he fine and silken garments of the corpse. He stripped it.

But suddenly, the body shook itself and pushed the thief away with
violence. He uttered a cry of imbecile terror and shrank back. The
corpse had sat up and, in that little light, looked at the open tomb,
the scattered tools, and her own unclothed body. The wretched lad,
obeying instinctive habit, trembled and lied:

"Little sister, I have come to save you."

Naturally, when little Victorious-Immortal had heard the foul Chou's
violent words, her despair had made her lose all sign of life. It was
for this reason that she had been put in her coffin while still
alive. Aroused now by the cold, her first thought was to remember her
father's anger. Her only refuge then was the house of her betrothed,
and she said: "If you will take me to The Pavilion of the Quick Hedge,
you may have a heavy reward."

"That is easy," answered Feng, seeking in vain for how he should
escape.

Ought he to kill her? He hardly had the courage after such a shock.
He decided to give her back a few clothes. He put the jewels and his
implements in the sack, together with the extinguished lantern, and
quickly covered the grave with earth again. Then, because the girl
was too weak to walk, he took her on his back and went away from that
place. But instead of going to Fan's house, he went to his own. His
mother opened the door to him, and cried in terror:

"Have you stolen the corpse also?"

"Do not speak so loud," he answered, setting down his burdens.

He went to his bed, and there put little Victorious-Immortal. He drew
a knife from his girdle and showed it to the girl:

"Little one, I have some business to settle with you. If we come to
an agreement, I will take you to Fan's house. If not, you very well
behold this knife, and I shall cut you in two pieces."

"What do you want with me?" she asked.

"You are going to stay here without making a noise and without trying
to escape, until I take you to Fan. As for the rest, we will speak of
it another time."

"I will do so! I will indeed do so!"

Then the nasty youth led his mother into the next room to calm her a
little.

"But what are you going to do?" she asked.

"Do you think we can be safe when she has gone to Fan?"

"I am not going to take her to Fan."

"What are you going to do, then?"

He gave a country laugh, full of suggestion.

* * * * *

Matters so continued until the fifteenth day