And this was the first time he had couched command to her in interrogative.
"My honorable father," the girl said sadly, "I will tell you nothing."
The mandarin smiled. This was too grave a time for anger. And he had a bribe that he knew could be trusted to buy from her what he would, let the telling cost her what it might.
He had never bribed his child, not even with sugar-*plums for her smiles when she was a babe. But he would bribe her now. Their old days were done, and with them some old principles of conduct. And their old relationship—spoiled now—was drawing to its close.
"You fear to injure the Englishman!" But even that he did not say roughly.
"My honorable father, not that. He is past beyond injury now; Nang Ping knows that."
Again he smiled. But he only said, "You fear to implicate Low Soong?"
At that Nang Ping raised her eyes to his in entreaty.
"Have no fear. No punishment shall fall on her. She is not worth it. She shall be well dowered and honorably wed soon. She has dealt ill by me, and by you, her kinswoman, foully; but even so, I will not do her an injustice to you. She never betrayed you. In her first panic the slight, silly frog-thing fled—to save her own dishonest skin—but she came back but now, creeping to share your lot, and begging to speak with you. Do you care to see her?"
"I wish to see no one, O honorable sir."
"I thought you would answer so. Be at rest for her. She shall fare well." He did not add that he would keep his word. There was no need: Nang Ping knew it.
