cientiously observed as a protection against evil.

Not even the most venerable person in Si-chow could remember the time
when the magician had not lived there, and as there existed no written
record narrating the incident, it was with well-founded probability
that he was said to be incapable of death. Contrary to the most general
practice, although quite unmarried, he had adopted no son to found a
line which would worship his memory in future years, but had instead
brought up and caused to be educated in the most difficult varieties
of embroidery a young girl, to whom he referred, for want of a more
suitable description, as the daughter of his sister, although he would
admit without hesitation, when closely questioned, that he had never
possessed a sister, at the same time, however, alluding with some
pride to many illustrious brothers, who had all obtained distinction in
various employments.

Few persons of any high position penetrated into the house of the
magician, and most of these retired with inelegant haste on perceiving
that no domestic altar embellished the great hall. Indeed, not to make
concealment of the fact, the magician was a person who had entirely
neglected the higher virtues in an avaricious pursuit of wealth. In that
way all his time and a very large number of taels had been expended,
testing results by means of the four elements, and putting together
things which had been inadequately arrived at by others. It was
confidently asserted in Si-chow that he possessed every manner of
printed leaf which had been composed in whatsoever language, and all the
most precious charms, including many snake-skins of more than ordinary
rarity, and the fang of a black wolf which had been stung by seven
scorpions.

On the death of his father the magician had become possessed of great
wealth, yet he contributed little to the funeral obsequies nor did any
suggestion of a durable and expensive nature conveying his enlightened
name and virtues down to future times cause his face to become
gladdened. In order to preserve greater secrecy about the enchantments
which he certainly performed, he employed only two persons within the
house, one of whom was blind and the other deaf. In this ingenious
manner he hoped to receive attention and yet be unobserved, the
blind one being unable to see the nature of the incantations which he
undertook, and the deaf one being unable to hear the words. In this,
however, he was unsuccessfu