the woman began to be still more indelicate in her manner， so that Chia Lien could not refrain himself from making a full exhibition of his warm sentiments. When their tete-a-tete had come to a close， they both went on again to vow by the mountains and swear by the seas， and though they found it difficult to part company and hard to tear themselves away， they， in due course， became， after this occasion， mutual sworn friends. But by a certain day the virus in Ta Chieh's system had become exhausted， and the spots subsided， and at the expiry of twelve days the goddess was removed， and the whole household offered sacrifices to heaven， worshipped the ancestors， paid their vows， burnt incense， exchanged congratulations， and distributed presents. And these formalities observed， Chia Lien once more moved back into his own bedroom and was reunited with lady Feng. The proverb is indeed true which says： "That a new marriage is not equal to a long separation，" for there ensued between them demonstrations of loving affection still more numerous than heretofore， to which we need not， of course， refer with any minuteness.

the next day， at an early hour， after lady Feng had gone into the upper rooms， P'ing Erh set to work to put in order the clothes and bedding， which had been brought from outside， when， contrary to her expectation， a tress of hair fell out from inside the pillow-case， as she was intent upon shaking it. P'ing Erh understood its import， and taking at once the hair， she concealed it in her sleeve， and there and then came over into the room on this side， where she produced the hair， and smirkingly asked Chia Lien， "What's this？"

Chia Lien， at the sight of it， lost no time in making a snatch with the idea of depriving her of it； and when P'ing Erh speedily endeavoured to run away， she was clutched by Chia Lien， who put her down on the stove-couch， and came up to take it from her hand.

"You heartless fellow！" P'ing Erh laughingly exclaimed， "I conceal this， with every good purpose， from her knowledge， and come to ask you about it， and you， on the contrary， fly into a rage！ But wait till she comes back， and I'll tell her， and we'll see what will happen."

At these words， Chia Lien hastily forced a smile. "Dear girl！" he entreated， "give it to me， and I won't venture again to fly into a passion."

But hardly was this remark finished， when they heard the voice of lady Feng penetrate into the room. As soon as it reached the ear of Chia Lien， he was at a loss whether it was better to let her go or to snatch it away， and kept on shouting， "My dear girl！ don't let her know."

P'ing Erh at once rose to her feet； but lady Feng had already entered the room； and she went on to bid P'ing Erh be quick and open a box and find a pattern for madame Wang. P'ing Erh expressed her obedience with alacrity； but while in search of it， lady Feng caught sight of Chia Lien； and suddenly remembering something， she hastened to ask P'ing Erh about it.

"the other day，" she observed， "some things were taken out， and have you brought them all in or not？"

"I have！" P'ing Erh assented.

"Is there anything short or not？" lady Feng inquired.

"I've carefully looked at them，" P'ing Erh added， "and haven't found even one single thing short."

"Is there anything in excess？" lady Feng went on to ascertain.

P'ing Erh laughed. "It's enough，" she rejoined， "that there's nothing short； and how could there really turn out to be anything over and above？"

"That this half month，" lady Feng continued still smiling， "things have gone on immaculately it would be hard to vouch； for some intimate friend there may have been， who possibly has left something behind， in the shape of a ring， handkerchief or other such object， there's no saying for certain！"

While these words were being spoken， Chia Lien's face turned perfectly sallow， and， as he stood behind lady Feng， he was intent upon gazing at P'ing Erh， making signs to her （that he was going） to cut her throat as a chicken is killed， （threatening her not to utter a sound） and entreating her to screen him； but P'ing Erh pretended not to notice him， and consequently observed smiling： "How is it that my ideas should coincide with those of yours， my lady； and as I suspected that there may have been something of the kind， I carefully searched all over， but I didn't find even so much as the slightest thing wrong； and if you don't believe me， my lady， you can search for your own self."

"You fool！" lady Feng laughed， "had he any things of the sort， would he be likely to let you and I discover them！"

With these words still on her lips， she took the patterns and went her way； whereupon P'ing Erh pointed at her nose， and shook her head to and fro. "In this matter，" she smiled， "how much you should be grateful to me！" A remark which so delighted Chia Lien that his eyebrows distended， and his eyes smiled， and running over， he clasped her in his embrace， and called her promiscuously： "My darling， my pet， my own treasure！"

"This，" observed P'ing Erh， with the tress in her hand， "will be my source of power， during all my lifetime！ if you treat me kindly， then well and good！ but if you behave unkindly， then we'll at once produce this thing！"