many people to inconvenience, they'll bear me a grudge for my impudence.
Not a soul, it's clear enough, knows anything about it now, but were you
to make such a bustle as to bring it to people's notice, you'll be in an
awkward fix, and so will I. The proper thing, therefore, is for you to
send a page to-morrow to request Dr. Wang to prepare some medicine for
me. When I take this I shall be all right. And as neither any human
being nor spirit will thus get wind of it, won't it be better?"

Pao-yue found her suggestion so full of reason that he thought himself
obliged to abandon his purpose; so approaching the table, he poured a
cup of tea, and came over and gave it to Hsi Jen to rinse her mouth
with. Aware, however, as Hsi Jen was that Pao-yue himself was not feeling
at ease in his mind, she was on the point of bidding him not wait upon
her; but convinced that he would once more be certain not to accede to
her wishes, and that the others would, in the second place, have to be
disturbed, she deemed it expedient to humour him. Leaning on the couch,
she consequently allowed Pao-yue to come and attend to her.

As soon as the fifth watch struck, Pao-yue, unmindful of combing or
washing, hastily put on his clothes and left the room; and sending for
Wang Chi-jen, he personally questioned him with all minuteness about her
ailment.

Wang Chi-jen asked how it had come about. "It's simply a bruise; nothing
more," (he said), and forthwith he gave him the names of some pills and
medicines, and told him how they were to be taken, and how they were to
be applied.

Pao-yue committed every detail to memory, and on his return into the
garden, the treatment was, needless for us to explain, taken in hand in