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worn； and the eyes sunken and dim； and in that poor ghost that was before
him he recognised the very priest whom he had thrown into the sea at
Kuana。 Chilled with horror； he looked again； and saw that the priest was
smiling in scorn。 He would have fled into the house； but the ghost
stretched forth its withered arm； and； clutching the back of his neck；
scowled at him with a vindictive glare and a hideous ghastliness of mien
so unspeakably awful that any ordinary man would have swooned with
fear。 But Tokubei； tradesman though he was； had once been a soldier； and
was not easily matched for daring； so he shook off the ghost； and； leaping
into the room for his dirk； laid about him boldly enough； but； strike as he
would； the spirit； fading into the air； eluded his blows； and suddenly
reappeared only to vanish again； and from that time forth Tokubei knew
no rest； and was haunted night and day。
At length； undone by such ceaseless vexation； Tokubei fell ill； and kept
muttering； 〃Oh； misery！ misery！ the wandering priest is coming to torture
me！〃 Hearing his moans and the disturbance he made； the people in the
house fancied he was mad； and called in a physician； who prescribed for
him。 But neither pill nor potion could cure Tokubei； whose strange frenzy
soon became the talk of the whole neighbourhood。
Now it chanced that the story reached the ears of a certain wandering
priest who lodged in the next street。 When he heard the particulars； this
priest gravely shook his head as though he knew all about it； and sent a
friend to Tokubei's house to say that a wandering priest； dwelling hard by；
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had heard of his illness； and； were it never so grievous； would undertake to
heal it by means of his prayers； and Tokubei's wife； driven half wild by her
husband's sickness； lost not a moment in sending for the priest and taking
him into the sick man's room。
But no sooner did Tokubei see the priest than he yelled out； 〃Help！
help！ Here is the wandering priest come to torment me again。 Forgive！
forgive！〃 and hiding his head under the coverlet； he lay quivering all over。
Then the priest turned all present out of the room； put his mouth to the
affrighted man's ear； and whispered：
〃Three years ago； at the Kuana ferry； you flung me into the water； and
well you remember it。〃
But Tokubei was speechless； and could only quake with fear。
〃Happily；〃 continued the priest； 〃I had learned to swim and to dive as a
boy； so I reached the shore； and； after wandering through many provinces；
succeeded in setting up a bronze figure to Buddha； thus fulfilling the wish
of my heart。 On my journey homeward； I took a lodging in the next street；
and there heard of your marvellous ailment。 Thinking I could divine its
cause； I came to see you； and am glad to find I was not mistaken。 You have
done a hateful deed； but am I not a priest； and have I not forsaken the
things of this world； and would it not ill become me to bear malice？
Repent； therefore； and abandon your evil ways。 To see you do so I should
esteem the height of happiness。 Be of good cheer； now； and look me in the
face； and you will see that I am really a living man； and no vengeful
goblin come to torment you。〃
Seeing he had no ghost to deal with； and overwhelmed by the priest's
kindness； Tokubei burst into tears； and answered； 〃Indeed； indeed； I don't
know what to say。 In a fit of madness I was tempted to kill and rob you。
Fortune befriended me ever after； but the richer I grew； the more keenly I
felt how wicked I had been； and the more I foresaw that my victim's
vengeance would some day overtake me。 Haunted by this thought； I lost
my nerve； till one night I beheld your spirit； and from that time fell ill。 But
how you managed to escape； and are still alive； is more than I can
understand。〃
〃A guilty man；〃 said the priest； with a smile； 〃shudders at the rustling
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STORIES
of the wind or the chattering of a stork's beak； a murderer's conscience
preys upon his mind till he sees what is not。 Poverty drives a man to
crimes which he repents of in his wealth。 How true is the doctrine of
Moshi ＇Mencius＇； that the heart of man； pure by nature； is corrupted by
circumstances！〃
Thus he held forth； and Tokubei； who had long since repented of his
crime； implored forgiveness； and gave him a large sum of money； saying；
〃Half of this is the amount I stole from you three years since； the other
half I entreat you to accept as interest； or as a gift。〃 The priest at first
refused the money； but Tokubei insisted on his accepting it； and did all he
could to detain him； but in vain； for the priest went on his way； and
bestowed the money on the poor and needy。 As for Tokubei himself； he
soon shook off his disorder； and thenceforward lived at peace with all men；
revered both at home and abroad； and ever intent on good and charitable
deeds。
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A CHINESE GIRL GRADUATE
BY R。 K。 DOUGLAS
Who among the three hundred million sons of Han does not know the
saying：
There's Paradise above； 't is true； But here below we've Hang and Soo？
＇Hangchow and Soochow＇
And though no one will deny the beauty of those far…famed cities； they
cannot compare in grandeur of situation and boldness of features with
many of the towns of the providence of the 〃Four Streams。〃 Foremost
among the favoured spots of this part of the empire is Mienchu； which； as
its name implies； is celebrated for the silky bamboos which grow in its
immediate neighbourhood。 These form； however； only one of the features
of its loveliness。 Situated at the foot of a range of mountains which rise
through all the gradations from rich and abundant verdure to the region of
eternal snow； it lies embosomed in groves of beech； cypress； and bamboo；
through the leafy screens of which rise the upturned yellow roofs of the
temples and official residences； which dot the landscape like