ted flower of the nutmeg embraced by the
bind-weed. Even so is the plum blossom torn by the hail. Even so is
the sparrow's nest most outraged by the cuckoo.

When the first clouds of their desire were dissipated by the rain of
caresses, Wu-han took from his sleeve the pledges of love. She gave
them back to him:

"Now that I am happy, I no more wish to go out."

About the fourth watch, before daylight, Wu-han arose and climbed
stealthily down to the street.

Since that time there had to be a storm of rain, or the moon had to
be very clear, to prevent Wu-han from hurrying to the small woman. The
days, and then the months, passed in this way.

One night the deceiver accidentally made some noise as he went away.
P'an immediately came up to them, but saw nothing; for Eternal Life
succeeded in not betraying herself. Next night she warned her lover,
saying to him in her sense:

"Do not come for a few days. That will be safer. Let us give them time
to forget about it."

But her father had his ears on the alert; he heard the window creak,
and he ran up, though again too late. In the morning he said to his
wife:

"This baby is certainly about some villainy. She keeps her mouth as
tight as a trap."

"I also have a suspicion," replied her mother.

"Yet the room opens on to the stairs, which come down into our room."

"I am going to give her a good taste of the rod to make her speak."

"That is a bad plan, a very bad plan," said her mother. "It is a true
proverb that you must not show family blemishes. If you beat her,
all the neighbors will know, and who would wish to marry her? Let us
rather make her sleep in our room, which has no way out except the
door. We will spend the night up the stairs, and see what happens."

On being told of this proposal, Eternal Life dared not say anything.
And on the higher floor husband and wife slept in peace.

One evening Wu-ban felt his heart seething with passion. Fearing that
he might be attacked by P'an, he armed himself with a knife, which
he used to cut pigs' throats. Under Eternal Life's window, he coughed
softly. Nothing stirred. He coughed more loudly, thinking she was
asleep. But everything remained quiet. He was going back to his house,
in a thoughtful mood, when he saw a ladder left near to a house which
was being built. He seized upon it, carried it away, and put it up
against Eternal Life's window. The catch was not locked. He pushed it
open, climbed over the sill, a