Spring Pearl: The Last Flower

The Test

Spring Pearl is grateful when Snow Goose comes back to announce that the Master and Mistress Sung were ready to receive Spring Pearl. She nods to the girls and leaves. Snow Goose leads Spring Pearl around the garden to the center of the mansion. The maid says that soon, Spring Pearl will get used to the area and will be able to find her own way around. About ten feet from an ornate doorway, Snow Goose’s posture changes. She stands straighter and she takes smaller steps. It was like watching an actor assume a role. When Snow Goose opens the door, she transforms into another actor. The sullen, insolent girl is gone, and is replaced by the picture of meekness. She takes a deep bow, and informs Spring Pearl that it’s time for her to enter.

Even with her eyes closed, Spring Pearl would have known it was a study by the smell of scented ink. Elegant teak cabinets with fancy brass fittings hold piles of books. There’s snuff bottles, and scrolls written in beautiful hands. Strange shaped rocks on thin, long legged stands, are scattered on the tables. The teak desks’ intricate carvings have literary themes. There’s a poet trying to embrace the moon’s reflection on a lake. Another side shows poets drinking wine and writing poems. Behind the desk, sits a familiar face, for Master Sung had often visited Spring Pearl’s father. He greets her, and says it’s nice to see her again. He wears the cap of a scholar, but his robe is of costly silk brocade that most scholars can’t afford. He’s a short barrel of the man with the same ink-stained fingers as Spring Pearl’s father. He introduces his wife, Mistress Sung.

She is taller than her husband, has pale skin, and looks as if she stepped out of a portrait of an empress. Her robe is of rich lavender brocade silk over a blue skirt, and her hair is wrapped around a wire frame in the shape of a butterfly’s wings. From her rich, dark tresses hang little flowers of jade and coral. “So,” she says, “you are my husband’s orphan.”

Suddenly, Spring Pearl is reminded she isn’t there on a tour of the mansion but that as a charity case. She bows her head gratefully and thanks Mistress Sung for her kindness. Master Sung waves a hand as if embarrassed. It’s the least he can do for the daughter of his great friend. Mistress Sung however feels differently. She appraises Spring Pearl with the same penetrating eyes as her daughters. When Spring Pearl says that she will only be with them until she can find another option, Master Sung says that’s simply nonsense. She may stay as long as she likes. He plays with a stack of large silver coins, clinking them together. He comments that her father was always so gentle with critiquing his paintings and poems. Spring Pearl smiles and says he was always grateful to Master Sung for protecting him against bullies when they were at school together.

Spring Pearl had never seen coins such as the ones Master Sung is playing with. He says they are silver coins from Mex-i-co. He says they’re replacing Chinese coins as currency. Spring Pearl had seen coins similar to those where the foreigners used them as currency with Chinese customers. Spring Pearl tries to remember what father’s foreign friends had said about Mexico. He said it was in the south of the Land of the Golden Mountain. That’s what everyone calls America, where gold was discovered eight years ago.

Mistress Sung speaks for the first time, and says that she is surprised Spring Pearl knows about other countries. Spring Pearl explains that they used to visit some of the foreign merchants. She almost mentions the riverside, but catches herself in time and corrects herself to say “our home” instead. Mistress Sung knows full well where Spring Pearl used to live. She calls it the Rat’s Nest, too. Her tone makes it clear that she disapproves of Spring Pearl’s old neighborhood.

However, Master Sung is marveled by the fact that Spring Pearl knows about other countries. Despite his praises, Spring Pearl seems to think that she’s being examined by Mistress Sung. Is she judging if Spring Pearl is fit for company for her daughters? She thinks of their comments on her hair and length of her cuffs. Is she to be put on the street because of that?

Mistress Sung scolds that all of Spring Pearl’s answers about the world are secondhand from her father. Spring Pearl speaks up and says that she was able to ask her questions directly to the foreign merchants. Mistress Sung responds that it was simple gobble-gobble talk.

Spring Pearl’s eyes move to a painting on the wall behind their heads. She recognizes the strange, twisted tower-like crags that were called the Seven Stars. It was painted by her father. Spring Pearl remembers the day father painted it. He had his sketches all over one wall. Spring Pearl walks over to the painting, and comments the garden was so sunny that month. He had Spring Pearl read poetry to him while he painted.

Mistress Sung is surprised that Spring Pearl can read. Spring Pearl diminishes her own talents, saying she merely tried her best. Mistress Sung shoves a thick book into Spring Pearl’s arms and asks her to read it. Spring Pearl picks up the book and recognizes it as a collection of poetry by a poet who lived a thousand years ago. Father had once told Spring Pearl that philosophers believed nothing happens by chance. Everything is destined, and everything is interconnected. So, Spring Pearl opens the book and looks at a poem. It’s full of characters with many strokes, but she remembers having read this one with father. She states it out loud.

Master Sung is thrilled. Spring Pearl is a regular scholar. Not even their son can do that. Mistress Sung demands another poem. The next poem is new to Spring Pearl, but she recognizes many of the characters, so she reads it as best she can, telling truthfully when she doesn’t know a word. Master Sung wonders if his son’s tutor could even read that well. Mistress Sung, always keeping to the point, asks if Spring Pearl can write. Modestly, Spring Pearl says she has a tolerable hand. She used to help her father write letters for people by copying them from form letters in a book. Master Sung comments that Spring Pearl is quite accomplished. Mistress Sung inclines her head to concede to that point.

Mistress Sung laces her fingers together and peers at Spring Pearl. She says what the household really requires is a seamstress. Mistress Sung knows that Spring Pearl’s mother was talented at sewing. Master Sung interrupts and says that that’s an insult to Spring Pearl’s mother. She was a magician with a needle. Mistress Sung, ignoring her husband, asks if Spring Pearl can sew as well as she can read or write.

Spring Pearl confesses that she tried to learn, but she’s terrible at sewing. Mistress Sung bluntly says that Spring Pearl was raised to be more of a son than a daughter. Master Sung is shocked by his wife’s rudeness. Spring Pearl kindly says there is a little bit of truth to that. But she can do simple repairs, and she can tend the garden.

Mistress Sung sniffs and says they don’t have any garden staff to follow Spring Pearl’s orders. The taxes have been so heavy over the years with trying to control the rebels. As if China didn’t have enough trouble with foreigners, there’s all sorts of rebels causing trouble, too.

Master Sung spreads his hands in frustration. He complains that because now they have to pay for fighting the British and the French, the war has been especially costly. And the foreign blockade is ruining trade. So they can’t afford to hire new help.

Spring Pearl sympathizes, and she says she can handle the gardening herself. Unlike her daughters, Mistress Sung is horrified rather than amused. Spring Pearl might as well have confessed to stealing. Spring Pearl, wondering if she’ll get herself expelled, says she hates to see a garden go to waste. Mistress Sung stiffly says that they may waste whatever it is they want.

Spring Pearl realizes that the Sungs’ garden doesn’t mean the same to them that Spring Pearl’s did to her family. The Sungs have a garden not because they love it but because it was what rich families had. It was simply an example of wealth. Master Sung smiles. If Spring Pearl’s father allowed gardening he sees no reason why she can’t garden here.

Spring Pearl says she did not mean to be rude. Spring Pearl likes Master Sung, but not his wife and children. Spring Pearl claims she will gather her things and leave. Master Sung is concerned. What will Spring Pearl do? Spring Pearl says she’ll beg on the streets if she has to.

Master Sung looks at his wife, begging that they cannot let that happen. Mistress Sung twiddles her fingers. Finally, she says that Spring Pearl can stay. She can earn her keep sewing. Master Sung nods his head eagerly. Yes, Mistress Sung’s advice is always so helpful.

Master Sung turns to Spring Pearl and welcomes her to the House of Sung.