from her own pocket-money. Then also writing a promissory note for fifty
taels, she surrendered the lot to Ma, the Taoist matron. "Take these,"
she said, "in advance for presents in your temple."

At the sight of the various articles and of the promissory note, the
Taoist matron became at once unmindful of what was right and what was
wrong; and while her mouth was full of assent, she stretched out her
arm, and first and foremost laid hold of the hard cash, and next
clutched the I.O.U. Turning then towards Mrs. Chao, she asked for a
sheet of paper; and taking up a pair of scissors, she cut out two human
beings and gave them to Mrs. Chao, enjoining her to write on the upper
part of them the respective ages of the two persons in question. Looking
further for a sheet of blue paper, she cut out five blue-faced devils,
which she bade her place together side by side with the paper men, and
taking a pin she made them fast. "When I get home," she remarked, "I'll
have recourse to some art, which will, beyond doubt, prove efficacious."

When she however had done speaking, she suddenly saw Madame Wang's
waiting-maid make her appearance inside the room. "What! my dame, are
you in here!" the girl exclaimed. "Why, our lady is waiting for you!"

The two dames then parted company.

But passing them over, we will now allude to Lin Tai-y mu. As Pao-yue had
scalded his face, and did not go out of doors very much, she often came
to have a chat with him. On this particular day she took up, after her
meal, some book or other and read a couple of pages out of it. Next, she
busied herself a little with needlework, in company with Tzu Chuan. She
felt however thoroughly dejected and out of sorts. So she strolled out
of doors along with her. But catching sight of the newly sprouted bamboo