A matron， who was attached as a personal attendant （to Mrs. Ch'in，） and who happened to be standing by interposed： "How could it be otherwise？" she ventured. "In real truth， Doctor， you speak like a supernatural being， and there's verily no need for us to say anything！ We have now， ready at hand， in our household， a good number of medical gentlemen， who are in attendance upon her， but none of these are proficient enough to speak in this positive manner. Some there are who say that it's a genital complaint； others maintain that it's an organic disease. This doctor explains that there is no danger： while another， again， holds that there's fear of a crisis either before or after the winter solstice； but there is， in one word， nothing certain said by them. May it please you， sir， now to favour us with your clear directions."

"This complaint of your lady's，" observed the Doctor， "has certainly been neglected by the whole number of doctors； for had a treatment with certain medicines been initiated at the time of the first occurrence of her habitual sickness， I cannot but opine that， by this time， a perfect cure would have been effected. But seeing that the organic complaint has now been， through neglect， allowed to reach this phase， this calamity was， in truth， inevitable. My ideas are that this illness stands， as yet， a certain chance of recovery， （three chances out of ten）； but we will see how she gets on， after she has had these medicines of mine. Should they prove productive of sleep at night， then there will be added furthermore two more chances in the grip of our hands. From my diagnosis， your lady is a person， gifted with a preeminently excellent， and intelligent disposition； but an excessive deGREe of intelligence is the cause of frequent contrarieties； and frequent contrarieties give origin to an excessive amount of anxious cares. This illness arises from the injury done， by worrying and fretting， to the spleen， and from the inordinate vigour of the liver； hence it is that the relief cannot come at the proper time and season. Has not your lady， may I ask， heretofore at the period of the catamenia， suffered， if indeed not from anaemia， then necessarily from plethora？ Am I right in assuming this or not？"

"To be sure she did，" replied the matron； "but she has never been subject to anaemia， but to a plethora， varying from either two to three days， and extending， with much irregularity， to even ten days."

"Quite so！" observed the Doctor， after hearing what she had to say， "and this is the source of this organic illness！ Had it in past days been treated with such medicine as could strengthen the heart， and improve the respiration， would it have reached this stage？ This has now overtly made itself manifest in an ailment originating from the paucity of water and the vigour of fire； but let me make use of some medicines， and we'll see how she gets on！"

there and then he set to work and wrote a prescription， which he handed to Chia Jung， the purpose of which was： Decoction for the improvement of respiration， the betterment of the blood， and the restoration of the spleen. Ginseng， Atractylodes Lancea； Yunnan root； Prepared Ti root； Aralia edulis； Peony roots； Levisticum from Sze Ch'uan； Sophora tormentosa； Cyperus rotundus， prepared with rice； Gentian， soaked in vinegar； Huai Shan Yao root； Real "O" glue； Carydalis Ambigua； and Dried liquorice. Seven Fukien lotus seeds， （the cores of which should be extracted，） and two large zizyphi to be used as a preparative.

"What exalted intelligence！" Chia Jung， after perusing it， exclaimed. "But I would also ask you， Doctor， to be good enough to tell me whether this illness will， in the long run， endanger her life or not？"

the Doctor smiled. "You， sir， who are endowed with most eminent intelligence （are certain to know） that when a human illness has reached this phase， it is not a derangement of a day or of a single night； but after these medicines have been taken， we shall also have to watch the effect of the treatment！ My humble opinion is that， as far as the winter of this year goes， there is no fear； in fact， after the spring equinox， I entertain hopes of a complete cure."

Chia Jung was likewise a person with all his wits about him， so that he did not press any further minute questions.

Chia Jung forthwith escorted the Doctor and saw him off， and taking the prescription and the diagnosis， he handed them both to Chia Chen for his perusal， and in like manner recounted to Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu all that had been said on the subject.

"the other doctors have hitherto not expressed any opinions as positive as this one has done，" observed Mrs. Yu， addressing herself to Chia Chen， "so that the medicines to be used are， I think， surely the right ones！"

"He really isn't a man，" rejoined Chia Chen， "accustomed to give much of his time to the practice of medicine， in order to earn rice for his support： and it's Feng Tzu-ying， who is so friendly with us， who is mainly to be thanked for succeeding， after ever so much trouble， in inducing him to come. But now that we have this man， the illness of our son's wife may， there is no saying， stand a chance of being cured. But on that prescription of his there is ginseng mentioned， so you had better make use of that catty of good quality which was bought the other day."

Chia Jung listened until the conversation came to a close， after which he left the room， and bade a servant go and buy the medicines， in order that they should be prepared and administered to Mrs. Ch'in.

What was the state of Mrs. Ch'in's illness， after she partook of these medicines， we do not know； but， reader， listen to the explanation given in the chapter which follows.