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Chong Mong…ju。 In Song…do I became a fuel…carrier； and the Lady Om
and I shared a hut that was vastly more comfortable than the open
road in bitter winter weather。 But Chong Mong…ju found me out； and
I was beaten and planked and put out upon the road。 That was a
terrible winter； the winter poor 〃What…Now〃 Vandervoot froze to
death on the streets of Keijo。
In Pyeng…yang I became a water…carrier； for know that that old city；
whose walls were ancient even in the time of David； was considered
by the people to be a canoe； and that； therefore； to sink a well
inside the walls would be to scupper the city。 So all day long
thousands of coolies； water…jars yoked to their shoulders； tramp out
the river gate and back。 I became one of these； until Chong Mong…ju
sought me out； and I was beaten and planked and set upon the
highway。
Ever it was the same。 In far Wiju I became a dog…butcher； killing
the brutes publicly before my open stall； cutting and hanging the
caresses for sale； tanning the hides under the filth of the feet of
the passers…by by spreading the hides； raw…side up； in the muck of
the street。 But Chong Mong…ju found me out。 I was a dyer's helper
in Pyonhan； a gold…miner in the placers of Kang…wun； a rope…maker
and twine…twister in Chiksan。 I plaited straw hats in Padok；
gathered grass in Whang…hai； and in Masenpo sold myself to a rice
farmer to toil bent double in the flooded paddies for less than a
coolie's pay。 But there was never a time or place that the long arm
of Chong Mong…ju did not reach out and punish and thrust me upon the
beggar's way。
The Lady Om and I searched two seasons and found a single root of
the wild mountain ginseng； which is esteemed so rare and precious a
thing by the doctors that the Lady Om and I could have lived a year
in comfort from the sale of our one root。 But in the selling of it
I was apprehended； the root confiscated； and I was better beaten and
longer planked than ordinarily。
Everywhere the wandering members of the great Peddlers' Guild
carried word of me； of my comings and goings and doings； to Chong
Mong…ju at Keijo。 Only twice； in all the days after my downfall；
did I meet Chong Mong…ju face to face。 The first time was a wild
winter night of storm in the high mountains of Kang…wun。 A few
hoarded coppers had bought for the Lady Om and me sleeping space in
the dirtiest and coldest corner of the one large room of the inn。
We were just about to begin on our meagre supper of horse…beans and
wild garlic cooked into a stew with a scrap of bullock that must
have died of old age； when there was a tinkling of bronze pony bells
and the stamp of hoofs without。 The doors opened； and entered Chong
Mong…ju； the personification of well…being； prosperity and power；
shaking the snow from his priceless Mongolian furs。 Place was made
for him and his dozen retainers； and there was room for all without
crowding； when his eyes chanced to light on the Lady Om and me。
〃The vermin there in the cornerclear it out；〃 he commanded。
And his horse…boys lashed us with their whips and drove us out into
the storm。 But there was to be another meeting； after long years；
as you shall see。
There was no escape。 Never was I permitted to cross the northern
frontier。 Never was I permitted to put foot to a sampan on the sea。
The Peddlers' Guild carried these commands of Chong Mong…ju to every
village and every soul in all Cho…Sen。 I was a marked man。
Lord； Lord； Cho…Sen； I know your every highway and mountain path；
all your walled cities and the least of your villages。 For two…
score years I wandered and starved over you； and the Lady Om ever
wandered and starved with me。 What we in extremity have eaten！
Leavings of dog's flesh； putrid and unsaleable； flung to us by the
mocking butchers； MINARI； a water…cress gathered from stagnant pools
of slime； spoiled KIMCHI that would revolt the stomachs of peasants
and that could be smelled a mile。 AyI have stolen bones from
curs； gleaned the public road for stray grains of rice； robbed
ponies of their steaming bean…soup on frosty nights。
It is not strange that I did not die。 I knew and was upheld by two
things： the first； the Lady Om by my side； the second； the certain
faith that the time would come when my thumbs and fingers would
fast…lock in the gullet of Chong Mong…ju。
Turned always away at the city gates of Keijo； where I sought Chong
Mong…ju； we wandered on； through seasons and decades of seasons；
across Cho…Sen； whose every inch of road was an old story to our
sandals。 Our history and identity were wide…scattered as the land
was wide。 No person breathed who did not know us and our
punishment。 There were coolies and peddlers who shouted insults at
the Lady Om and who felt the wrath of my clutch in their topknots；
the wrath of my knuckles in their faces。 There were old women in
far mountain villages who looked on the beggar woman by my side； the
lost Lady Om； and sighed and shook their heads while their eyes
dimmed with tears。 And there were young women whose faces warmed
with compassion as they gazed on the bulk of my shoulders； the blue
of my eyes； and my long yellow hairI who had once been a prince of
Koryu and the ruler of provinces。 And there were rabbles of
children that tagged at our heels； jeering and screeching； pelting
us with filth of speech and of the common road。
Beyond the Yalu； forty miles wide； was the strip of waste that
constituted the northern frontier and that ran from sea to sea。 It
was not really waste land； but land that had been deliberately made
waste in carrying out Cho…Sen's policy of isolation。 On this forty…
mile strip all farms； villages and cities had been destroyed。 It
was no man's land； infested with wild animals and traversed by
companies of mounted Tiger Hunters whose business was to kill any
human being they found。 That way there was no escape for us； nor
was there any escape for us by sea。
As the years passed my seven fellow…cunies came more to frequent
Fusan。 It was on the south…east coast where the climate was milder。
But more than climate； it lay nearest of all Cho…Sen to Japan。
Across the narrow straits； just farther than the eye can see； was
the one hope of escape Japan； where doubtless occasional ships of
Europe came。 Strong upon me is the vision of those seven ageing men
on the cliffs of Fusan yearning with all their souls across the sea
they would never sail again。
At times junks of Japan were sighted； but never lifted a familiar
topsail of old Europe above the sea…rim。 Years came and went； and
the seven cunies and myself and the Lady Om； passing through middle
life into old age； more and more directed our footsteps to Fusan。
And as the years came and went； now one； now another failed to
gather at the usual place。 Hans Amden was the first to die。 Jacob
Brinker； who was his road…mate； brought the news。 Jacob Brinker was
the last of the seven； and he was nearly ninety when he died；
outliving Tromp a scant two years。 I well remember the pair of
them； toward the last； worn and feeble； in beggars' rags； with
beggars' bowls； sunning themselves side by side on the cliffs；
telling old stories and cackling shrill…voiced like children。 And
Tromp would maunder over and over of how Johannes Maartens and the
cunies robbed the kings on Tabong Mountain； each embalmed in his
golden coffin with an embalmed maid on either side； and of how these
ancient proud ones crumbled to dust within the hour while the cunies
cursed and sweated at junking the coffins。
As sure as loot is loot； old Johannes Maartens would have got away
and across the Yellow Sea with his booty had it not been for the fog
next day that lost him。 That cursed fog！ A song was made of it；
that I heard and hated through all Cho…Sen to my dying day。 Here
run two lines of it：
〃Yanggukeni chajin anga
Wheanpong tora deunda；
The thick fog of the Westerners
Broods over Whean peak。〃
For forty years I was a beggar of Cho…Sen。 Of the fourteen of us
that were cast away only I survived。 The Lady Om was of the same
indomitable stuff； and we aged together。 She was a little；
weazened； toothless old woman toward the last； but ever she was the
wonder woman； and she carried my heart in hers to the end。 For an
old man； three score and ten； I still retained great strength。 My
face was withered； my yellow hair turned white； my broad shoulders
shrunken； and yet much of the strength of my sea…cuny days resided
in the muscles left me。
Thus it was that I was able to do what I shall now relate。 It was a
spring morning on the cliffs of Fusan； hard by the highway； that the
Lady Om and I sat warming in the sun。 We were in the rags of
beggary； prideless in the dust； and yet I was laughing heartily at
some mumbled merry quip of the Lady Om when a shadow fell upon us。
It was the great litter of Cho