r he considers it to be consistent with the Li the requirements of propriety and good custom for a nephew of the deceased to go off gaily and marry in the middle of the period of mourning for the family elder.

A little instruction can do him no harm and may deter him from giving bad example to you young people in the future."

Chia Yung quickly threw himself on his knees, hit his forehead on the ground, and protested:

"My parents have had nothing to do with the whole business. I alone am guilty. I was the sole instigator. The esteemed aunt may chastise the unworthy nephew as much as she wishes and he will bear it in silence! But let her please spare his parents! He could not survive it if she does not! He also trusts and implores that the honored aunt may manage to stop the

action. The stupid unworthy nephew does not feel that he is equal to such a task and depends entirely on the wisdom of the honored aunt." He accompanied his humble speech with repeated kowtows. Hsi-feng was pacified to some extent. She raised him up, and then, sighing and wiping away her \ears, she turned to Mother Yu: "Qp not be angry with me! In my

youth and inexperience I have let myself go somewhat, and offended you greatly, but the painful news had so surprised and dumfounded me! Forgive me! And now we .must act wisely and reasonably. First of all, this unpleasant action must be settled. You must have a word with Cousin Chen about it without fail."

"Do not worry! The matter will be arranged by us to your satisfaction," said Mother Yu and Chia Yung as if with one voice. "The five hundred ounces which you have already spent will,

naturally, be made good to you. On no account must you suffer any further monetary loss in this matter. It would indeed be irresponsible for us to allow such a thing. But we have yet another request to make of you. May we count upon you to set the matter right as far as possible with the old Tai tai and not to put us in too unkindly a light with her?"

"Ha, you are asking a bit too much of me!" replied Hsi-feng coolly. "First you do me a grievous wrong, and then you ask me to come forward and plead for you. Surely, rather a lot to ask!

Now, I am of a very kindhearted nature, and, moreover, I am sincerely happy to have a sister and companion coming to my house; I have not been able to sleep for many nights, so great has been my joyful anticipation. If only this obscure fellow, this confounded Chang Hua, had not come between us with his lawsuit! How stupid of Cousin Chen to run away like that! I

wanted to discuss with him some means of getting rid of this mischievous litigant!"

"Do not worry, we shall be able to cope with the fellow all right," Chia Yung assured her zealously. "That poor devil of a starving wretch will be glad to withdraw his accusation for a small indemnity. We will see to that. He will give us no more bother in the future, we can assure you ! "

"That's all right, if only it works! As long as the money lasts he may perhaps keep his mouth shut, but as soon as he is without a penny again, he will res. TIC the quarrel. In the long run it is useless to waste money on him; we shall have no peace from him whatever we do," said Hsi-feng skeptically.

"Well, one could give him the choice of either the money or the woman," said Chia Yung, with a smile. "If he positively insists on his claim and demands the woman, we shall just oblige him and hand over my second aunt. I would undertake to persuade my aunt to comply."

"Under no circumstances!" interrupted Hsi-feng quickly, for she saw that her further plans were being jeopardized. "I do not wish under any circumstances to be separated from your aunt, my dear new sister. Would I not lose face if I were to deliver her up again after having once accepted her? No, no, she shall remain! And you may go on confidently trying to stop

Chang Hua's mouth with money!"

To her secret satisfaction Chia Yung agreed to this.

"Very well, the most important thing is to get rid of this Chang Hua. And now let us go together and inform the old Tai tai!" she decided.

"But what am I to tell her?" asked Mother Yu, quite alarmed.

"Oh, if one is so helpless as that, one should not risk such daring undertakings," remarked Hsi-feng mockingly. "But since I am such a good-natured and sympathetic soul, I shall speak for you. Do not show yourself over there for the present! I shall present your daughter to the

old Tai tai alone first. I shall tell her more or less that I intended in

any case to buy my husband two secondary wives, as I could scarcely count on having any male descendant or on living much longer myself, and that recently I had become convinced

of the sterling qualities of your second daughter and had given her the preference as a relation. In consideration of her rather straitened circumstances and to free her from anxiety about her livelihood, I had decided to depart a little from strict custom and take her into my

house even before the end of the hundred days' mourning; and that as soon as the mourning

period is over the official wedding ceremony will take place. There now, that is what I shall say! I shall thus take any eventual blame on myself. Are you satisfied?"

Mother Yu and Nephew Chia Yung enthusiastically praised her generosity and wisdom and gave her to understand that the Princess would pay her a special visit of thanks.

"That is all right; I do not want any thanks," said Hsi-feng coolly.

"I shall certainly know for the future what to think of you, young man," she said sharply, pointing her finger at Chia Yung.

"But, Aunt, this one little time you will surely forgive the wicked nephew!" begged Chia Yung,

promptly falling on his knees again.

She threw back her head as if she wanted to overlook him, and turned towards the door.