 and dispatched north over the Mandarin
Road with five hundred soldiers and a retinue at my back！ I was a
governor of seven provinces； where fifty thousand troops awaited me。
Life； death； and torture； I carried at my disposal。 I had a
treasury and a treasurer； to say nothing of a regiment of scribes。
Awaiting me also was a full thousand of tax…farmers； who squeezed
the last coppers from the toiling people。
The seven provinces constituted the northern march。 Beyond lay what
is now Manchuria； but which was known by us as the country of the
Hong…du； or 〃Red Heads。〃 They were wild raiders； on occasion
crossing the Yalu in great masses and over…running northern Cho…Sen
like locusts。 It was said they were given to cannibal practices。 I
know of experience that they were terrible fighters； most difficult
to convince of a beating。
A whirlwind year it was。 While Yunsan and the Lady Om at Keijo
completed the disgrace of Chong Mong…ju； I proceeded to make a
reputation for myself。 Of course it was really Hendrik Hamel at my
back； but I was the fine figure…head that carried it off。 Through
me Hamel taught our soldiers drill and tactics and taught the Red
Heads strategy。 The fighting was grand； and though it took a year；
the year's end saw peace on the northern border and no Red Heads but
dead Red Heads on our side the Yalu。
I do not know if this invasion of the Red Heads is recorded in
Western history； but if so it will give a clue to the date of the
times of which I write。 Another clue： when was Hideyoshi the
Shogun of Japan？ In my time I heard the echoes of the two
invasions； a generation before； driven by Hideyoshi through the
heart of Cho…Sen from Fusan in the south to as far north as Pyeng…
Yang。 It was this Hideyoshi who sent back to Japan a myriad tubs of
pickled ears and noses of Koreans slain in battle。 I talked with
many old men and women who had seen the fighting and escaped the
pickling。
Back to Keijo and the Lady Om。 Lord； Lord； she was a woman。 For
forty years she was my woman。 I know。 No dissenting voice was
raised against the marriage。 Chong Mong…ju； clipped of power； in
disgrace； had retired to sulk somewhere on the far north…east coast。
Yunsan was absolute。 Nightly the single beacons flared their
message of peace across the land。 The Emperor grew more weak…legged
and blear…eyed what of the ingenious deviltries devised for him by
Yunsan。 The Lady Om and I had won to our hearts' desires。 Kim was
in command of the palace guards。 Kwan Yung…jin； the provincial
governor who had planked and beaten us when we were first cast away；
I had shorn of power and banished for ever from appearing within the
walls of Keijo。
Oh； and Johannes Maartens。 Discipline is well hammered into a sea…
cuny； and； despite my new greatness； I could never forget that he
had been my captain in the days we sought new Indies in the
Sparwehr。 According to my tale first told in Court； he was the only
free man in my following。 The rest of the cunies； being considered
my slaves； could not aspire to office of any sort under the crown。
But Johannes could； and did。 The sly old fox！ I little guessed his
intent when he asked me to make him governor of the paltry little
province of Kyong…ju。 Kyong…ju had no wealth of farms or fisheries。
The taxes scarce paid the collecting； and the governorship was
little more than an empty honour。 The place was in truth a
graveyarda sacred graveyard； for on Tabong M