to look for him, and the child met
Li by chance, and said:

"Lord, our Elder-Sister awaits you at the house."

In his shame, Li answered:

"I have no time to-day. To-morrow I will come to see her."

But the boy had been commanded to bring him back, and to die sooner
than lose him, so he replied:

"It is the absolute wish of the Elder-Sister that you come with me."

Li could not refuse, and followed the messenger.

Once in Shih-niang's presence he stood still, sobbing mo-mo, mo-mo,
without a word.

"How is our plan going?" she asked.

He only answered with a flood of tears; so she insisted:

"Can people have been so hard as to refuse three hundred ounces?"

Stifling his sobs, he answered with this verse:

It is easier to catch a tiger in the mountains
Than to move the world with speech alone.

"I have gone about for these six days, and my hands are empty. Shame
has kept me away from my perfumed companion, and it is only at her
command that I have come back. I have tried my hardest. Alas! such is
the spirit of the century."

"We will say nothing to the ma-ma. Let my Lord stay here for the
night: his slave will propose another plan to him."

She served him with a meal and wine, and made him lie down. Then in
the middle of the night she asked:

"If you cannot find three hundred ounces to free me, what are we to
do?"

He wept without answering. Shih-niang waited until the fifth watch;
then she drew from under her mattress a bag containing a hundred and
fifty ounces in small silver, and said:

"This is my secret reserve. Since you cannot find the whole sum, I
will give you half of it. That should help you; but we have only four
days more. Above all, do not come too late!"

Astonished and overjoyed, he carried away the bag and went back to
Liu, telling him what had happened and showing him the money. Liu
exclaimed:

"Surely this woman has a loyal heart! Since she acts so, she must not
be allowed to suffer. I am going to act as mediator in your marriage."

Leaving Li in his house, he went himself to ask for loans on all
sides. In two days he had amassed a hundred and fifty ounces. He gave
them to the young man, saying:

"I have stood guarantor for you, for I am deeply touched by
Shih-niang's sentiment."

Li took the silver, as delighted as if the money had fallen from the
sky, and ran to see his mistress. It was the ninth day. She asked
him: "Has it been very difficult? Have you found the hun