Explore Chapter 15 of 'Cat Country' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
The thunder had rumbled away into the distance. Had I truly heard it, or was it a dream? I could not be sure. I opened my eyes-no, I could not open them. The mud from Madam Envoy's walls seemed plastered all over my face. Yes, it was still thundering; I was indeed awake. I tried to feel with my hands, but could not; they were pinned under stones. My feet and legs seemed to have vanished; I felt as if someone had planted me in the soil.
I pulled my hands free and clawed the mud from my face. Madam Envoy's house had turned into a massive earthen tomb. As I struggled to free my legs, I screamed for help like a madman. *I* was all right, but Madam Envoy and the eight little imps must be buried in the deepest layers. A few raindrops still fell from the sky, yet no matter how I shouted, not a soul came. The Catfolk fear water; of course they would not emerge until the skies had completely cleared.
I pulled myself free from my half-buried state and began digging through the pile of earth like a rabid dog, not even checking myself for injuries. The sky cleared, and the Catfolk all came out. As I dug, I kept shouting for help. A good many people gathered, but they merely stood and watched. Thinking they had misunderstood, I began to explain: it was not about saving me, but rescuing the nine women buried beneath. Once they understood, they pressed forward, yet still no one lifted a hand. I knew mere pleading was useless. I felt in my trouser pocket-the National Spirits were still there. 'Come and help me dig, and I'll give you a National Spirit!' They hesitated for a moment, as if disbelieving me. I took out two of the coins to show them. That did it. They swarmed up like hornets. But then one would come up, grab a stone, and leave. Another would come, pick up a brick, and leave. Then I understood: snatching any immediate advantage is a Catfolk habit. Fine, let them be. Once all the bricks and stones were moved, those buried below would naturally be rescued. It was fast-unimaginably fast, like ants carrying away grains of rice. A sound came from below, and my heart eased a little. But it was only Madam Envoy's voice. My heart jumped again. Everything was cleared away. Madam Envoy sat in the centre, right by that gap where the wooden board had been. The other eight women lay at the four corners, utterly motionless. I tried to help Madam Envoy up first, but as soon as my hand touched her arm, she spoke.
The people around still tiptoed, searching the ground. The bricks were completely gone. Some had begun scooping up handfuls of soil. Economic pressure makes people feel that even carrying away a fistful of dirt is better than going home empty-handed-so I thought.
Madam Envoy scraped the mud from her face. Her cheeks were scraped raw, a large bump swelled on her forehead, and her eyes glared as if on fire. She struggled to her feet, limping and stumbling toward one of the Catfolk. With uncanny accuracy, she sank her teeth into his ear, snarling from the corner of her mouth like a cat with a mouse. The bitten one howled, pounding her belly with his fists. They spun around for a while until Madam Envoy suddenly saw the women lying on the ground. She let go. The Catfolk shot away like an arrow. The crowd cried out and retreated several yards. Madam Envoy hugged one of the women and wept bitterly.
My heart softened. So she was not entirely heartless. I thought of going over to console her, but feared she might bite my ear as well, for she did seem somewhat deranged.
'You are a foreigner. I believe you. But those creatures must be searched house by house by imperial troops. Even one brick found means death! I am Madam Envoy!' Her spittle flew far, and with a sputter, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.
'What do you mean, what about them? I care for the living, not the dead. Do you have a way to deal with them?'
Madam Envoy's eyes grew even more terrible. A glistening layer covered her pupils, yet it did nothing to quench the wild fire of madness within. It was as if her tears had been burned dry in her eyes, leaving the whites with a hard, porcelain-like sheen.
'This one,' she said, grabbing a dead woman by the scalp, 'this dead imp. She was brought here by the Envoy when she was just ten. Only ten, her bones not yet fully formed, and the Envoy had his way with her. For a full month, come nightfall-oh, as soon as it grew dark-she, this little dead imp, would wail and wail. She'd call for her parents, clutch my hand, wouldn't let go, called me Mother, called me Ancestor, forbade me to leave her. But I am a virtuous woman. I could not compete with a ten-year-old girl for the Envoy's attention. The Envoy wanted his pleasure; I could not interfere. I am the Madam, I must have the dignity of a Madam. This little imp, whenever the Envoy approached her, would cry to heaven and earth, wailing like no human sound. During the Envoy's pleasure, hearing her beg, she'd shriek: "Madam Envoy! Madam Envoy! Good Ancestor, save me!" Could I stop the Envoy's pleasure? I did not care. Afterward, she would lie still. Was she feigning death, or truly faint? I did not know, nor did I probe. I applied medicine for her, made food for her. This dead thing showed not a shred of gratitude! Later, she grew up. You should have seen her domineering air-she wished she could swallow the Envoy whole. When the Envoy bought new women, she wept all day, blaming me for not stopping him. I am Madam Envoy. If the Envoy didn't buy more women, who would respect him? This little imp blamed *me* for not controlling the Envoy. Harlot! Shameless creature! Little imp!' Madam Envoy pushed the dead head aside and seized another. 'This one was a prostitute. She craved dreamleaf all day and tempted the Envoy to take it. If the Envoy got addicted to dreamleaf, how could he go abroad? You should have seen the scenes she made! What could I do? I couldn't stop the Envoy from visiting prostitutes, and I couldn't stand by and watch him take dreamleaf and fail in his duties abroad. My hardships-you cannot imagine how hard it is to be Madam Envoy! By day, I had to watch her to prevent her from stealing dreamleaf. By night, I had to guard against her inciting the Envoy to make trouble. This dead thing! She was always trying to escape. My two eyes were scarcely enough. I had to keep one eye on her constantly. If the Envoy's concubine ran away, where would our dignity be?' Madam Envoy's eyes truly seemed ablaze. She seized another dead woman's head.
'This one, the most hateful of all! She's the new-style imp! Before even entering the house, she demanded the Envoy drive us all out so she could become Madam Envoy. Ha! How could that be allowed? She fancied the Envoy only because he *was* an Envoy. The other imps were bought with his money. This one gave herself willingly; the Envoy didn't spend a penny, just played with her for free. She utterly disgraced us women! Once she entered, the Envoy didn't even dare speak to the rest of us. When the Envoy went out, she had to follow. When he received guests, she had to be there. She comported herself as if she *were* Madam Envoy. What was I there for? It is proper for an Envoy to buy more women. But there can be only one Madam Envoy! I had to punish her. I tied her to the roof and let the rain soak her. Three times I did it, and finally she couldn't take it anymore, the little imp! She begged the Envoy to let her go home, said he had deceived her. Could I let her go? A self-proclaimed candidate for Madam Envoy just quarrels with the Envoy and leaves? I've never heard of such a thing. Wants to remarry someone else? Not that easy. It's hard! Being Madam Envoy is no simple matter. I watched her day and night. Luckily, the Envoy then brought in this one,' she turned and pointed to another corpse on the ground, 'she became close to me again, planning to ally with me against this new imp. Women are all alike. Without a man, they panic. The Envoy slept with this new imp, and she would cry all night. I had my retort then: "You want to be Madam Envoy? You, who cannot bear to be parted from the Envoy for a moment? Look at me, the true Madam Envoy! To be Madam Envoy, you must not think of monopolizing the man. An Envoy is not some petty peddler, clinging to one wife all his life!"'
'While the Envoy lived, they never gave me a moment's peace. Watching this one, guarding against that one, scolding this, beating that, they kept me busy from dawn till dusk. The Envoy's money was all spent by them. The Envoy's strength was drained by them. The Envoy died without leaving a single son. Not that none were born-all eight of them bore boys, but not one survived. How could they survive? When one gave birth, the other seven would scheme day and night to harm the child. Competing for favor, each fearing that the one with a son would rise to become Madam Envoy. I, the true Madam, was not so jealous as they. I simply did not interfere. Who harmed whose child was their own affair, nothing to do with me. I did not harm children, nor did I meddle in their schemes against each other's babies. A Madam must have the dignity of a Madam.
'The Envoy died, leaving no money, no man, handing these eight imps over to me! What could I do? Let them escape and marry others? I could not. I watched them day and night, advising them earnestly, teaching them the great principles of life. Did they understand? Not likely! But I did not lose heart. I managed them day and night. What did I hope for? Nothing hopeful. I only hoped the Emperor would understand my hardships, my aspirations, my character, and grant me a pension, bestow upon me a grand plaque inscribed with "Exemplary Chastity and Fidelity." But-didn't you hear me crying just now? Did you hear?'
'What was I crying about? Crying for these dead imps? I have no time to cry for them! I was crying for my own fate. Madam Envoy, abstaining from dreamleaf, and now the house collapses, destroying all my achievements! When I see the Emperor again, what can I say? Suppose the Emperor sits upon his throne and asks me: "Madam Envoy, what achievements do you have to seek reward?" What do I say? I say I took care of the late Envoy's eight women after his death, without scandal, without letting them flee. The Emperor says, "Where are they now?" What do I say? Say they are all dead? Without evidence, can I expect a reward? What do I say? Madam Envoy!' Her head dropped to her chest. I wanted to go to her, but feared she would berate me.