Chapter Eighteen
THE JAPANESE issued regulations for air raid precautions.According to the regulations the windows of each house must be covered with black cloth.
There was not a family in the Little Sheep Fold that could afford to buy black cloth.Sergeant Pai and Fourth Master Li were in distress.They dared not ignore the executive order but knew that people who had no clothes to wear could not buy black cloth.
As soon as Sergeant Pai saw Fourth Master Li he sighed and said，“I had just said that as soon as people were happy some trouble was sure to come.See — each family must cover its windows with black cloth.”
“Oh — that means it's time for me to be cursed again.”
“Ai — let's hold our complaints.What are we to do？That's more important.Suppose they can't get any black cloth what shall we do？”
“Newspapers painted black — newspapers painted black.When the Japanese come to inspect — well — the people's windows are black.Won't that do？”
“There is something in what you say，but where can we find paste even.Republic flour will not make paste.”
“I will make a pail of paste and give it to the people free.In fact，even if I give them the paste free，I will still have to bear their cursing.”
Sergeant Pai said quickly，“I will not let you take all the insults this time.I will go first and tell the people they must use black cloth.Then you go and tell them they can use newspaper.And then if you give them paste，it would be strange if the people really do not know the difference between good and bad.”
The old man nodded.
“But the matter is not as simple as that.”
“What else？” the old man shouted.
Sergeant Pai smiled.“We must go to tell the people that if there is an air raid，each family must put out its lights and its fires，and all stay in their rooms.”
“So they can be killed by the bombs？”
Sergeant Pai did not answer the old man's question but continued to explain the orders.“Each family must provide a person to stand outside the gate，for during the air raid no one is allowed to close his gate.If the family has no one to stand guard they must hire someone.The official rate is three dollars an hour.”
“What is the meaning of all this？”
“It would be strange if I understood.You might say that if the gates are wide open the Japanese could very con-veniently go in and arrest anyone they chose.”
“You're right.This is not for air raid precautions but con-venience in arresting people.”
Sergeant Pai went to the families to tell them about the air raid matters.
The neighbors grumbled at Sergeant Pai's notice，but all also realized， “It would look from this as though Japan had really been bombed，” and were happy.
Fouth Master Li went first to see Cheng Chang Shun and asked him for old newspapers.
Cheng Chang Shun told Fourth Master that he had old newspapers and also old rags.He asked the old man to take whatever newspapers he needed.“Old Sir，take an armful—better than having them all come here one by one.I am a businessman，it would not do for them to know that I gave these newspapers for nothing.Am I not right？”
“Right.” Fourth Master nodded.
“As for the rags — if there are any who want them — I will sell at the buying price，but I can't give them away.”
Old Man Li carried away a great pile of newspapers，he made a pail of flour paste，and went to the neighbors.The neighbors were all grateful to him，and even John Ting accepted what the old man brought.
Yun Mei — alone of the neighbors — did not accept the old man's paper and paste. She had already thought of using old paper and had pasted up the windows. She had also rubbed up a mess of ink and blackened the paper.
It was about ten o'clock at night when the first practice alarm sounded.Most of the people in the Little Sheep Fold had gone to bed.
The grown people could not find their clothes or they put on the wrong shoes.The children waking from their dreams cried aloud.Not understanding，hugging，pulling，and carrying their children，they all rushed into the courtyards.They then remembered the instructions Sergeant Pai had given them a few days ago：“During an air raid，put out the lights and sit in your rooms.”
Looking at the courtyards，looking at the heavens，they began to understand that even if they wanted to go out there was no place for them to go.The Japanese had prepared no dugouts for them.All they could do was to go back to their rooms.
Rey Shuan and Yun Mei put on their clothes and got up， and walked quietly into the courtyard.Rey Shuan went to warn the neighbors in the south house.“Air raid alarm — whether you get up or not makes no difference as far as I can see.” Then he went outside the window of his grandfather's room and listened.If the old man was asleep he need not disturb him.
Yun Mei opened the gate and sat on the threshold.She had decided to sit there until the all clear sounded.She was not willing for Rey Shuan to guard the gate for he would have to go to class the next day，nor was she willing to pay three dollars an hour to hire a man to stand there for her.
Rey Shuan came out to see how she was getting on and she said to him， “Go to bed.”
“Let me stand here first and then after a while you can come and change with me.Who knows how many hours there will be in one session.”
“You go and sleep.I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.”
At this moment the Japanese from Number Three came quietly and quickly out of their gate，and walking under the shelter of the walls like a group of thieves they ran toward the main street.
“What are they going to do？”Yun Mei asked in a hushed voice.
“They must go to the places where they have air raid shelters.Heng！”Rey Shuan stood silent awhile and then went back into the courtyard.
In the darkness Yun Mei — from the shadows and sounds of coughing—began gradually to recognize that outside the gate of Fourth Master Li's house was his fat son，outside the gate of the Widow Ma was Cheng Chang Shun，and outside the gate of Number Six was John Ting.Neither she nor they dared to say anything.
More than half an hour passed and nothing happened.Old Man Chi finally came out.“After all what's it all about anyway？Nothing's happened，you had better come in.”
“You'd better go to bed，Grandfather.I must stay here to watch.The Japanese may come to inspect.” Yun Mei managed to persuade the old man to go back to bed.
Yun Mei had guessed right.The gendarmes and police of the whole city had been mobilized to inspect every house.This was a practice but the Japanese wanted to make it as vivid as a real raid.Even if they worked the whole night through they must have the people of Peiping thoroughly trained，so that they would all put out their fires，and their lights，and stay in their rooms，in order that the Japanese could go without delay to the safe places，and also so the Japanese families would not be in danger of robbery.
They came.Yun Mei saw the shadows of four men coming from the west and quickly stood up.The two tall ones she guessed to be Fourth Master Li and Sergeant Pai.The two short ones were Japanese.
They passed by Number One and Number Three and came straight towards Yun Mei.She said not a word but stood aside.Neither did Fourth Master Li nor Sergeant Pai say anything but followed the Japanese into the courtyard.
There was no light and no fire.The Japanese，using their flashlights，looked at each window and it was black.They came out.
There was nothing wrong in Number Six.
When they reached the mixed court of Number Seven，however，both Fourth Master Li and Sergeant Pai sweated in anticipation.
It was not so bad.There was no fire or light anywhere — the people of Number Seven had no oil or coal.
But when the flashlights of the gendarmes were on the windows Sergeant Pai sweated all over.There were at least three families who had not pasted black paper on their windows.Fourth Master Li could not help swearing，“His mother's — ！I even gave you the paste，why — ”
Sergeant Pai saw how serious the affair was.He would very likely be discharged because of this.Quickly and angrily he questioned the people，“Why did you not paper your windows？Why？Didn't Fourth Master Li and I tell you about it again and again？”
His words were said to the people of Number Seven but the greater half was for the Japanese to hear，to clear himself and Fourth Master Li from responsibility.
“I'm really sorry，” a woman who was standing apart said in a miserable voice，“the children ate the paste.Sergeant Pai，say a few good words for us.All the year round the children do not see white flour.”
Sergeant Pai had nothing to say.
The Japanese gendarme knew very little Chinese and did not understand what the woman said.Without distinguishing black，red， or white，he slapped Fourth Master Li's face twice.
Fourth Master Li was stunned.Although his life took him on the streets and among all manner of people，never had he wished to use force; on the contrary，when he saw others fighting，no matter whether they were holding swords or sticks，he would take the risk to try and separate them.
Anger suddenly filled his whole body.He forgot his love of peace and his discretion and knew only that before his eyes were two beasts who dared to strike a white-bearded old man.Coldly，without warning，he raised his hand and struck the face of the Japanese.He felt happy and satisfied.He had not said a word but he had put the whole of his strength in his hand.
The boots of the gendarmes kicked viciously at the old man's legs.The old man fell.
Sergeant Pai dared not go forward to separate them.He wanted to save his old friend but he feared to provoke those two mad and wild beasts.
None of the people in the courtyard made a move.
The old man seized the leg of one of the gendarmes and threw him.The two men rolled together around the courtyard.
The other gendarme followed the two rolling on the ground and went forward and backward waiting for his opportunity，and then he kicked the old man in his temple.The old man did not move again.
The two gendarmes stopped kicking and striking and told Sergeant Pai to put in prison all the families who had not pasted up their windows.
The gendarmes and Sergeant Pai went away，and the people of the courtyard like a swarm of bees surrounded Fourth Master Li.The old man — from the time when he had become Head of the Li — had been reviled by them countless times and now because of them he was lying on the ground.Forced by their poverty they had cursed when there was no cause， but now they all wept.
The people carried Fourth Master Li home and he was unconscious for more than two hours.Fourth Mistress cried long and loudly even though the all clear had not yet sounded.She did not care whether it was “all clear”or not “all clear”;she built a fire to boil water for the old man to drink.All in the Little Sheep Fold forgot the air raid alarm，this one coming in and that one going out to see Fourth Master Li.
At about two o'clock in the morning the all clear sounded.Old Man Chi had not been able to sleep.Once in a while he would come out to see Yun Mei，and then he would go to his room and lie down.
Yun Mei，with an old wadded coat around her，leaned against the side of the gate，or sat half-sleping on the steps.She wanted very much to go to see Fourth Master Li but she dared not leave her post.It did not matter whether it was a real air raid or not she must do her duty.She must not let there be trouble for the family.
A few minutes before the all clear the Japanese of Number Three all clattered home and Yun Mei knew that the business must soon be over.
The all clear sounded and Yun Mei ran to the Li home.Old Man Chi followed her.Fourth Master Li opened his eyes and looked at them and then shut them again.They did not dare to say anything to him.Old Man Chi seeing his friend of many years lying half dead wanted to cried loudly.
“Grandfather，shall we go？”Yun Mei quietly asked her grandfather.
Old Man Chi nodded and slowly they went away.
Fourth Master Li was unconscious most of the time for the next three days.Then he opened his eyes and looked at his wife and his family;then slowly he shut his eyes and never again opened them.
Fourth Mistress Li had nothing to offer those who came to console her yet the period of preparation and the funeral were carried out according to tradition.People who owed nothing to the Li family knew that Fourth Master had been a good man for the whole long lifetime，so they came also to kowtow the three times for him.Those who were indebted to him came weeping to pour the libations of wine before him.And those who were indebetd to him and had yet reviled him，all came to pay him homage，to pour out their sufferings and shame，confessing their injustices.
Old Man Chi wept heartbrokenly.He and Fourth Master Li were the pair of old men in the Little Sheep Fold.In age，experience，and temperament they were more or less alike;and although they were not related they were like twins in their history.With Fourth Master Li's death there was no one in the whole street or even the whole world who would understand Old Man Chi's “old grain and rotting sesame.”They had been mutual witnesses of each other's history.
Fourth Master Li's funeral was handsome and well attended.Those who moved household goods，those in the coffin shops，and even the musicians and banner carriers were all his friends.They put on mourning and came to give their old friend a good send-off and went with him all the way out of the city.They had no way to avenge his death but could only use ritual，music，the procession，and friendship，and take him to his grave where he could sleep in peace.They hoped that his bones would not be dug up by the Japanese as they had dug up countless graves when they had built the airfield and the public highways.