On the Wasp Waist Bridge a lovelorn maid expresses her feelings in commonplace words.

On the Wasp Waist Bridge a lovelorn maid expresses her feelings in

commonplace words. The "Courtesan Yang" startles two butterflies in

the Pavilion of the Kingfisher‐Blue Drops.

AT THE END OF THE THIRTY‐THREE DAYS NOT ONLY WAS PAO Yu CURED

of his mental derangement but the disfiguring burns on his face were

also completely healed. He felt stronger and in better form than before,

and he was glad to be able to move back at last to his beloved park.

And another person rejoiced at his return: that was little Siao Hung;

for now she could see her secretly beloved Little Yun again, if only at a

distance, for he was still engaged on his garden work. And Little Yun's

heart too beat faster every time he saw the graceful figure of the little

maid appearing in his vicinity. If only he could manage to speak to

her! But he did not dare, for after all Pao Yu had forbidden him at the

outset to have any contact with the female inmates of the park. Siao

Hung had once noticed a dainty little pale green silk handkerchief in

Little Yun's hand. It was her handkerchief which she had lost recently!

Perhaps, after all, her dream might yet come true?

One day Pao Yu, remembering the promise he had made quite a

while ago, braced himself to invite Little Yun to a cup of tea. Chance

would have it that, just as the waiting maid Earring was escorting the

guest along, not far from the Wasp Waist Bridge, little Siao Hung was

walking over the bridge. Siao Hung stopped and exchanged a few

words with Earring. What she had to say was something quite unim‐ 

portant, but the delay allowed her to look profoundly into Little Yun's

eyes, and this hurried exchange of glances caused them both to blush.

She had not yet found the pale green handkerchief which she had lost,

the artful little creature remarked quite casually as she continued her

way.

Pao Yu had ordered that his guest should be brought into the library

in the Court of Harmonious Red. While the maid. went to announce his

arrival Little Yun had an opportunity to look round him. The "court"

was an alluring rock landscape, planted here and there with cypresses,

banana plants, and one huge golden begonia. Beneath a cypress tree

stood two Manchurum spirit cranes preening their feathers with their‐ 

long beaks. The chirping and shrieking of rare, colored birds in numer‐ 

ous cages resoun.Jerl from the walls of the pleasure gallery which en‐ 

circled the round inner courtyard wall. Above the entrance door to the

circular main building hung a tablet bearing the inscription "Harmo‐ 

nious Red, Joyful Green." While Little Yun was still pondering over the

meaning of these four characters, he was called in. Pao Yu was reclin‐ 

ing on a magnificent carved black lacquered divan beneath a red silk

canopy edged with gold and embroidered with flowers. In his hand he

held an open book which he laid down when the visitor entered.

Pao Yu apologized for the fact that he had been prevented from

carrying out his promise until today, two months late, owing to his ill‐ 

ness. Little Yun protested politely how sorry he had been about his ill‐ 

ness, and 'what an inexpressible happiness his ultimate recovery was to

his whole family. When Pao Yu spoke he only half listened, for his

thoughts were distracted as much by the splendor of his surroundings

as by the charm of the two waiting maids in attendance. He assumed

the elder one, who was so sumptuously resplendent in red and green

and silver silk, to be Pao Yu's personal maid, Pearl. As he had heard

what an important role Pearl played, ne did not dare to allow her to

serve him. When she was about to pour out tea, he stood up respectfully

and shyly asked to be allowed to pour it out himself. Pao Yu laughingly

pushed him down en his seat again, saying he need not be so ceremoni‐ 

ous with waiting maids, but in his secret heart he found the obsequious

manner of the poor relation somewhat tedious, hence he cut the visit as

short as possible and limited the conversation to such superficial, com‐ 

monplace themes as the weather, servants, garden planning, good food,

and the like. Quite soon he felt weary of his guest with his incessant and

extravagant praise, and he bade him farewell. The waiting maid Ear‐ 

ring had to conduct him out again.

On the way Little Yun deliberately walked slowly and kept watching

in all the four directions of heaven for little Siao Hung; but she was no‐ 

where to be seen. He determined to become friendly with the waiting

maid Earring in order through her to come nearer to his objective. He

asked her about her age and her family, her work and her salary, and

every other possible matter. When he had become somewhat more

familiar with her in this way he took up courage and asked straight

out: "Is the name of die little one who hailed you a while ago on the

bridge Siao Hung, by any chance?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Only this did she not say something about a lost handkerchief?"

"She has asked me about it again and again, and begged me to help

her to find it, but I was not able to; I have more important things in my

head."

"I have found it."

"Oh, then, give it to me. She will be grateful to you."

Little Yun put his hand in his pocket and drew out a pale green silk

kerchief.

"Here. But can I depend upon you to bring me her thanks?"

"You can depend upon me!"

Feeling very happy, Little Yun walked out the park gateway. He had

come considerably nearer his aim today.

After disposing of his visitor Pao Yu had lain down again and begun

to daydream. He did not feel in the mood even for reading. The waiting

maid Pearl came up beside him and gave him an encouraging cuff.

"How can anyone be so lazy as to go to sleep again? You should go

out and take some exercise!"

"I would like to, but I find it so hard to leave you," he replied smil‐ 

ing, taking her by the hand.

"Nonsense! Get up! Get up!" she said, pulling him up.

"But where shall I go?" he yawned. "Oh, I feel so terribly tired and

limp!"

"No wonder when you stick in your room the whole day like a silly

little girl! Get Out into the fresh air; it will cheer you up!"

He got up and stretched himself, then slipped out yawning into the

open air. First he made the round of the pleasure gallery by the inner

courtyard wall and amused himself there for a while teasing the birds

which were swinging in their cages, then he went into the open park,

sauntered along by the brook, looked at the goldfishes in their basins,

and went on to the game preserve. Here he perceived two young stags

bounding away over a hillside. Why did the tame animals take to their

heels so quickly at sight of him? While he was pondering over this he

caught sight of his nephew Chia Lan in the thicket. The rascal was

armed with bow and arrow and was glowing with the joy of the chase.

"What mischief are you up to here?" challenged Pao Yu.

"Oh, I thought Uncle had gone Out," stammered the boy, confused.

"I was free from school and I wanted to pass the time practicing

archery."

"I will knock in your teeth if you ever again attempt to hunt here!"

said Pao Yu severely, and then continued on his way. At last he came to

a secret door which was hidden away behind a thicket of high ferns by

the edge of a quiet pond. A mysterious humming, which seemed to

come from a water dragon lying at the bottom of the pond, filled the

air. Pao Yu had arrived at Black Jade's pavilion. He quietly lifted the

bamboo screen and stepped into the front garden. There was deep si‐ 

lence everywhere. He crept under the open window, which had only a

thin gauze curtain, and peered inside. A wave of heavy fragrance met

his nostrils. Before he had perceived the inmate, he heard a deep sigh

and then the following words spoken in an undertone:

Alone all day long on my pillow,

Where can I put my feelings but in thought. . . .

She is quoting from the "Western Pavilion," thought the listener,

amused, peering with difficulty through a slit in the gauze. For he could

see distinctly that she was lying on the divan, her limbs stretched out

as if in sleep.

"Why do you always lie alone on a pillow just thinking what you

feel?"

With these words he burst into the room, smiling. She quickly put

her arm over her blushing face and turned towards the wall, pretending

to be asleep. He went up to her couch and tried to draw her over to the

other side, but he was disturbed in his efforts by two serving women.

"The young lady is still asleep; please wait outside until she wakes

up!" the sedate guardians of order informed the intruder. But Black

Jade had already turned over onto the other side;

"Who is asleep here?" she asked pleasantly.

"Oh, we only thought . . ." the matrons excused themselves, with

embarrassed smiles, and withdrew to give place to the maid Cuckoo.

Black Jade had sat up, and began to do her hair.

"What do you mean by surprising me in the middle of a beautiful

sleep?" she asked, turning to Pao Yu with a smile.

How bewitchingly beautiful she seemed to him with her checks

flushed with sleep and the melancholy sweetness of her expression ! He

pushed his seat nearer to her and gazed at her, fascinated.

'Excuse me, but what were you saying just now?" he asked, ab‐ 

sently.

"Oh, nothing in particular."

"I mean just now."

"I do not know what you mean."

"Won't you give me some nuts to crack? But I certainly heard what

you said just now. Bring me a good bowl of tea!" he said, turning to

the waiting maid Cuckoo.

"I don't think you like our tea. Better let your Pearl get you some!"

retorted Cuckoo, pertly.

"It's all right, pour it!"

Cuckoo obeyed, and then turned towards the door.

"Listen! When one day I am united to your beloved litle mistress

beneath the curtain embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks, you

shall always be allowed to settle the cushions and spread the covers," he

called after her jokingly, quoting from the "Western Pavilion."

His words instantly banished the merry expression from Black Jade's

face.

'Are you treating me again to the street expressions, the coarse

offensiveness, which you read in lewd s books? I will not listen to such

talk!" she burst out passionately. In one jump she was off the couch

and out of the room. He ran after her.

"Dearest, best Mei mei, I deserve death!" he called out, quite be‐ 

wildered. "But I will never again utter such expressions, or if I do, may

my tongue rot out. . . ."

The arrival of the waiting maid Pearl prevented him from elaborat‐ 

ing his oath.

"Quick! Dress yourself! The old governor wants to speak to you,"

she announced. The words "old governor" went through his limbs like

a stroke of lightning. For the moment all other troubles were forgotten,

and he hurried back to his pavilion at Pearl's side in order to get ready

for the dreaded visit. His valet Ming Yen was waiting for him at the

park gate.

"Do you know why the old man wants to speak to me?" he asked him

excitedly.

"No. But hurry up! You will know soon enough."

With his stomach heaving with torturing doubts, Pao Yu hurried on.

From behind a projection of wall near the great reception hall a shrill

laugh greeted him and Cousin Hsueh Pan suddenly stepped out in front

of him. He was clapping his hands wildly and doubling up with laugh‐ 

ter.

"Just look how the boy can hurry ! One only needs to mention his old

man to frighten him out of his wits!" he cried gleefully.

Pao Yu stood dumfounded. He saw that he had been hoaxed and was

about to burst out in rage, but Hsueh Pan now greeted him jokingly

with a ceremonious bow and tried to appease him.

i admit my offense and beg your kind forbearance. But I wanted

your company so very much. There are a whole crowd of us and you

are the only one missing. My birthday will be very soon, on the third of

the fifth month, and we are having a preliminary celebration today.

ithout this little trick I could hardly have enticed you out so quickly.

But it is worth coming to; there are all kinds of delicacies to feast on

crisp fresh lotus roots covered with bread crumbs, giant melons, giant

tribute salmon from Siam, Siamese tribute pork fragrant with cedar‐ 

wood. I have already sent your mother a fine big taste of all these

things, but there is still so much, I cannot possibly manage it myself;

you simply must help me to eat it. Besides, there is a pretty little boy

singer who will make the meal more pleasant for us."

Faced with such enticing pleasures, Pao Yu was soon appeased of

course, and he laughingly gave in to the wild cousin's invitation. He

returned home in the evening half tipsy. Cousin Precious Clasp, eager

for details of the party, paid him a visit, late though the hour was. Let

us, then, leave these two to their lively conversation for the time being

and return to Black Jade.,She had spent the whole day in acute anxiety,

wondering how the supposed visit of Pao Yu to his stern father ha^

passed off, and it was long past the hour of the evening meal when sh :

was informed that Pao Yu had at last returned.

She set out hurriedly for his pavilion, for she was very eager to

speak to him before bedtime. It happened that Precious Clasp arrived

there just before her. She could see her distinctly in the bright moon‐ 

light disappearing into Pao Yu's front garden, though she was still quite

far away.

Arriving shortly‐ after her, she found to her astonishment that the en‐ 

trance gate was locked. Nobody opened ‐when she knocked, and a peev.‐ 

ish maH's voice called out: "The little master is already asleep. After

all, it is now the third night watch. Come back in the morning!''

The waiting maid was. in fact already not very pleased at Precious

Clasp's late visit, which compelled her to stay up longer than usual.

Moreover, she was out of humor on account of a quarrel she had just

had with a colleague. It was purely on her authority and through ill‐ 

humor that she did not open the door. Naturally. Black Jade could not

know this; being of a suspicious nature, she sought the reason for this

refusal to let her in in quite another direction.

"But it is I! Why. ther, won't you open?" she repeated impatiently.

"It's all the same who you are. The little master expressly ordered

that I was not to let anyone in,'' came the unfriendly reply from inside.

Black Jade was raging and felt like starting to scold aloud, but then

she reflected that after all she was an outsider, a guest here, and must

therefore show restraint before the staff. This reflection made her pain‐ 

fully aware how alone in the world and how completely orphaned she

was, and once more her eyes filled with tears. As she stood thus, per‐ 

plexed and weeping before the locked gate, she suddenly heard merry

laughter from within, and could distinguish clearly the voices of her

boy and girl cousins. Her heart contracted convulsively. She felt as if

she would cry aloud in her grief. Why did he lock her out so heart‐ 

lessly? She thought and thought and racked her brains right and left.

Did he want to' punish her for having reprimanded him today and then

run away? But she had not really meant it so seriously. Would he dare

to treat her so insultingly for that? The next thing would be that he

would refuse to see her at all !

For a long time she stood there, lonely and forsaken, in the shadow

of a corner of the wall, and heedless of the night chill which came down

from the bluish, glistening hillsides wet with dew and enveloped her.

Then she crept away slowly, sobbing wildly. And her sobbing awak‐ 

ened the birds in the branches by the wayside from their sleep and

caused them to fly away in alarmed flutters to more distant resting

places. She had not gone far when she heard behind her a door creak‐ 

ing on its hinges. She stopped and turned round. Precious Clasp was

just coming out of Pao Yu's garden gate. Pao Yu and the waiting maid

Pearl were accompanying her a few steps. Black Jade would have liked

to hurry back and call Pao Yu to account, but she did not want to be‐ 

tray herself to Precious Clasp and Pearl. So she remained where she

was and watched from a distance as Pao Yu parted from his cousin,

returned with Pearl, and disappeared inside the garden gate. As soon

as the gate had been shut she continued her way in tears.

Her two waiting maids Cuckoo and Snowgoose had long since grown

accustomed to the sudden fits of melancholy from which their mistress

suffered at frequent and regular intervals. At first they had thought it

was homesickness, or grief for her dead parents, and they had made

efforts to comfort her; but as the months passed by and these tearful

attacks of melancholy continued, they ceased to be surprised, and took

these states as inevitable expressions of a somewhat strange disposition.

Hence, when Black Jade came home in a broken state this night, they

did not take any notice of her condition or ask the reason of her sorrow.

But Black Jade shut herself into her "bedroom and sat crouched on the

edge‐ of her bed for a long time with her hands clasped over her knees,

motionless as a statue, until at last she lay down to rest as dawn was

breaking.

The following day, the twenty‐sixth of the fourth month, the begin‐ 

ning of summer was celebrated. This is the day when the flower spirits

come down from their thrones and the corn comes into its glory. Ac‐ 

cording to ancient custom this day was also celebrated in the Park of

Delightful Vision with the usual offering of sacrifices, the traditional

flower banquet, and boisterous festivity. The youthful female inmates

of the park and their waiting maids had put on gaily colored garments,

the dazzling splendor of which made the gaudy parrots pale with envy,

and brightness and cheerfulness reigned everywhere. Only one person

was missing from the merry company, and that was Black Jade.

"Where on earth is Cousin Black Jade?" Greeting of Spring asked.

"The lazy thing seems to want to sleep all day."

"Wait, I will go and rouse her ! " suggested Precious Clasp, and hur‐ 

ried off. On the way she met the troupe of twelve dancing girls from the

Pear Garden.

"The others are over there," she said to them, pointing behind her.

"Just go along! I shall follow immediately; I am only going to fetch

Black Jade."

As she came near Black Jade's pavilion she saw Pao Yu just entering

it. She slackened her pace and reflected a moment. Should she disturb

them? No, she would not be so inconsiderate. On this festive day she

did not want to upset the sensitive Black Jade, who, she knew, liked to

have her cousin all to herself. She promptly made up her mind, turned,

and ran back. As she went she noticed a pair of big, wonderfully beau‐ 

tiful butterflies close by the path, fluttering up and down in the gentle

wind. How she would love to catch them! She drew her fan out of her

sleeve pouch and started to chase them. But each time she thought she

was quite near them, the two winged fugitives cleverly dodged her fan

and enticed her farther and farther from the pathway and into the grass

right up to the edge of the near‐by pond. Here she had to give up the

chase. The fugitives escaped from her over the water.

Precious Clasp was about to turn round again when she became

aware of the sound of lively whispering coming from the Pavilion of

the Kingfisher‐Blue Drops. The pavilion, which stood out airily in

the middle of the pond, was connected with the bank by means of four

covered wooden footbridges. It was surrounded on all sides by high

folding screens. Precious Clasp crept across the nearest bridge and lis‐ 

tened in through the wood carving of one of the big folding screens,

which was pasted up with parchment, and which shut out the view all

around. She distinguished two women's voices. Now she heard one of

them saying: "Well, tell me at last, is this your handkerchief which you

lost that time? If not, I must take it back to Mr. Yun."

"Of course it's mine. Give it to me!" she heard the other reply.

"Just a minute! Not so quick! First out with the reward, for you're

not going to get it for nothing! I definitely promised Mr. Yun only to

give it up in exchange for the reward."

"Nonsense! Why a reward? After all, it's a duty to give up what one

finds in a strange house."

"Very well, then you won't get it."

The dispute continued for a while longer. Then a voice said: "Very

well, give him this bangle as a reward! But promise me you won't say a

word to anyone about it! Swear it!"

"I swear it, and if I do not keep my word may I get a big boil in my

mouth and be miserably suffocated to death by it!"

"Sh! Not so loud! What if anyone should be listening outside! We

had better push aside the screen a little so as not to awaken suspicion,

and to see better if anyone is coming."

Precious Clasp, who did not want to be caught eavesdropping, re‐ 

treated quickly across the footbridge, only to return immediately, this

time intentionally clattering loudly on the boards. She had recognized

little Siao Hung and Earring by their voices, and was astonished at the

cunning of these youngest of all the waiting maids, who appeared to be

so extremely innocent, yet here, behind their master's back, were gaily

knotting the first threads of a pleasant little love game.

"Hi, Sister Black Jade, where have you crept away to? I can't find

you anywhere," she called aloud, putting on a completely innocent air.

Abashed and startled, the two young girls stared at the unexpected in‐ 

truder through the space between the two folding screens which they

had pushed aside just before. Then they shot out to greet Precious Clasp

with due respect.

"Where have you hidden my cousin?" asked Precious Clasp quite

naturally.

"We do not know where Miss Ling is," said Earring, surprised.

''But I just saw her by the pond. I thought she must have crept along

the bank somewhere here, wanting to take you by surprise, but appar‐ 

ently she saw me coming and evaded me. Or could she have hidden her‐ 

self here in the pavilion?"

She stepped in and craned her neck and stretched her limbs, as if

searching intently.

"She must have just crept into a grotto outside. Let us hope she won't

get bitten by snakes!" she murmured. Then she went away again, se‐ 

cretly amused at the little incident and the successful trick which had

helped her out of her embarrassment.

Having spent half the night sitting up, Black Jade slept longer than

usual today. The others had been in the park a long time before she

awoke. She did her toilet in frantic haste, for she did not want to arrive

too late at the farewell banquet in honor of the departing flowers, nor to

be laughed at by the others as a sleepyhead. She was just getting ready

to go out when Pao Yu entered.

"Dear Mei mei" he said as gently as possible, "the whole night

through I have been turning over your words of yesterday in my

mind. . . ."

Just as if he were not present at all Black Jade turned quite uncon‐ 

cernedly to the maid Cuckoo and said: "Look here, tidy up the place

thoroughly! Take down the window curtains and the door curtains! Put

a light in the incense pot and do not forget to cover it again ! You may

go to see the banquet, hut when it is over come back and await me by

the stone lions in front of the door!"

Having given these instructions, she went out into the park, passing

by Pao Yu without looking at him. Pao Yu still believed that her

strange behavior was due to his joking remarks to Cuckoo yesterday,

which she had taken so much amiss. How could he guess that a new

cause for her ill‐humor had arisen the night before? Why did she bear a

grudge against him for so long, contrary to her usual habit, on account

of the little offense of yesterday afternoon, he asked himself in vain as

he trotted behind her, tortured with uncertainty. Without having spoken

one word to each other, each of them arrived separately to join the rest

of the company.

Black Jade joined Precious Clasp and Taste of Spring, who were

just delightedly watching the strange jumping of a pair of cranes. When

Pao Yu arrived a little later his half‐sister Taste of Spring took him

aside under a pomegranate tree, away from the other two girls.

"What happened yesterday? I heard that our father sent for you

suddenly," she asked.

"Nonsense! Whoever told you that must have misheard. I was at

Cousin Hsueh Pan's."

"Oh, I am glad it is nothing. But I have a request to make of you. I

have saved up a dozen thousand‐piece strings of money recently. Would

you buy something pretty for me with this money the next time you are in the town? A lovely picture or some old curio?"

"With pleasure. But what? In my strolls inside and outside the city

walls, and in the shops and temple markets, I have not seen anything

outstanding in the way of pictures or curios for a long time. It is always

the same kind of thing gold, bronze, jade, china, but nothing uncom‐ 

mon. Would you not perhaps prefer a pretty dress or something nice to

eat?"

"No, no! But it just occurs to me, I would like to have a plaited

willow workbasket or a perfume box made of bamboo root like one you

brought home recently, or an earthenware air‐draft furnace or some‐ 

thing like that. But let this be strictly between ourselves, won't you?

For I know from experience that whenever I like something the other

girls take a fancy to it too and make off with it."

"But the things you suggest are quite simple, cheap things," said

Pao Yu, laughing. "You can buy things like those for a few hundred

coppers from any coolie. You do not need me for that!"

"What kind of taste would a coolie have?" replied his sister indig‐ 

nantly. "No, I should like you to choose for me, then I would be sure

of getting something uncommon. As a matter of fact, I have a great

many more wishes. For instance, I should like a pair of slippers exactly

like the ones you got for yourself recently, but mine would haVe to be

a little more daintily worked. . . ."

They went on like this for quite a while, until at last Precious Clasp

came along and interrupted the important secret consultation, saying:

"Will you two ever have finished talking? We others do not seem to

exist for you any longer. After all, you are brother and sister and need

not have any secrets from us."

The three of them returned to the rest of the company, laughing

merrily.

Pao Yu missed Black Jade. She is avoiding me, but her resentment

never lasts more than two days, I know her ways he comforted him :

self with these thoughts. As he mused thus, his head bent thoughtfully,

his eyes on the ground, he suddenly perceived that the ground was

completely strewn with camellia and pomegranate blossoms. How dis‐ 

traught she must be when she no longer finds time to bury her blossoms!

he thought. When he looked up again Precious Clasp also had disap‐ 

peared from his sight. Now they have both forsaken me, he thought

miserably. He bent down and gathered up two handfuls of blossoms to

carry to Black Jade's flower grave. His path thence wound its way over

hills and water courses, through groves and pastures. Just as he was nearing his objective he heard a plaintive girl's voice coming from be‐ 

hind the last shelf of rock. He stood still and listened. It must be some

maid who is weeping away her grief for some injustice in this heart‐ 

rending fashion, he conjectured, and stepping softly nearer, he peered

inquisitively round the shelf of rock. He started back in dismay for

the girl was Black Jade.

Black Jade had not yet got over the insult which she wrongly im‐ 

agined she had suffered from Pao Yu the evening before. The merry‐ 

making with which the Feast of the Departing Flowers was being cele‐ 

brated today did not at all harmonize with her gloomy frame of mind,

and so she had withdrawn from the circle of her playmates into soli‐ 

tude. She had set out for her flower grave with an armful of fallen

petals. While burying the petals in the grave just now she had been

overwhelmed with unspeakable grief. Perhaps it was sympathy for the

poor blossoms; perhaps it was the thought of the transience of her own

blossoming youth. Whatever it was. she was quite overcome with mel‐ 

ancholy and broke out into a long lamentation in which she compared

herself with a tender blossom and bewailed her inevitably sad destiny

the destiny of a fading flower. And so moving was her melody that in

the midst of this song of lamentation, intermingled with tears, the lis‐ 

tener by the shelf of rock was seized with emotion, let his load of petals

fall to the ground, and broke out in loud sobbing too. What would be‐ 

come of him if all the gentle blossoming maidens around him Black

Jade, Precious Clasp, Pearl, and all the rest were to fade away and

withdraw to those unknown glades where there is no seeking and no

finding? These were the thoughts which invaded his mind.

Black Jade, suddenly hearing the echo of her own pain from the

wall of rock behind her, stopped short in her lament. They always laugh

at me for being foolish, but it seems there is some other fool here be‐ 

sides myself, she thought, turning round. And then she discovered

PaoYu.

"Oh, it's that loathsome one!" she gasped, half aloud. Then, shocked

at her own outburst, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand,

jumped up, ‐and ran away. He followed her timidly some distance be‐ 

hind for a while, then he ventured to come nearer.

"Please stop!" he implored her. "I know you do not like me, and I

will certainly keep away from you in the future, but I would like to

speak just one single sentence to you!"

"Very well, but only one sentence," she said, turning round quickly

and slackening her pace.

"Will you listen to me even if it is a bit more?"

She instantly resumed a quicker pace. He, following close behind

her, heaved a deep sight and then cried out: "Why is it so different be‐ 

tween us nowadays from what it was in the past?"

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, stopping.

"Were you not my faithful companion and playmate when you came

here? Did we not eat at the same table and rest on the same couch?

Were not my favorite dishes your favorite dishes too? Did we not grow

up together? And now that you are grown up, you will not look at me

and you avoid me for whole days on end. Am I not just as much alone

and forsaken as you are? I have a brother and a sister, it is true, but

their mother is a stranger. Since we two have no real brothers or sis‐ 

ters, are we not fellow sufferers? Should we not be a comfort and sup‐ 

port to each other? And now is it all to come to an end. . . .?"

He could not get any further. Tears choked his voice. She had

listened to him silently with bent head. Sympathy welled up in her

breast, her anger had more than half turned to ashes. Now she in turn

was infected by his tears and began to weep too. Encouraged by her

softening of heart, he continued: "I know that I am bad. But what

harm have I done you? When I commit a fault you may blame me,

and warn me, and scold me, and even beat me, I can bear all that. But

that you just do not notice me, that drives me to despair! It makes me demented. Do you, then, really wish me to die a poor sinner whom no

Buddhist or Taoist requiem can save from damnation?"

His moving plaint had banished the last remnant of her resentment

into the ninth region of heaven.

"Why did you not let your maid open the door to me last night?"

she commenced, changing her tone.

"You called on me last night? May I die on the spot if I know any‐ 

thing about that!" he protested, astonished.

"One should not use the word 'die' so thoughtlessly! You know I

hate those strong protestations. A simple yes or no is enough for me."

"But really, I knew nothing about your coming. I only know that

Cousin Precious Clasp was there."

Black Jade's face brightened up.

"Hm. Then it seems that it was through indolence or bad humor

that your maids did not open the door " she remarked after a moment's

reflection.

"That must be it!" replied Pao Yu eagerly. "I will investigate the

matter at once when I go home. I will give the lazy things a good piece

of my mind!"

"Yes, do so, but not for my sake! That this should happen to me is

not so very bad. But it might happen sometime to one of your other

more favored cousins, and then the scandal would be inconceivable.

Isn't that so?" she said, smiling ironically.

And so for the thne being peace reigned again.