ent of equal significance was destined to prove the wisdom of
the well-known remark concerning thoughts which are occupying one's
intellect and the unexpected appearance of a very formidable evil
spirit; for as she passed along, quickly yet with so dignified a motion
that the moss received no impression beneath her footsteps, she became
aware of a circumstance which caused her to stop by imparting to her
mind two definite and greatly dissimilar emotions.

In a grassy and open space, on the verge of which she stood, lay
the dead bodies of seventeen rebels, all disposed in very degraded
attitudes, which contrasted strongly with the easy and becoming position
adopted by the eighteenth--one who bore the unmistakable emblems of the
Imperial army. In this brave and noble-looking personage Mian at once
saw her preserver, and not doubting that an inopportune and treacherous
death had overtaken him, she ran forward and raised him in her arms,
being well assured that however indiscreet such an action might appear
in the case of an ordinary person, the most select maiden need not
hesitate to perform so honourable a service in regard to one whose
virtues had by that time undoubtedly placed him among the Three Thousand
Pure Ones. Being disturbed in this providential manner, Ling opened his
eyes, and faintly murmuring, "Oh, sainted and adorable Koon Yam, Goddess
of Charity, intercede for me with Buddha!" he again lost possession of
himself in the Middle Air. At this remark, which plainly proved Ling to
be still alive, in spite of the fact that both the maiden and the person
himself had thoughts to the contrary, Mian found herself surrounded by
a variety of embarrassing circumstances, among which occurred a
remembrance of the dead magician and the wise person at Ki whom she had
set out to summon; but on considering the various natural and sublime
laws which bore directly on the alternative before her, she discovered
that her plain destiny was to endeavour to restore the breath in the
person who was still alive rather than engage on the very unsatisfactory
chance of attempting to call it back to the body from which it had so
long been absent.

Having been inspired to this conclusion--which, when she later examined
her mind, she found not to be repulsive to her own inner feelings--Mian
returned to the house with dexterous speed, and calling together the two
attendants, she endeavoured by means of signs and drawings to explain to
them w