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Hung Lou Meng, Book I - Or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel in Two Books by Xueqin Cao
page 39 of 624 (06%)
were not sufficient to pay his expenses, he was thinking of looking out
for some house where he could find a resting place when he suddenly came
across two friends acquainted with the new Salt Commissioner. Knowing
that this official was desirous to find a tutor to instruct his
daughter, they lost no time in recommending Yue-ts'un, who moved into the
Yamen.

His female pupil was youthful in years and delicate in physique, so that
her lessons were irregular. Besides herself, there were only two waiting
girls, who remained in attendance during the hours of study, so that
Yue-ts'un was spared considerable trouble and had a suitable opportunity
to attend to the improvement of his health.

In a twinkle, another year and more slipped by, and when least expected,
the mother of his ward, nee Chia, was carried away after a short
illness. His pupil (during her mother's sickness) was dutiful in her
attendance, and prepared the medicines for her use. (And after her
death,) she went into the deepest mourning prescribed by the rites, and
gave way to such excess of grief that, naturally delicate as she was,
her old complaint, on this account, broke out anew.

Being unable for a considerable time to prosecute her studies, Yue-ts'un
lived at leisure and had no duties to attend to. Whenever therefore the
wind was genial and the sun mild, he was wont to stroll at random, after
he had done with his meals.

On this particular day, he, by some accident, extended his walk beyond
the suburbs, and desirous to contemplate the nature of the rustic
scenery, he, with listless step, came up to a spot encircled by hills
and streaming pools, by luxuriant clumps of trees and thick groves of
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