The River of Pearls or The Red Spider, Chinese. Romance, by Rene de Pont-Jest. John Macyueen, London; Kelly & Walsh, Ld., Shanghai.
Residents in the Far East find it very exasperating that the public at home never seem to possess any proper knowledge of China and the Chinese, notwithstanding the many efforts that are made to after them that knowledge. Many home-keeping people are of the opinion that China and Japan stand in the relative positions of Middlesex and Surrey, and all that goes on in one country seriously affects the other. It is only when the European Press writes freely about Chinese affairs that the home public begin to have some glimmering of events that are transpiring fire, but nu amount of such writing gi them any idea of things Chinese as they actually exist, for they are absolutely ignorant of the customs, habits, and methods of thought of the Chinese. It is for this reason th: at first welcomed the publication of such a volume as The River of Pearls, which under the guise of an attractive novel may give its readers some proper insight into Chin It is, however, necessary that such publications should be written by those only who have taken the trouble to study the subject with nee, or Who are qualified by residence in the country to correctly portray the incidents of Chinese life, manners, and customs. Hence it was with considerable disappointment that we waded through the 300 pages of the hook under review, for a-more complete farrago of nonsense and misrepresentation never passed through the press. So nonsensical are the statements made in every pas of the book that, while they destroy the value of the tale, they will at least have the effect of supplying a vast amount of amusement for the © and f worth publishing: The nar and about C; and turns on the marriage of a youn; Lion-Sion, to the eldest son of one of the chest merchants of Canton, named Ling Tien-lo, though she is enamoured of her isin, a young fellow named T-te, who is without fortune, and whom the author ribes strangely enough as "i professor astronomy at the pagoda of Mi," and again lion-tati, hich should be "'professor of astronomy" is merely fortune teller, and such a post would be cp for a licentiate. Again L-te is sty literate attached to the pagoda of Fo," though a literate is a follower of Confucits, and the " pagoda of Fo" is dedicated to Buddha, Lion-Sion has also captured the affections of a butcher of her ive town named Tehou, who is known the nick-name of the Red Spider, and man proceeds to numerous acts of iny to obtain possession of the girl, denominated throughout lis the his into Saule-Brodé's room, Ie the mark of his blod-stained hand on her pillow, but without disturbing her. All this leads to the arrest of Saule-Brodé and ther of the bridegroom, daughter-in-Jaw's room in a manner that would never he tolerated in C The accused are trested. the following description of an impossible scene, for who in China ever heard of the magistrate visiting a prisoner in his cell Crouching in a corner, she was forcing herself to be deaf to the poor wretches' yells, of pain, and was beginning to think of her own calamities, when the door of hec-room was hastily opened, and admitted the officer of police who had brought her hither.
He was followed by the governor of the jail and by toyo other visitors, towards whom the young widow of Ling lifted up her haggard eyes.
The governor was a nton of fifty, with a severe countenance} and in one of the two others there was nothing very striking either in figure or in dress.
The official, however, showed him the greatest respect; and after both casting an Astonished glance at the prisoner, they exchanged a few hasty words which Saule-Brodé did not even hear, for her gaze was fixed, in spite of herself, on the third of the three newcomers.
And with good reason. For this was an individual whom no one could forget that had ever seen him.
He was a huge fellow of dreadful ugliness and a repulsive aspect. was distorted by" a" cynical grin, His face, cruelly pitted with small,
revealed his rar, red gums.
His red and bloodshot eyes blinked like those of a wild beast; his nostrils, dilated and quivering, seemed to sniff the very odour of carnage.
He wore on his head a hat made of fine wirework, and he was dressed in a red tunic, from the girdle of which hung a five-thonged whip, each thong having sharp nails at the end of it.
'The mandarin who accompanied the governor of the prison was the magistrate appointed to investigate the murder of Ling-Ta-long, and Chivese law required that officials' of this rank should always be accompanied by the man who was the last word of the law, as if to recall to them at every moment' the result of their sentences and the gravity of their duties:
As we go on we find more absurd statements, such as, "There, on each side of the entrance, was the red notice which, in obedience tothe luv, is fixed to every house in which a marriage is going to take plice." There is no such Inw in China, nor custom for that matter 'The description of the trial is a curious one, for amongst other novelties we are told that several Europeans were present who all understood the Janguage. 'Torture is applied, and the victims are attended by a doctor,' whose business it is to see that the punishment is not carried too far. Then came the judgment and its con: sequences, as follows "1, Ming Long-ti, a mandarin of the third class, occupying to-day the post of Presi of the Criminal Court at Canton, hav' tioned the prisoners brought before justi as the murderers of Ling-Ta-long, and having obtained a confession from one of them, declare them both guilty of this abominable crime, Applying to them, therefore, the law of our great legislator, T condemn both of them to the penalty of death. The prisoner named Lion-Slow, who has. confessed her guilt, will be hanged; and the prisoner named T-te, who has persisted in his denial, will undergo the lingering death. They will be led to execution when the Oni peror, our Heavenly and All-powerful Lord, will order in his supreme wisdom. I have given my decision in accordance with my conscience. Guards, lead away the prisoners, and et them be treated until their last moments as the law and humanity command The punishment of lingering death, which is very rarely inflicted, had not even awakened the public curiosity. This punishment is no longer in use, atid we shall soon have to describe it.
'The magistrates and the public had with. drawn from the hall of the court, and the guards had shut the doors, when' Madame low, who was preparing to accompany her daughter to prison found herself gently tapped upon the shoulder.
A European stood behind her. In spite of the agony which overwhelmed her, the poor woman could not suppress a slight: movement of fright.
But the stranger had such a kindly smile upon his lips that she immediately picked up her courage. The man was still young, of a lofty stature, and a bold and intelligent countenance. He gave her no time to ask him questions.
"Madame," said he in Macaiste, a kind of lingua franco which is understood and spoken
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.