rns in the morning he
looks fordone with weariness. Why not permit him to slumber in my house
during the season of snow?" And the father of Ming-Y, greatly
astonished, responded: "Sir, my son has not visited the city, nor has he
been to our house all this summer. I fear that he must have acquired
wicked habits, and that he passes his nights in evil company,--perhaps
in gaming, or in drinking with the women of the flower-boats." But the
High Commissioner returned: "Nay! that is not to be thought of. I have
never found any evil in the boy, and there are no taverns nor
flower-boats nor any places of dissipation in our neighborhood. No doubt
Ming-Y has found some amiable youth of his own age with whom to spend
his evenings, and only told me an untruth for fear that I would not
otherwise permit him to leave my residence. I beg that you will say
nothing to him until I shall have sought to discover this mystery; and
this very evening I shall send my servant to follow after him, and to
watch whither he goes."

Pelou readily assented to this proposal, and promising to visit Tchang
the following morning, returned to his home. In the evening, when Ming-Y
left the house of Tchang, a servant followed him unobserved at a
distance. But on reaching the most obscure portion of the road, the boy
disappeared from sight as suddenly as though the earth had swallowed
him. After having long sought after him in vain, the domestic returned
in great bewilderment to the house, and related what had taken place.
Tchang immediately sent a messenger to Pelou.

In the mean time Ming-Y, entering the chamber of his beloved, was
surprised and deeply pained to find her in tears. "Sweetheart," she
sobbed, wreathing her arms around his neck, "we are about to be
separated forever, because of reasons which I cannot tell you. From the
very first I knew this must come to pass; and nevertheless it seemed to
me for the moment so cruelly sudden a loss, so unexpected a misfortune,
that I could not prevent myself from weeping! After this night we shall
never see each other again, beloved, and I know that you will not be
able to forget me while you live; but I know also that you will become a
great scholar, and that honors and riches will be showered upon you, and
that some beautiful and loving woman will console you for my loss. And
now let us speak no more of grief; but let us pass this last evening
joyously, so that your recollection of me may not be a painful on