The Alchemist by Pu Song Ling
At Ch'ang-ngan there lived a scholar named Chia Tzu-lung, who one day noticed a
very refined-looking stranger; and, on making inquiries about him, learnt that
he was a Mr. Chen who had taken lodgings hard by. Accordingly, next day Chia
called and sent in his card, but did not see Chen, who happened to be out at the
time. The same thing occurred thrice, and at length Chia engaged some one to
watch. and let him know when Mr. Chen was at home. However, even then the latter
would not come forth to receive his guest, and Chia had to go in and rout him
out.
The two now entered into conversation, and soon became mutually charmed with
each other and by-and-by Chia sent off a servant to bring wine from a
neighbouring wine-shop. Mr. Chen proved himself a pleasant boon companion, and
when the wine was nearly finished, he went to a box and took from it some
wine-cups and a large and beautiful jade tankard, into the latter of which he
poured a single cup of wine, and lo! it was filled to the brim. They then
proceeded to help themselves from the tankard; but how ever much they took out,
the contents never seemed to diminish. Chia was astonished at this, and begged
Mr. Chen to tell him how it was done. "Ah," replied Mr. Chen, "I tried to avoid
making your acquaintance solely because of your one bad quality - avarice. The
art I practise is a secret known to the Immortals only: how can I divulge it to
you?" "You do me wrong," rejoined Chia, "in thus attributing avarice to me. The
avaricious, indeed, are always poor." Mr. Chen laughed, and they separated for
that day; but from that time they were constantly together, and all ceremony was
laid aside between them.
Whenever Chia wanted money, Mr. Chen would bring out a black stone, and,
muttering a charm, would rub it on a tile or a brick, which was forthwith
changed into a lump of silver. This silver he would give to Chia, and it was
always just as much as he actually required, neither more nor less; and if ever
the latter asked for more, Mr. Chen would rally him on the subject of avarice.
Finally, Chia determined to try and get possession of this stone; and one day,
when Mr. Chen was sleeping off the fumes of a drinking-bout, he tried to extract
it from his clothes. However, Chen detected him at once, and declared that they
could be friends no more, and next day he left the place altogether. About a
year afterwards Chia was one day wandering by the river-bank, when he saw a
handsome-looking stone, marvellously like that in the possession of Mr. Chen;
and he picked it up at once and carried it home with him.
A few days passed away, and suddenly Mr. Chen presented himself at Chia's house,
and explained that the stone in question possessed the property of changing
anything into gold, and had been bestowed upon him long before by a certain
Taoist priest, whom he had followed as a disciple. "Alas!" added he, "I got
tipsy and lost it; but divination told me where it was, and if you will now
restore it to me, I shall take care to repay your kindness." "You have divined
rightly," replied Chia; "the stone is with me; but recollect, if you please,
that the indigent Kuan Chung shared the wealth of his friend Pao Shu." At this
hint Mr. Chen said he would give Chia one hundred ounces of silver; to which the
latter replied that one hundred ounces was a fair offer, but that he would far
sooner have Mr. Chen teach him the formula to utter when rubbing the stone on
anything, so as just to try the thing once himself. Mr. Chen was afraid to do
this; whereupon Chia cried out, "You are an Immortal yourself; you must know
well enough that I would never deceive a friend." So Mr. Chen was prevailed upon
to teach him the formula, and then Chia would have tried the art upon the
immense stone washing-block which was lying near at hand had not Mr. Chen seized
his arm and begged. him not to do anything so outrageous. Chia then picked up
half a brick and laid it on the washing-block, saying to Mr. Chen, "This little
piece is not too much, surely?" Accordingly, Mr. Chen relaxed his hold and let
Chia proceed; which he did by promptly ignoring the half brick and quickly
rubbing the stone on the washing-block. Mr. Chen turned pale when he saw him do
this, and made a. dash. forward to get hold of the stone; but it was too late,
the washing-block was already a solid mass of silver, and Chia quietly handed
him back the stone, "Alas! alas!" cried Mr. Chen in despair, "what is to be done
now? For having. thus irregularly conferred wealth upon a mortal, Heaven will
surely punish me. Oh, if you would save me, give away one hundred coffins and
one hundred suits of wadded clothes." "My friend," replied Chia, "my object in
getting money was not to hoard it up like a miser."
Mr. Chen was delighted at this and during the next three years Chia engaged in
trade, taking care to be all the time fulfilling his promise to Mr. Chen. At the
expiration of that time Mr. Chen himself reappeared, and, grasping Chia's hand,
said to him, "Trustworthy and noble friend, when we last parted the Spirit of
Happiness impeached me before God, and my name was erased from the list of
angels. But now that you have carried out my request, that sentence has
accordingly been rescinded. Go on as you have begun, without ceasing." Chia
asked Mr. Chen what office he filled in heaven; to which the latter replied that
he was only a fox, who, by a sinless life, had finally attained to that clear
perception of the Truth which leads to immortality. Wine was then brought, and
the two friends enjoyed themselves together as of old; and even when Chia had
passed the age of ninety years, that fox still used to visit him from time to
time.
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