Hedge. Fan,
the landlord, and his brother Erh-lang, were the proprietors. Neither
of them was married; and their business prospered.

It was the week when Spring melts into Summer, and men walk abroad in
number to enjoy the freshness and beauty of nature.

One day Erh-lang roamed the lakeside, delighting in the soft air, and
saw, in front of a teahouse, a ravishing girl of about eighteen, in
whose face, which was as dreamful as the Night Star, flowered all the
blossoms of the time. He stopped, fixed to the ground with admiration
and already riotous with love. He could not take his eyes from the
rose radiance of this face, peach blossom against flawless jade; from
this slender body, from the rare golden lotus of these delicate feet.
A scarlet hibiscus in flower framed this phoenix against stirring
landscape of the great lake.

Alas! our emotions do not depend upon our will. The young girl
felt herself looked upon, and raised her eyes; her soul was at once
troubled, her child's heart secretly rejoiced. She thought:

"If I could marry this beautiful man, I should know many happy
moments. But, though he is there now, where will he be tomorrow? How
can I tell him how to find me again?"

Just then a seller of refreshments came by with his small vessels on
his shoulder. She called him:

"Have you a little honey-water?"

The merchant set down a bronze vase on the ground to serve her; but
she, with pretended clumsiness, upset the vase, and said to him:
"Never mind! Come to my house and I will pay for all. I will give you
my name and address."

Erh-lang pricked his ears, as she continued: "I am the daughter
of Lord Chou, who lives near the Ts'ao Gate. My little name is
Victorious-Immortal. And I pray you do not charge too much, for I am
not yet betrothed or married."

The young lover trembled with joy, saying to himself:

"These words are meant for me, I am sure of that."

The merchant was meanwhile protesting, and the young girl added:

"My father is not at home just now. But he is terrible, and you will
undoubtedly be prosecuted if you try to rob us."

Erh-lang earnestly desired to make himself known in his turn, and
being unable to think of any other expedient, he did as the girl had
done: asked for a bowl of cool water, and pretended clumsily to upset
the full jar. He then said: "Aya! Here is another misfortune! But it
does not matter. Come to my house, and you shall be well recompensed.
I am Erh-lang, brothe