Ling was not destined long to remain in any doubt concerning the truth
of these matters, for as he made his way through a dark cypress wood,
a few li from the houses of Si-chow, the sounds of a confused outcry
reached his ears, and on stepping aside to a hidden glade some
distance from the path, he beheld a young and elegant maiden of
incomparable beauty being carried away by two persons of most
repulsive and undignified appearance, whose dress and manner clearly
betrayed them to be rebels of the lowest and worst-paid type. At this
sight Ling became possessed of feelings of a savage yet agreeable
order, which until that time he had not conjectured to have any place
within his mind, and without even pausing to consider whether the
planets were in favourable positions for the enterprise to be
undertaken at that time, he drew his sword, and ran forward with loud
cries. Unsettled in their intentions at this unexpected action, the
two persons turned and advanced upon Ling with whirling daggers,
discussing among themselves whether it would be better to kill him at
the first blow or to take him alive, and, when the day had become
sufficiently cool for the full enjoyment of the spectacle, submit him
to various objectionable tortures of so degraded a nature that they
were rarely used in the army of the Emperor except upon the persons of
barbarians.
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