Later, those who told me this story declared that Sun, since he
thought he could acquire a beautiful woman for a thousand ounces,
was evidently not a respectable man. Li Chia, they said, had not
understood the sorrowful heart of Shih-niang, and was consequently
stupid, without refinement, and not worthy of mention. Shih-niang
alone was heroic. She was, in fact, unique since furtherest antiquity.
Why could she not meet some charming companion, some phoenix worthy
of her? Why did she make the mistake of loving Li Chia? An admirable
piece of jade was thrown to him who did not deserve it; so that love
turned to hate, and a thousand passionate impulses were drowned in the
deep water. Alas!


_Tu Shih-niang nu ch'en pai pao hsiang. (Tu Shih-niang,
being put to shame drowns herself with
her casket of a hundred treasures.)_
_Chin ku chi'i kuan (17th Century.)_




THE WEDDING OF YA-NEI


In the reign of the emperor Shen Tsung there lived an official named
Wu, who was at that time, Governor of Ch'ang-sha. His wife, Lin, had
given him a son named Ya-nei, or "In-the-Palace," who had that year
reached the age of sixteen. He was well endowed, although not without
tendency to wantonness; yet he had from childhood diligently studied
the classics and poetry. He had only one really extravagant failing;