The Mirror of Kong Ho by Ernest Bramah
page 32 of 182 (17%)
page 32 of 182 (17%)
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lotus-like hand towards the secret spring by which it is customary to
summon the attending slaves from the underneath parts, but restraining herself with the manner of one who would desire to make less of a thing that it otherwise might seem, she turned to me again. "How nice!" she murmured. "What a pity you did not bring them all with you, Mr. Kong. They would have been a great acquisition." "Yet it must be well weighed," I replied, not to be out-complimented touching one another, "that here they would have met so many fine and superior gentlemen that they might have become dissatisfied with my less than average prepossessions." "I wonder if they did not think of that in your case, and refuse to let you come," said one of the maidens. "The various persons must not be regarded as being on their all fours," I replied, anxious that there should be no misunderstanding on this point. "They, of course, reside within one inner chamber, but there would be no duplicity in this one adding indefinitely to the number." "Of course not; how silly of me!" exclaimed the maiden. "What splendid musical evenings you can have. But tell me, Mr. Kong (ought it not to be Messrs. Kong, mamma?), if a girl married you here would she be legally married to you in China?" "Oh yes," replied this person positively. "But could you not, by your own laws, have the marriage set aside |
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