in sympathy with me.

"I must take leave of them; and I cannot neglect to thank them for the
money they have lent me."

Accompanied by her Lord, she went to each pavilion to greet her
friends. Now, one of them, Yuch-lang, was a very close friend of
Shih-niang, so, seeing that she had not done her hair, she led her to
her own toilet-table, and ran to call another friend, Hsu Su-Su. Then
she took from her coffers many ornaments of king-fisher leather
and bracelets and jasper pins, even embroidered robes and girdles
ornamented with phoenix. She gave them to Shih-niang, over-coming her
with gratitude.

She also ordered a feast of congratulation, to which all their friends
were invited, and finally, at the end of day, offered the pair a bed
for the night.

When she was alone with Li Chia, Shih-niang asked:

"Where shall we go when we have left the capital? Has my Lord made a
decision on this point?"

"My father," he answered, "is still angry with me. If, in addition, he
learns that I have married my Little-Sister, and that I am coming back
with her, he will doubtless be carried quite away by rage. I have not
found a satisfactory plan."

"Your father has feelings from Heaven. He could not break completely
with you. Would it not be better for us to go to him, and to keep to