going to his grandmother's on the other side, in order to pay his
obeisance, he caught sight of Lin Tai-yue coming along towards him, from
the opposite direction. Pao-yue hurriedly walked up to her, "I told you,"
he smiled, "to select those you liked from my things; how is it you
didn't choose any?"

Lin Tai-yue had long before banished from her recollection the incident
of the previous day, which had made her angry with Pao-yue, and was only
exercised about the occurrence of this present occasion. "I'm not gifted
with such extreme good fortune," she consequently answered, "as to be
able to accept them. I can't compete with Miss Pao, in connection with
whom something or other about gold or about jade is mentioned. We are
simply beings connected with the vegetable kingdom."

The allusion to the two words "gold and jade," aroused, of a sudden,
much emotion in the heart of Pao-yue. "If beyond what people say about
gold or jade," he protested, "the idea of any such things ever crosses
my mind, may the heavens annihilate me, and may the earth extinguish me,
and may I for ten thousand generations never assume human form!"

These protestations convinced Lin Tai-yue that suspicion had been aroused
in him. With all promptitude, she smiled and observed, "They're all to
no use! Why utter such oaths, when there's no rhyme or reason! Who cares
about any gold or any jade of yours!"

"It would be difficult for me to tell you, to your face, all the secrets
of my heart," Pao-yue resumed, "but by and bye you'll surely come to know
all about them! After the three--my old grandmother, my father and my
mother--you, my cousin, hold the fourth place; and, if there be a
fifth, I'm ready to swear another oath."