"This is odd!" Pao-ch'ai exclaimed.

The moment Hsi Jen heard the tidings, she shook her head and moaned. At
the remembrance of the friendship, which had ever existed between them,
tears suddenly trickled down her cheeks. And as for Pao-ch'ai, she
listened to the account of the accident and then hastened to Madame
Wang's quarters to try and afford her consolation.

Hsi Jen, during this interval, returned to her room. But we will leave
her without further notice, and explain that when Pao-ch'ai reached the
interior of Madame Wang's home, she found everything plunged in perfect
stillness. Madame Wang was seated all alone in the inner chamber
indulging her sorrow. But such difficulties did Pao-ch'ai experience to
allude to the occurrence, that her only alternative was to take a seat
next to her.

"Where do you come from?" asked Madame Wang.

"I come from inside the garden," answered Pao-ch'ai.

"As you come from the garden," Madame Wang inquired, "did you see
anything of your cousin Pao-yue?"

"I saw him just now," Pao-ch'ai replied, "go out, dressed up in his
fineries. But where he is gone to, I don't know."

"Have you perchance heard of any strange occurrence?" asked Madame Wang,
while she nodded her head and sighed. "Why, Chin Ch'uan Erh jumped into
the well and committed suicide."