"Grandfather Chang, aren't you going to change the talisman of 'Recorded
Name' of our daughter? The other day, lucky enough for you, you had
again the great cheek to send some one to ask me for some satin of
gosling-yellow colour. I gave it to you, for had I not, I was afraid
lest your old face should have been made to feel uneasy."

"Hah, hah," roared the Taoist Chang, "just see how my eyes must have
grown dim! I didn't notice that you, my lady, were in here; nor did I
express one word of thanks to you! The talisman of 'Recorded Name' is
ready long ago. I meant to have sent it over the day before yesterday,
but the unforeseen visit of the Empress to perform meritorious deeds
upset my equilibrium, and made me quite forget it. But it's still placed
before the gods, and if you will wait I'll go and fetch it."

Saying this, he rushed into the main hall. Presently, he returned with a
tea-tray in hand, on which was spread a deep red satin cover, brocaded
with dragons. In this, he presented the charm. Ta Chieh-erh's nurse took
it from him.

But just as the Taoist was on the point of taking Ta Chieh-erh in his
embrace, lady Feng remarked with a smile: "It would have been sufficient
if you'd carried it in your hand! And why use a tray to lay it on?"

"My hands aren't clean," replied the Taoist Chang, "so how could I very
well have taken hold of it? A tray therefore made things much cleaner!"

"When you produced that tray just now," laughed lady Feng, "you gave me
quite a start; I didn't imagine that it was for the purpose of bringing
the charm in. It really looked as if you were disposed to beg donations
of us."