what is she? And if you don't believe me, you ask him about it,"
pointing, at the conclusion of this remark, at Pao-yue.

Pao-yue felt very uncomfortable. Rising to his feet, "Cousin," he
observed, "you should be fined heavily."

"I should be! I should be!" Hsueeh P'an shouted, and saying this, he took
up the wine and poured it down his throat with one gulp.

Feng Tzu-ying, Chiang Yue-han and their companions thereupon asked him to
explain the allusion. Yuen Erh readily told them, and Chiang Yue-han
hastily got up and pleaded guilty.

"Ignorance," the party said with one consent, "does not amount to
guilt."

But presently Pao-yue quitted the banquet to go and satisfy a natural
want and Chiang Yue-han followed him out. The two young fellows halted
under the eaves of the verandah, and Chiang Yue-han then recommenced to
make ample apologies. Pao-yue, however, was so attracted by his handsome
and genial appearance, that he took quite a violent fancy to him; and
squeezing his hand in a firm grip. "If you have nothing to do," he
urged, "do let us go over to our place. I've got something more to ask
you. It's this, there's in your worthy company some one called Ch'i
Kuan, with a reputation extending at present throughout the world; but,
unfortunately, I alone have not had the good luck of seeing him even
once."

"This is really," rejoined Chiang Yue-han with a smile, "my own infant •
name."