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up as a stork； or that one； with his round shoulders； monkey…face； and
crooked legs；' and so she tells them off。〃
〃What does she say of me； I wonder？〃 said Jasmine； amused。
〃Of your Excellency she says that her comparisons fail her； and that
she can only hope that the Fates who guided your jewelled chariot
hitherward will not tantalise her by an empty vision； but will bind your
ankles to hers with the red matrimonial cords。〃
〃How can I hope for such happiness？〃 said Jasmine； smiling。 〃But
please to tell your young lady that； being only a guest at this inn； I have
nothing worthy of her acceptance to offer in return for her bounteous gifts；
and that I can only assure her of my boundless gratitude。〃
With many bows； and with reiterated wishes for Jasmine's happiness
and endless longevity； the woman took her leave。
〃Truly this young lady has formed a most perverted attachment；〃 said
Jasmine to herself。 〃She reminds me of the man in the fairy tale who fell
in love with a shadow； and； so far as I can see； she is not likely to get any
more satisfaction out of it than he did。〃 So saying； she took up a pencil and
scribbled the following lines on a scrap of paper：
〃With thoughts as ardent as a quenchless thirst；
She sends me fragrant and most luscious fruit； Without a blush she
seeks a phenix guest ＇a bachelor＇ Who dwells alone like
case…enveloped lute。〃
After this mental effort Jasmine went to bed。 Nor had her interview
with the waiting…woman made a sufficient impression on her mind to
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interfere in any way with her sleep。 She was surprised； however； on
coming into her sitting…room in the morning； to meet the same messenger；
who； laden with a dish of hot eggs and a brew of tea； begged Jasmine to
〃deign to look down upon her offerings。〃
〃Many thanks；〃 said Jasmine； 〃for your kind attention。〃
〃You are putting the saddle on the wrong horse；〃 replied the woman。
〃In bringing you these I am but obeying the orders of Miss King； who
herself made the tea of leaves from Pu…erh in Yunnan； and who with her
own fair hands shelled the eggs。〃 〃Your young lady；〃 answered Jasmine；
〃is as bountiful as she is kind。 What return can I make her for her kindness
to a stranger？ Stay；〃 she said； as the thought crossed her mind that the
verses she had written the night before might prove a wholesome tonic for
this effusive young lady； 〃I have a few verses which I will venture to ask
her to accept。〃 So saying； she took a piece of peach…blossom paper； on
which she carefully copied the quatrain and handed it to the woman。 〃May
I trouble you；〃 said she； 〃to take this to your mistress？〃
〃If；〃 said Jasmine to herself as the woman took her departure； 〃Miss
King is able to penetrate the meaning of my verses； she won't like them。
Without saying so in so many words； I have told her with sufficient
plainness that I will have nothing to say to her。 But stupidity is a shield
sent by Providence to protect the greater part of mankind from many evils；
so perhaps she will escape。〃
It certainly in this case served to shield Miss King from Jasmine's
shafts。 She was delighted at receiving the verses； and at once sat down to
compose a quatrain to match Jasmine's in reply。 With infinite labour she
elaborated the following：
〃Sung Yuh on th' eastern wall sat deep in thought；
And longed with P'e to pluck the fragrant fruit。 If all the well…
known tunes be newly set； What use to take again the half…
burnt lute？〃
Having copied these on a piece of silk…woven paper； she sent them to
Jasmine by her faithful attendant。 On looking over the paper； Jasmine said；
smiling； 〃What a clever young lady your mistress must be！ These lines；
though somewhat inconsequential； are incomparable。〃
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But； though Jasmine was partly inclined to treat the matter as a joke；
she saw that there was a serious side to the affair； more especially as the
colours under which she was sailing were so undeniably false。 She knew
well that for Sung Yuh should be read Miss King； and for P'e her own
name； and she determined； therefore； to put an end to the philandering of
Miss King； which； in her present state of mind； was doubly annoying to
her。
〃I am deeply indebted to your young lady；〃 she said； and then； being
determined to make a plunge into the morass of untruthfulness； for a good
end as she believed； added； 〃and； if I had love at my disposal； I should
possibly venture to make advances toward the feathery peach ＇a nuptial
emblem＇； but let me confess to you that I have already taken to myself a
wife。 Had I the felicity of meeting Miss King before I committed myself in
another direction； I might perhaps have been a happier man。 But； after all；
if this were so； my position is no worse than that of most other married
men； for I never met one who was not occasionally inclined to cry； like the
boys at 'toss cash；' 'Hark back and try again。' 〃
〃This will be sad news for my lady； for she has set her heart upon you
ever since you first came to the inn； and when young misses take that sort
of fancy and lose the objects of their love； they are as bad as children
when forbidden their sugar…plums。 But what's the use of talking to you
about a young lady's feelings！〃 said the woman； with a vexed toss of her
head； 〃I never knew a man who understood a woman yet。〃
〃I am extremely sorry for Miss King；〃 said Jasmine； trying to suppress
a smile。 〃As you wisely remark； a young lady is a sealed book to me； but I
have always been told that their fancies are as variable as the shadow of
the bamboo； and probably； therefore； though Miss King's sky may be
overcast just now； the gloom will only make her enjoy to…morrow's
sunshine all the more。〃
The woman； who was evidently in a hurry to convey the news to her
mistress； returned no answer to this last sally； but； with curtailed obeisance；
took her departure。
Her non…appearance the next morning confirmed Jasmine in the belief
that her