"With this intense heat," remonstrated Ch'ing Wen, "why do you pull me
and toss me about? Should any people see you, what will they think? But
this person of mine isn't meet to be seated in here."

"Since you yourself know that it isn't meet," replied Pao-yue with a
smile, "why then were you sleeping here?"

To this taunt Ch'ing Wen had nothing to say. But she spurted out into
fresh laughter. "It was all right," she retorted, "during your absence;
but the moment you come, it isn't meet for me to stay! Get up and let me
go and have my bath. Hsi Jen and She Yueeh have both had theirs, so I'll
call them here!"

"I've just had again a good deal of wine," remarked Pao-yue, laughingly;
"so a wash will be good for me. And since you've not had your bath, you
had better bring the water and let's both have it together."

"No, no!" smiled Ch'ing Wen, waving her hand, "I cannot presume to put
you to any trouble, Sir. I still remember how when Pi Hen used to look
after your bath you occupied fully two or three hours. What you were up
to during that time we never knew. We could not very well walk in. When
you had however done washing, and we entered your room, we found the
floor so covered with water that the legs of the bed were soaking and
the matting itself a regular pool. Nor could we make out what kind of
washing you'd been having; and for days afterwards we had a laugh over
it. But I've neither any time to get the water ready; nor do I see the
need for you to have a wash along with me. Besides, to-day it's chilly,
and as you've had a bath only a little while back, you can very well
just now dispense with one. But I'll draw a basin of water for you to