Pao-yue was inwardly giving way to that unhappiness, which had been
occasioned by Pao-ch'ai's touchiness, so when he also saw Tai-yue
approach him and taunt him, displeasure keener than ever was aroused in
him. A desire then asserted itself to speak out his mind to her, but
dreading lest Tai-yue should he in one of her sensitive moods, he,
needless to say, stifled his anger and straightway left the apartment in
a state of mental depression.

It happened to be the season of the greatest heat. Breakfast time too
was already past, and masters as well as servants were, for the most
part, under the influence of the lassitude felt on lengthy days. As
Pao-yue therefore strolled, from place to place, his hands behind his
back he heard not so much as the caw of a crow. Issuing out of his
grandmother's compound on the near side, he wended his steps westwards,
and crossed the passage, on which lady Feng's quarters gave. As soon as
he reached the entrance of her court, he perceived the door ajar. But
aware of lady Feng's habit of taking, during the hot weather, a couple
of hours' siesta at noon, he did not feel it a convenient moment to
intrude. Walking accordingly through the corner door, he stepped into
Madame Wang's apartment. Here he discovered several waiting-maids,
dosing with their needlework clasped in their hands. Madame Wang was
asleep on the cool couch in the inner rooms. Chin Ch'uan-erh was sitting
next to her massaging her legs. But she too was quite drowsy, and her
eyes wore all awry. Pao-yue drew up to her with gentle tread. The moment,
however, that he unfastened the pendants from the earrings she wore,
Chin Ch'uan opened her eyes, and realised that it was no one than
Pao-yue.

"Are you feeling so worn out!" he smilingly remarked in a low tone of