ortunate circumstance that there
is no Mandarin of authority between here and Canton who can receive from
this person a statement of past facts and give him instructions for the
future."

"And what will be the nature of such instructions as will be given at
Canton?" demanded Mian.

"By chance they may take the form of raising another company of bowmen,"
said Ling, with a sigh, "but, indeed, if this person can obtain any
weight by means of his past service, they will tend towards a pleasant
and unambitious civil appointment."

"Oh, my artless and noble-minded lover!" exclaimed Mian, "assuredly a
veil has been before your eyes during your residence in Canton, and your
naturally benevolent mind has turned all things into good, or you would
not thus hopefully refer to your brilliant exploits in the past. Of what
commercial benefit have they been to the sordid and miserly persons
in authority, or in what way have they diverted a stream of taels into
their insatiable pockets? Far greater is the chance that had Si-chow
fallen many of its household goods would have found their way into the
Yamens of Canton. Assuredly in Li Keen you will have a friend who will
make many delicate allusions to your ancestors when you meet, and yet
one who will float many barbed whispers to follow you when you have
passed; for you have planted shame before him in the eyes of those who
would otherwise neither have eyes to see nor tongues to discuss the
matter. It is for such a reason that this person distrusts all things
connected with the journey, except your constancy, oh, my true and
strong one."

"Such faithfulness would alone be sufficient to assure my safe return if
the matter were properly represented to the supreme Deities," said Ling.
"Let not the thin curtain of bitter water stand before your lustrous
eyes any longer, then, the events which have followed one another in the
past few days in a fashion that can only be likened to thunder following
lightning are indeed sufficient to distress one with so refined and
swan-like an organization, but they are now assuredly at an end."

"It is a hope of daily recurrence to this person," replied Mian,
honourably endeavouring to restrain the emotion which openly exhibited
itself in her eyes; "for what maiden would not rather make successful
offerings to the Great Mother Kum-Fa than have the most imposing and
verbose Triumphal Arch erected to commemorate an empty and unsatisfying
constancy?"

I