the Yungkuo and the Ningkuo palaces exactly on Pao-yü,'s birthday, as it happened. It also chanced that just at that time the Princess Ancestress and the older ladies and all the male seniors of both palaces, among them Prince Chen and his son Chia Yung, were away taking part in the funeral procession to the Imperial burial grounds of a recently deceased Imperial

wife. Princess Chen had to leave the birthday banquet forthwith, remove her jewelry and her festive attire, put on a simple white mourning robe, and hasten out into the mountains in front of the city, to the hermitage of her dead father-in-law, in order to comply with the initial formalities such as viewing the corpse, having it prepared for the bier, and so on. For she was

the only representative of the family at home. True, she sent express messengers to her absent husband, but it would be several weeks in any case before Prince Chen could be back from the Imperial burial place to help her. Therefore, she had to resign herself to taking up her quarters for a time in the near-by Temple of the Iron Railings, where the family vaults of the Chia clan were situated and where she had the corpse laid temporarily on a bier;

and she had to carry through the prescribed funeral rites alone there, until her husband could come and relieve her and make the final arrangements for the obsequies. She had taken the majordomo Lai Sheng and his wife with her to help her. In order not to leave the Ningkuo palace entirely without the supervision of a respected older person, she had induced her stepmother to come and take over the management of the household during her absence.

Her stepmother, the Lady Yu, had brought with her two unmarried daughters. They were both equal in beauty but far from alike in character, as will be noticed later. When the older ladies and the male senior members of the Chia clan came home subsequently, having been graciously excused by the Emperor from further attendance at the Imperial burial place, and

the various services took place before the bier of the Prince Hermit in the great hall of the Ningkuo palace, the sight of the two beautiful Yu girls inevitably awoke in Chia Lien's breast such burning desire that his mouth literally watered. For a long time past he had been tiring of his first wife, the more so since Hsi-feng had been ailing frequently of late and was often confined to her sickbed. Chia Lien found both the Yu girls equally desirable, but since the younger one had given him unmistakably to understand that she did not care for him, he confined his attentions to the elder one, and had the satisfaction of seeing that his feelings were reciprocated. To be sure, their relations at the beginning were confined to hurried meetings and surreptitious exchanges of glances and words. For there were always too many observant pairs of eyes in the neighborhood, which effectively prevented him from attaining the goal of his desires.

So he breathed a sigh of relief when at last the obsequies in the house came to an end and the coffin of the Prince Hermit was takenjto the family burial place at the Temple of the Iron Railings. While the other relatives might return to the town the same day, the funeral rites required that the closer relatives of the deceased, namely, Prince and Princess Chen, their son Chia Yung, and their daughter-in-law, had to remain a full hundred days longer in the family temple, to carry out the further obsequies. A large proportion of the palace staffs likewise remained out there with them, while at home in the Ningkuo palace the Lady Yu, with her two daughters, took over the running of the household once more.

It is now or never, said Chia Lien to himself, and he resolved to achieve his goal during these hundred days. Naturally, he required a suitable pretext for approaching his beloved, whom he knew to be less watched and observed than usual in the semideserted Ningkuo palace. For this reason he rode out quite often to the family temple to keep Prince Chen and his family company for one or two days, and nearly always there was some order of the Prince, or this or that domestic request on the part of the

Princess, which offered him the desired excuse of entering the eastern palace on his return and seeing and speaking to the beloved.

One day, when he was once more out at the Temple of the Iron Railings, the Prince's deputy majordomo, Yu Lu, called to discuss some business with his master. A balance of six hundred ounces of silver was still owing for the white funeral cloth and the green smocks for the coffin bearers, and the two cloth merchants had called yesterday to complain and demand payment,

he reported.

"Well, just get the money from the household cash. Why bother me about it and make this unnecessary journey here?" said the Prince.

"The bursar could not pay me the sum. The cash has been exhausted, owing to the many heavy expenses of the recent weeks of mourning. The ready money available is earmarked for covering the expenses of the last hundred days of mourning here in the Temple of the Iron Railings. That is why I have come for your instructions."

"Well, just see where else you can get the money from; you are old and wise enough to do that," said the Prince.

"Hm, if it were only a matter of one or two hundred ounces, I would know how to get over the difficulty, but six hundred straight away . . .!"YuLu answered hesitantly, much embarrassed.

The Prince considered the matter for a while, then he turned to his son, Chia Yung, and said:

"Go to your mother and ask her what became of the five hundred ounces which came in recently as a funeral gift from the Chen family of Kiang nan. As far as I know, the money has not gone into the household cash."

Chia Yung went to the Princess and came back after a while with the message that two of the five hundred ounces were already spent, and the remaining three hundred were in the safekeeping of Mother Yu.

"Very well. Then you must go to your grandmother, ask her to give you the three hundred, and hand them to Yu Lu to pay his cloth merchants' bill. He will rake up the balance himself.

At the same time have a look around and see how things are going at home, whether there is anything that calls for discussion; and see also how your two aunts are, and give them our greetings."

Chia Yung and Yu Lu were just about to take leave when Chia Lien appeared.

"Well, what's the important discussion?" he asked, and when the Prince informed him, he thought to himself, this is just my chance; I must seize it.

"Why should you go borrowing from outsiders, dear Cousin, when it is a matter of such a trifle?" he continued aloud. "I happen to have quite a large sum lying at home. I place it at your disposal with pleasure."

"That is splendid! Would you be so good, then, as to give my son a written order, so that the money can be handed over to him." i "Hm, I should prefer to do that myself. Besides, I have been long enough away from home and must think about returning in any case. I should like to see how Grandmother, and Mother, and my aunts are, and to make sure that everything is in order at home."

And so it came about that Uncle Lien and Nephew Yung set out together, accompanied by a few servants, to ride back to the capital. On the way the uncle contrived, as if by chance, to lead the conversation on to the subject of Cousin Yu Number Two. He could not find nearly enough words with which to praise her good qualities and her virtues, her beauty, her good

character, and her blameless behavior, and so extravagant were his eulogies that the nephew very soon realized what he was driving at.

"My uncle seems to be very much taken with her," remarked Chia Yung with a smile. "How would it be if he were to make her his 'lady of the side-chamber' and if I were to act as go-between?"

"Do you mean that seriously, or are you joking?" asked Chia Lien, pretending surprise.

"1 am serious, of course."

"That's very friendly of you. But there are various difficulties. What would my wife say to it?

And would your grandmother approve? Moreover, I heard that your second aunt is already engaged."

"That is true. But since the father of her betrothed, a tenant farmer on the estate named Chang, lost his fortune ten years ago in a lawsuit, the two families have broken off relations.

For a long time past Grandmother and Father have planned to have this engagement cancelled by the payment of a small indemnity in cash, and to seek another suitable husband for my aunt. The Chang family are poor; they will be very glad to renounce the betrothal for a few ounces of silver. And I have not the least doubt but that Grandmother and Father will joyfully give their approval to such a distinguished suitor as you. The only doubtful point is the question of what Hsi-feng would say to it."

This Chia Lien did not kn >w either, and his only answer was a forced smile.

"Wait! I've got an idea!" exclaimed the nephew, after thinking for a while. "We shall certainly require some courage, and you must not shrink from spending a bit of money too, if the matter is to succeed."

"Out with it!"

"My plan is simply to hoodwink Hsi-feng. She must not hear anything of your intention. I will carry through the whole business with the utmost discretion with my father and my grandmother. As soon as they have consented, I shall buy a little house for you close behind our palace. I shall furnish it nicely and cozily as a love nest for you, and hire two or three discreet and reticent serving women. Then one happy day I will conduct my aunt there secretly and unseen by either spirit or mortal, and install her in your love nest as your secondary wife. You will then live alternately with Hsi-feng and with your new wife for the future. If Hsi-feng gets to know of it in the course of time and makes a row, why, you need only say that you were moved to act as you had done by the very

understandable wish to beget the son and heir that your principal wife had failed to give you.

Faced with the accomplished fact, with the rice in the pot already cooked, Hsi-feng will no doubt put up with it. And then, in the end, you will ask the blessing of the old Tai tai."

In his infatuated state Chia Lien found the plan splendid. It did not even occur to him that according to traditional observance it was improper for him to think of marriage in this mourning period. Still less did he reckon with the sternness of his father, Prince Shieh, and the jealousy of his wife, Hsi-feng. Nor did he guess, moreover, that his cunr'iag nephew had

his own advantage in mind in making this suggestion. For the nephew too was madly enamored of his beautiful aunt, but within the parental home he could not well make overtures to her. In the solitary love nest behind the palace, however, he would have a splendid occasion to do so. He would only have to watch his chance when Uncle Lien was not there,

and this opportunity would offer itself often enough. But none of these things crossed the mind of the infatuated urtcle.

"You are really a bright boy, dear nephew ! " said the latter, beaming with joy. "By way of thanks I shall give you a present of two pretty waiting maids."

Meanwhile they had reached the main gateway of the Ningkuo palace, and here they parted with mutual promises of the strictest secrecy. The nephew was considerate enough to allow the uncle to go alone to Grandmother Yu in order that Chia Lien would have the field to himself later when he would meet Aunt Number Two. Meantime he himself turned in to the western palace to greet the old Ancestress.

In front of the great hall Chia Lien dismissed his retinue of servants, dismounted from his horse, and went alone and unannounced to the ladies' quarters. As a near relative who was on close terms of friendship with Prince Chen, the master of the house, he could take this liberty without causing unpleasant surprise among the staff. On walking unannounced into the living room of the ladies Yu, he had the good luck to find Miss Yu Number Two alone. She was reclining on the couch busy with her needlework, in the company of two waiting maids.

Chia Lien walked up to her eagerly and saluted her politely. Miss Yu, suppressing a smile, rose to return his greeting, and invited him to sit down by her side. Chia Lien gave her to understand at once how happy he considered himself to see her again.

"But where are your mother and sister?" he inquired.

"They are in the back, in the storerooms," she replied.

Meanwhile the two maids had disappeared to get tea. Chia Lien availed of this opportunity to gaze deeply into the eyes of the beautiful cousin, whereupon she bent her head a little, but continued to smile ingenuously. He did not wish to push his advances too directly and crudely. His glance fell on her hand, which was toying with the ornamental silken ribbon of a

handbag of lotus-leaf shape.

"Oh, I have left my betel-nut bag out at the temple," he said, feeling around his belt. "Perhaps my good cousin would give me a few nuts out of her bag?"

"I happen to have betel nuts in my bag, but it is my custom to eat them myself and not to share them with other people," she replied.

He sidled closer up to her and reached for her bag, to help himself to some. Fearing the maids might surprise her in this equivocal situation, she hurriedly flung him the bag. He caught it deftly, took out a nut, and put it in his mouth. Then he tried to push the bag back onto her lap. Just at that moment the two waiting maids came in with the tea things, so he hid

it for the time being in his sleeve pocket. While he was drinking his tea he managed quietly to unfasten a dragon-shaped clasp of jade from his belt and to knot the ribbon of her bag around it. Then, when the maids were not looking, he threw the bag over to her unobserved. She pretended not to notice.

After a while the jingling of the bead curtains was heard and in came Mother Yu with daughter Number Three and two little waiting maids. Chia Lien hurriedly gave his fair neighbor to understand by his glances that she was to hide her bag, but she took no notice of him. It was now high time for him to stand up and salute Aunt Yu and Cousin Three. Then, when they

were all seated again, and he could steal a glance at Cousin Two, he noticed that her bag was still there, but its silken ribbon had disappeared together with his dragon clasp. She herself looked as gay and unconcerned as if nothing had happened. So now he was reassured.

They talked about all sorts of things, then he brought forward the business reason of his visit, and had the three hundred ounces of silver handed to him. At this point Nephew Chia Yung appeared on the scene.

"The old Governor would like to speak to you," he said, winking gleefully at his uncle. Chia Lien was about to take leave in haste when he heard his cheeky nephew turning to the Lady Yu and saying: "Now, what do you think,

Grandmother? Wouldn't this uncle here be just the right man for Aunt Two? Hasn't he got all the qualities height, figure, good appearance, and so on which Father said recently he would require of her future husband?"

Saying this, he pointed his finger quite unconcernedly at his Uncle Chia Lien and made cheeky faces at his Aunt Two. Taking the part of her sister, who was visibly embarrassed, Aunt Three opened her mouth and began scolding, half in joke and half in earnest: "What an impertinent little monkey! If Mother had not happened to speak of this herself already, I would give him a good hiding!"

But the little monkey had already slipped giggling out the door. Immediately afterwards his

uncle too took his leave, all smiles.

That same day Chia Yung returned to the Temple of the Iron Railings and, after having made his business report to his father, presented Uncle Chia Lien's marriage proposal and strongly advocated the suggested union between his uncle and his aunt. Prince Chen considered the matter, then he said with a smile: "It seems all right to me. But is the girl herself willing? Go back to the city tomorrow and make sure on this point!"

He then visited his wife and asked her opinion.

At first Princess Chen was decidedly against the plan, which seemed to her a rather dubious one. That this marriage should take place during the mourning period, that a secondary wife should be taken without the knowledge and consent of the principal wife these circumstances

constituted breaches of the Rites, and were contrary to all conceptions of correctness and good form. But as she was used to assent to everything which the Prince had once taken into his head, she gave way in the end. Moreover, this Miss Yu was not her blood sister but only a stepsister; she therefore did not have to be too scrupulous about taking responsibility for the possible unpleasant consequences of this incorrectly effected union.

Accordingly, early next morning Chia Yung hastened back to the Ningkuo palace at his father's request to obtain the consent of the ladies Yu. He had himself announced to Grandmother Yu and, when admitted to her presence, informed her of the Prince's wish, and with much emphasis and many flowery phrases, put forward all possible points in favor of the match what a fine life Aunt Two would have with Chia Lien, who would make her his principal

wife as a matter of course when Hsi-feng would die an event which was to be expected sooner or later; and that the Prince would defray all the costs of the wedding and provide a handsome home and fine furniture, and would also see that she, Grandmother, had a carefree old age; and he would help, moreover, to obtain a good match for Aunt Three. He held forth on all these things and with such eloquence that Mother Yu was completely won over. The business was to cost nothing, and besides, Chia Lien was a fine-looking, fashionable young man. It would be madness to refuse such an advantageous offer. Grandmother Yu consulted for a short time with her daughter,

and that same day Chia Yung was able to bring his father the desired word of consent.

Chia Lien was now summoned to the family temple, and informed of the approval of the other side. He was overjoyed, and his gratitude towards his friendly helpers, Prince Chen and his son, knew no bounds. Wedding garments and lingerie were bought in haste and all the other wedding preparations were made. Two li from the back walls of the princely abode, in the

quiet little Lane of the Flowering Branch, a suitable "love nest" was acquired. It was a small country villa of twenty rooms. Little Pao, who, after his wife had killed herself, had married the merry widow of that crazy fellow the cook To who had died of drink, was engaged as a

servant. He had left the palace service some time previously. Chia Lien could not have hit upon a better choice, for Little Pao had received a hundred taels in hush money from him some time previously, as well as the pretty Widow To, in compensation for the loss of his wife,

and he was therefore deeply indebted to him. Moreover, his wife's former tender relations with Chia Lien were likewise a bond between herself and their new master. Therefore, Chia Lien would be able to rely upon his servants for true devotion and reticence. And old Chang, the impoverished father of the original fiance of Miss Yu Number Two, was compensated with a

sum of twenty taels, for which he signed the required deed of relinquishment.

The third day of the new month was picked out in the calendar as a suitable day for the wedding. Mother Yu and Daughter Three had inspected the new home the previous day and found it in the best possible order. And now the bride was fetched in an ordinary litter, unseen by either spirit or mortal, in the fifth hour of the morning of the third, and taken to the love nest

in the Lane of the Flowering Branch. A little time later Chia Lien arrived, equally unobtrusively,

seated in a small sedan chair and dressed in his everyday attire, paid his respects to heaven and earth and to his Aunt Yu, who was present, burned incense and little paper horses, and drank with his new bride from the same wedding beaker in a festively illuminated bridal chamber, then later revelled with her in that unrestrained manner of phoenix couples which is

all too well known.

The news of this secret marriage did not penetrate beyond the circle of the few initiated

persons. From now onwards Chia Lien covered his fairly frequent absences with the pretext to Hsi-feng that his presence was required in the Ningkuo palace,. and in view of his close friendship with Prince Chen the

unsuspecting Hsi-feng believed him. Everything went as he had desired. Chia Lien allowed his new wife fifteen taels per month and, when he himself could not be with her, permitted her to take her meals with her mother and sister so that she would not feel too Ibnely. His intimacy with the new wife was so great that he gradually took away secretly from his home in

the Yungkuo palace all the objects of value which he had collected for himself in the course of the years, and gave them into her keeping. Moreover, he was so rash as to tell her, during the hours they lay together, every conceivable intimate detail about the character and person of his principal wife. The second Yu was naturally extremely gratified, and in her dreams already saw herself as the successor of Hsi-feng and the future mistress of the western palace.

Two months of secret and undisturbed happiness had passed in this way when Prince Chen returned home one evening to the eastern palace from the Temple of the Iron Railings, the hundred days of mourning service there having come to an end. After his long absence he had a wish to see his two beautiful sisters-in-law that same evening. Having made sure that

Cousin Chia Lien was not there, he set out for the Lane of the Flowering Branch accompanied only by two trusted farmhands.

While he was chatting and drinking punch with Mother Yu and Sister-in-law Three in the lamp-lit living room of the west wing, Sisterin-law Two having withdrawn immediately after greeting him, Chia Lien arrived. When he heard that his princely cousin was there, he thought his own thoughts, and quietly went straight to his Nai nai, for he wished to leave his cousin

undisturbed. Besides, he felt tired and planned to go to bed early. Seettled down comfortably, ate his evening meal, and drank to the point of exhilaration. The Nai nai drank .sturdily with him, and when he saw her sitting in front of him in her red undergarment with her hair loosened and a springlike flush on her cheeks, she seemed to him more beautiful than ever, and he embraced her and said to her flatteringly: "People will keep on talking in the highest terms of my principal wife, but when I compare you with that wicked witch, it seems to me that she is not even worthy to untie your shoes."

"Ah, of what use is one's little bit of beauty, when all is said and done!" she replied with a sigh.

"What do you mean by that? I do not understand you," he said.

"Oh, I was thinking of my sister," she replied, suddenly bursting into tears. "We two have now been living as man and wife for the past two months. You know how devoted I am to you, and I know what you are to me. But what is to become of my sister? What is she to do here with us? That troubles me. We should put our minds to securing her future too."

"I understand perfectly well. I myself have already been thinking about that, so please do not worry!" he said with a reassuring smile. "You shall see that I am not a jealous, selfish man.

Now, how would it be if your sister were to take Cousin Chen? Come, let us go straight over and discuss it with him quite openly. Luckily, they are all there together."

So they went over to the living room in the west wing. Their unexpected appearance embarrassed the belated visitor and Mother Yu very considerably, but Chia Lien was able tactfully to restore a relaxed atmosphere by a few friendly words.

"After all, we are good friends and cousins and we do not need to stand on ceremony with each other," he said blithely to Cousin Chen. "Heaven knows how much you have exerted yourself on my behalf, and I owe you an endless debt of gratitude. Under the circumstances it would be strange indeed if we were to be embarrassed before each other. You are always welcome here."

And there and then, to show his devoted gratitude, he went on his knees and was about to kowtow, but Cousin Chen raised him to his feet at once.

"I am most willingly at your service, dear Cousin. Please tell me what I can do for you!" he said.

"Oh, I would only like to drink a glass of wine with you," replied Chia Lien. He motioned to Little Pao's wife to pour out the wine, then, turning to the third Yu, he continued with a smirk:

"Well, how would you like to drink a goblet together with Cousin Chen? I on my part will raise my glass and drink to your mutual happiness!"

At these words the third Yu became beside herself with rage, and with one leap sprang up on the d:'van.

"Spare me your flowery rigmaroles! I know what all of you are like in this noble house!" she shouted at him with the utmost scorn, from her perch. "We are at your disposal as whores, nothing else ! First you get hold of my sister with your stinking money, and now it is to be my turn! But that's where you're wrong! . . . Very well, then, I am willing, and as long as we are treated decently, we shall keep quiet. But look out if you give us the slightest cause for complaint! I'll run to your first wife and make a row. Then we shall see if she really has all the brains and ability she is credited with! And now let's be merry and drink to our hearts' content!"

She poured out a full glass for herself, drank it half empty, then poured the other half down Chia Lien's throat. The two cousins were speechless at her behavior. They were quite well accustomed, to be sure,

to the loose tone of low haunts, but to hear such unrestrained language from a maidenly mouth that was something quite new to them. The third Yu did not let their eVnbarrassment deter her, however, and continued brazenly with her loose talk and her strumpet's airs.

"Come! Don't be timid! Help me to amuse the gentlemen!" she pressed her sister, who had remained shyly in the background. "After all, we are all one family here together, and it's so nice being all to ourselves. Why shouldn't we have a jolly time? Hoop-la! Let's be merry!"

Prince Chen cursed his thoughtlessness in starting it all. This wild girl was positively frightening. He tried to reach the door, but the third Yu would not let him escape. In order to show that she meant the word "merry" seriously, she took off her jewelry, loosened her hair,

and without the least embarrassment stripped off her upper clothing. Then she sat down dressed only in her red undergarment. Even that she had half opened, so that only a thin pale green chemise covering the snowwhite twin waves of her breast, green knickers, and red slippers were visible. No, she was certainly not stingy with her fresh charms charms which could not fail to bewilder and infatuate any man's heart.

And she went even farther in the exhibition of her unrestrained temper, keeping the senses of her two male companions in a whirl. She was all movement; she did not remain seated long enough to complete one sentence, but kept jumping up, and sitting down, and changing her place continually, so much so that her earrings never stopped swaying like swings. Between

times she poured herself out one glass of drink after another, while her eyes gleamed more and more seductively in the lamplight, like the humid glistening of autumn dew; the flush on her cheeks mounted up to her temples like red waves; the blue-black streaks of her tapered eyebrows, which were shaped and outlined like narrow willow leaves, played in a language

more eloquent than words; .the fragrance which streamed from her vermilion lips was like the perfume of sandalwood. Her well-calculated game bewitched both her brother-in-law" and her cousin To an equal degree, repelling and attracting them at the same time. Silent and fascinated, they sat, and stared, and listened, transfixed with horror, to the ceaseless flow of

audacious jests, and boisterous banter, and ironically malicious taunts, uttered at times in the coarsest jargon of the streets, which leaped from those beautiful, delicate, maidenly lips. At last the third Yu had had her full fling. She jumped up, pushed the visitors out the door, bolted

it behind them, and lay down to sleep.

From that time on Prince Chen never again ventured unasked into the proximity of that difficult sister-in-law. But it was all the oftener that she summoned, now himself, now his son, and again Chia Lien to her presence, though only, to be sure, when she felt she had a cause

for complaint, or wished to ask for something. If she had been most exacting already and eager for the latest fashions in clothing and personal adornment, her demands now knew no bounds. If she was given silver jewelry, she demanded gold; if they loaded her with She Yües, she demanded diamonds. If a frock did not please her she took a pair of scissors and slit it

open and chopped it into bits, regardless of whether it was old or new, cheap cotton or costly satin. If a dish placed before her at a meal did not please her, she just tipped the whole table over and let all the plates and dishes of food roll over the floor. When this happened, brother-in-law, cousin, or nephew had to ta' e turns in coming to the rescue, and procuring immediate help at her imperious orders. But above all they had to pay, and pay again. And if they showed unwillingness to serve her she made the most violent scenes, heaped abuse upon them, and threatened to betray and expose them to the redoubtable Hsi-feng. In short, she knew how to exploit the situation to the fullest advantage, and to make life as difficult as

possible for those three male relatives of he