s brightly as the sun, and the street was empty. The youthful
beauty leaned at her window, wrapped in thought and bathed in the
white light. She smiled at him, and he drew from his sleeve his
scarlet muslin handkerchief. He made the knot known as "union of
hearts gives victory." Rolling it in a ball, he threw it, and she
adroitly caught it in two hands. Then she stooped and took off one of
her little embroidered slippers. She dropped it into Chang's waiting
fingers. Enraptured with this gift, which was a pledge of love and
faith, he carried it to his lips and said softly:

"Thank you; Thank you, with all my heart!"

In tones of maddening sweetness, she replied:

"Ten thousand happinesses!"

Just then a rough voice was heard within the house. She made another
sign to him and closed the window. And he went home drunk through
silent streets made silver by the moon. Once in his library, he
examined the slipper. It was a golden lotus, so small and so light
that a thousand thoughts troubled the lover. He said:

"I must find someone to arrange our meeting, or else die from an
over-stressing of desire."

Early in the morning, he put some pieces of silver in his sleeve and
hastened to a little wine booth, not far from the house of P'an.
He knew that he would find an old woman there, whom he often met in
pleasurable places. In fact, he saw her and called to her. She at once
saluted him, saying:

"Aya! My uncle, what brings you?"

"I happened to be passing," he answered carelessly.

"But I should like you to walk a little way with me."

"In what can I serve you?" she hastened to ask.

Without speaking, he took her into a quiet little tavern. When they
were seated, and the attendant had brought them fruit and dishes of
food, he poured out a full cup of hot wine and offered it to her,
saying:

"I have something to ask of you, ma-ma Lu. But I am afraid that you
cannot accomplish it."

"Without boasting," she answered with a wide smile, "there are few
enterprises, however difficult, in which I do not succeed. What is it
you desire?"

"I want you to arrange a meeting for me with the daughter of P'an,
who lives in the Street of the Ten Officials. Here are five ounces
of silver to begin with. If you succeed, you shall have quite as much
more."

"The small Eternal Life? The little witch! I thought her so demure!
I should never have imagined she was a wild flower. But the matter is
difficult. There are only the parents