t he kissed her upon the lips, and
said in her ear:

"If he has fatigued you, I have here some pills which will restore the
Springtime of your thoughts."

And he thrust a pill into her mouth, which she could not avoid
swallowing. A perfume rose from her mouth into her nostrils, and
caused her bones to melt, imbuing her body with delicious warmth.

But, even while thinking of herself, Mei-chieh did not forget the
Governor's orders. She marked the head of this new assailant also,
saying:

"What a nice sleek old pate!"

The bonze burst out laughing:

"I am full of tender and reliable emotions. I am not like the
unmannerly people of our town. Come and see me often."

And he retired.

Meanwhile the Governor had left his yamen by the fifth watch, before
the day had yet broken, accompanied by an escort of about a hundred
resolute men, carrying chains and manacles.

Arriving at the still closed gate of the monastery, he made the
greater part of his train hide to the right and left, keeping only
some ten men about him. The secretary knocked at the gate, crying that
the Governor was there and wished to enter.

The first bonzes who heard his shout made haste to arrange their
garments and receive the visitor. But the Lord Wang, paying no
attention to their salutations, went straight to the apartment of the
Superior, who was already up and prepared to begin the ritual of his
greeting. But the Governor dryly ordered him to summon all the bonzes,
and to show him the Convent register.

Somewhat alarmed, the Superior ordered bells and drums to be sounded,
and the bonzes, snatched from their sleep, ran up in groups. When the
names written on the register had been called, the Governor commanded
the astonished monks to remove their skullcaps.

In the full light of the morning sun three heads were seen to be
marked with vermilion, but, Oh, prodigy, no less than eleven heads
were covered with black ink!

"It no longer surprises me that these prayers should be so
successful," murmured the secretary. "Indeed these bonzes are very
conscientious!"

Lord Wang pointed out the guilty ones, and caused them to be put in
chains, asking: "Whence come these marks of red and black upon you?"

But the kneeling monks looked at each other and could not answer,
while the whole assembly remained stricken with wonder at this strange
event.

Meanwhile the secretary had gone into the Babies' Chapel and, by dint
of shouting, had roused the