Five hundred years ago, in the reign of the Emperor Houng-Wou, whose
dynasty was _Ming_, there lived in the City of Genii, the city of
Kwang-tchau-fu, a man celebrated for his learning and for his piety,
named Tien-Pelou. This Tien-Pelou had one son, a beautiful boy, who for
scholarship and for bodily grace and for polite accomplishments had no
superior among the youths of his age. And his name was Ming-Y.

Now when the lad was in his eighteenth summer, it came to pass that
Pelou, his father, was appointed Inspector of Public Instruction at the
city of Tching-tou; and Ming-Y accompanied his parents thither. Near the
city of Tching-tou lived a rich man of rank, a high commissioner of the
government, whose name was Tchang, and who wanted to find a worthy
teacher for his children. On hearing of the arrival of the new Inspector
of Public Instruction, the noble Tchang visited him to obtain advice in
this matter; and happening to meet and converse with Pelou's
accomplished son, immediately engaged Ming-Y as a private tutor for his
family.

Now as the house of this Lord Tchang was situated several miles from
town, it was deemed best that Ming-Y should abide in the house of his
employer. Accordingly the youth made ready all things necessary for his
new sojourn; and his parents, bidding him farewell, counselled him
wisely, and cited to him the words of Lao-tseu and of the ancient sages:

"_By a beautiful face the world is filled with love; but Heaven may
never be deceived thereby. Shouldst thou behold a woman coming from the
East, look thou to the West; shouldst thou perceive a maiden approaching
from the West, turn thine eyes to the East._"

If Ming-Y did not heed this counsel in after days, it was only because