Her ladyship was at this moment awaiting his arrival， so that when she saw him walk in， and she found out that （Chia Cheng） had not bullied him， she felt， of course， extremely delighted. But not a long interval elapsed before Hsi Jen came to serve the tea； and when she perceived that on his person not one of the ornaments remained， she consequently smiled and inquired： "Have all the things that you had on you been again taken away by these barefaced rascals？"

As soon as Lin Tai-yue heard this remark， she crossed over to him and saw at a glance that not one single trinket was， in fact， left. "Have you also given them，" she felt constrained to ask， "the purse that I gave you？ Well， by and by， when you again covet anything of mine， I shan't let you have it."

After uttering these words， she returned into her apartment in high dudgeon， and taking the scented bag， which Pao-yue had asked her to make for him， and which she had not as yet finished， she picked up a pair of scissors， and instantly cut it to pieces.

Pao-yue noticing that she had lost her temper， came after her with hurried step， but the bag had already been cut with the scissors； and as Pao-yue observed how extremely fine and artistic this scented bag was， in spite of its unfinished state， he verily deplored that it should have been rent to pieces for no rhyme or reason. Promptly therefore unbuttoning his coat， he produced from inside the lapel the purse， which had been fastened there. "Look at this！" he remarked as he handed it to Tai-yue； "what kind of thing is this！ have I given away to any one what was yours？" Lin Tai-yue， upon seeing how much he prized it as to wear it within his clothes， became alive to the fact that it was done with intent， as he feared lest any one should take it away； and as this conviction made her sorry that she had been so impetuous as to have cut the scented bag， she lowered her head and uttered not a word.

"there was really no need for you to have cut it，" Pao-yue observed； "but as I know that you're loth to give me anything， what do you say to my returning even this purse？"

With these words， he threw the purse in her lap and walked off； which vexed Tai-yue so much the more that， after giving way to tears， she took up the purse in her hands to also destroy it with the scissors， when Pao-yue precipitately turned round and snatched it from her grasp.

"My dear cousin，" he smilingly pleaded， "do spare it！" and as Tai-yue dashed down the scissors and wiped her tears： "You needn't，" she urged， "be kind to me at one moment， and unkind at another； if you wish to have a tiff， why then let's part company！" But as she spoke， she lost control over her temper， and， jumping on her bed， she lay with her face turned towards the inside， and set to work drying her eyes.

Pao-yue could not refrain from approaching her. "My dear cousin， my own cousin，" he added， "I confess my fault！"

"Go and find Pao-yue！" dowager lady Chia thereupon gave a shout from where she was in the front apartment， and all the attendants explained that he was in Miss Lin's room.

"All right， that will do！ that will do！" her ladyship rejoined， when she heard this reply； "let the two cousins play together； his father kept him a short while back under check， for ever so long， so let him have some distraction. But the only thing is that you mustn't allow them to have any quarrels." To which the servants in a body expressed their obedience.

Tai-yue， unable to put up with Pao-yue's importunity， felt compelled to rise. "Your object seems to be，" she remarked， "not to let me have any rest. If it is， I'll run away from you." Saying which， she there and then was making her way out， when Pao-yue protested with a face full of smiles： "Wherever you go， I'll follow！" and as he， at the same time， took the purse and began to fasten it on him， Tai-yue stretched out her hand， and snatching it away， "You say you don't want it，" she observed， "and now you put it on again！ I'm really much ashamed on your account！" And these words were still on her lips when with a sound of Ch'ih， she burst out laughing.

"My dear cousin，" Pao-yue added， "to-morrow do work another scented bag for me！"

"That too will rest upon my good pleasure，" Tai-yue rejoined.

As they conversed， they both left the room together and walked into madame Wang's suite of apartments， where， as luck would have it， Pao-ch'ai was also seated.

Unusual commotion prevailed， at this time， over at madame Wang's， for the fact is that Chia Se had already come back from Ku Su， where he had selected twelve young girls， and settled about an instructor， as well as about the theatrical properties and the other necessaries. And as Mrs. Hsueeh had by this date moved her quarters into a separate place on the northeast side， and taken up her abode in a secluded and quiet house， （madame Wang） had had repairs of a distinct character executed in the Pear Fragrance Court， and then issued directions that the instructor should train the young actresses in this place； and casting her choice upon all the women， who had， in days of old， received a training in singing， and who were now old matrons with white hair， she bade them have an eye over them and keep them in order. Which done， she enjoined Chia Se to assume the chief control of all matters connected with the daily and monthly income and outlay， as well as of the accounts of all articles in use of every kind and size.

Lin Chih-hsiao also came to report： "that the twelve young nuns and Taoist girls， who had been purchased after proper selection， had all arrived， and that the twenty newly-made Taoist coats had also been received. That there was besides a maiden， who though devoted to asceticism， kept her chevelure unshaved； that she was originally a denizen of Suchow， of a family whose ancestors were also people of letters and official status； that as from her youth up she had been stricken with much sickness， （her parents） had purchased a good number of substitutes （to enter the convent）， but all with no relief to her， until at last this girl herself entered the gate of abstraction when she at once recovered. That hence it was that she GREw her hair， while she devoted herself to an ascetic life； that she was this year eighteen years of age， and that the name given to her was Miao Yue； that her father and mother were， at this time， already dead； that she had only by her side， two old nurses and a young servant girl to wait upon her； that she was most proficient in literature， and exceedingly well versed in the classics and canons； and that she was likewise very attractive as far as looks went； that having heard that in the city of Ch'ang-an， there were vestiges of Kuan Yin and relics of the canons inscribed on leaves， she followed， last year， her teacher （to the capital）。 She now lives，" he said， "in the Lao Ni nunnery， outside the western gate； her teacher was a great expert in prophetic divination， but she died in the winter of last year， and her dying words were that as it was not suitable for （Miao Yue） to return to her native place， she should await here， as something in the way of a denouement was certain to turn up； and this is the reason why she hasn't as yet borne the coffin back to her home！"

"If such be the case，" madame Wang readily suggested， "why shouldn't we bring her here？"

"If we are to ask her，" Lin Chih-hsiao's wife replied， "she'll say that a marquis' family and a duke's household are sure， in their honourable position， to be overbearing to people； and I had rather not go."

"As she's the daughter of an official family，" madame Wang continued， "she's bound to be inclined to be somewhat proud； but what harm is there to our sending her a written invitation to ask her to come！"

Lin Chih-hsiao's wife assented； and leaving the room， she made the secretary write an invitation and then went to ask Miao Yue. The next day servants were despatched， and carriages and sedan chairs were got ready to go and bring her over.

What subsequently transpired is not as yet known， but， reader， listen to the account given in the following chapter.