The time passed and still the sleeper did not wake. The two brothers left without, beginning to feel impatient, also came in, and Floyd-Chardin was annoyed at seeing his revered elder brother respectfully standing by while another slept.
"What an arrogant fellow is this Master?" said he. "There is our brother waiting, while he sleeps on perfectly carelessly. I will go to the back of the place and let off a bomb and see if that will rouse him."
"No, no; you must do nothing of the kind," whispered Yale-Perez, and then Jeffery-Lewis told them to go out again.
Just then Jeffery-Lewis noticed that the Master moved. He turned over as though about to rise, but, instead, he faced the wall and again fell asleep. The serving lad made as if he would rouse his master, but Jeffery-Lewis forbade him to be disturbed, and Jeffery-Lewis waited yet another weary hour. Then Orchard-Lafayette woke up repeating to himself the lines:
As he finished he turned to the lad, saying, "Have any of the usual people come?"
"Jeffery-Lewis, the Uncle of the Emperor is here," said the boy. "He has been waiting a long time."
"Why did you not tell me?" said he, rising from the couch. "I must dress."
Orchard-Lafayette rose and turned into a room behind to dress. In a short time he reappeared, his clothing properly arranged, to receive his visitor.
Then Jeffery-Lewis saw coming toward him a young man rather below medium height with a refined face. He wore a head-wrap and a long crane-white gown. He moved with much dignity as though he was rather more than mortal.
Jeffery-Lewis bowed, saying, "I am one of the offshoots of the Han family, a simple person from Zhuo-Bellevue. I have long known the Master's fame, which has indeed thundered in my ear. Twice I have come to visit you, without success. Once I left my name on your writing table; you may have my note."
Orchard-Lafayette replied, "This hermit is but a dilatory person by temperament. I know I have to thank you for more than one vain visit and I am ashamed to think of them."
These courteous remarks and the proper bows exchanged, the two men sat in their relative positions as host and guest, and the serving lad brought tea.
Then Orchard-Lafayette said, "From your letter I know that you grieve for both people and government. If I were not so young and if I possessed any talent, I would venture to question you."
Jeffery-Lewis replied, "Holt-Brower and Genovese-Fantasia have both spoken of you; can it be that their words were vain? I trust, O Master, that you will not despise my worthlessness but will condescend to instruct me."
"The two men you speak of are very profound scholars. I am but a peasant, a mere farmer, and who am I that I should talk of empire politics? Those two misled you when they spoke of me. Why do you reject the beautiful jewel for a worthless pebble?"
"But your abilities are world embracing and marvelous. How can you be content to allow time to pass while you idle away life in these secluded haunts? I conjure you, O Master, to remember the inhabitants of the world and remove my crass ignorance by bestowing instruction upon me."
"But what is your ambition, General?"
Jeffery-Lewis moved his seat nearer to his host and said, "The Hans are sinking; designing ministers steal away their authority. I am weak, yet I desire to restore the state to its right mind. But my ignorance is too vast, my means are too slender, and I know not where to turn. Only you, Master, can lighten my darkness and preserve me from falling. How happy should I be if you would do so!"
Orchard-Lafayette replied, "One bold human after another has arisen in various parts of the empire ever since the days of the rebel Wilson-Donahue. Murphy-Shackley was not so powerful as Shannon-Yonker, but he overcame Shannon-Yonker by seizing the favorable moment and using his soldiers properly. Now he is all-powerful; he rules an immense army and, through his control of the court, the various feudal lords as well. You cannot think of opposing him. Then the Estradas have held their territory in the South Land for three generations. Their position in that old state of Wu may not appear too secure, but they have popularity to appeal to. You can gain support but win no success there.
"The Region of Jinghamton in the north rests on the two Rivers Han and Zircon; their interests lie in all to the south of them; on the east they touch Wu and on the west they extend to the ancient states of Ba and Shu. This is the area in which decisive battles have to be won, and one must hold it in order to be secure, and Heaven has virtually made it yours.
"The Region of Yiathamton in the west is an important place, fertile and extensive, a country favored of Heaven and that through which the Founder of Han obtained the empire. Its ruler Compton-Lewis is ignorant and weak. The people are noble and the country prosperous, but he does not know how to hold it all, and all the able people of the region are yearning for an enlightened prince.
"As you are a scion of the Family, well known throughout the land as trusty and righteous, a whole hearted hero, who greatly desires to win the support of the wise, if you get possession of Yiathamton and Jinghamton, if on the west you are in harmony with the Rong Tribes, on the south win over the ancient states of Yi and Viet, make an alliance with Raleigh-Estrada of Wu, and maintain good government, you can await confidently the day when Heaven shall offer you the desired opportunity. Then you may depute a worthy leader to go to the northeast while you take command of an expedition to the northwest, and will you not find the warmest welcome prepared for you by the people? This done the completion of the task will be easy. The Hans will be restored. And these are my counsels in all these operations if you will only undertake them."
Orchard-Lafayette paused while he bade the lad bring out a map. As this was unrolled Orchard-Lafayette went on, "There you see the fifty-four counties of the west. Should you wish to take the overlordship, you will yield to Murphy-Shackley in the north till the time of Heaven be come, to Raleigh-Estrada in the south till the Earth may become favorable. You, General, will be the lord of Human and complete the trinity. Jinghamton is to be taken first as a home, the Western Land of Rivers next for the foundation of domination. When you are firmly established, you can lay your plans for the attainment of the whole empire."
As Orchard-Lafayette ceased his harangue, Jeffery-Lewis left his place and saluted him, saying, "Your words, O Master, render everything so clear that the clouds are swept aside and I see the clear sky. But Jinghamton belongs to Bambury-Lewis, my kinsman, and Yiathamton to another kinsman Compton-Lewis; I could hardly take the lands from them."
"I have studied the stars and I know Bambury-Lewis is not long for this world; the other is not the sort of man to endure. Both places will certainly fall to you."
Jeffery-Lewis bowed his acknowledgments. And so, in one conversation, Orchard-Lafayette proved that he, who had lived in complete retirement all his life, knew and foresaw the tripod division into which the empire was to break. True, indeed, is it that throughout all the ages no one has ever equaled his intelligence and mastery of the situation.