got strong and hale in body, but the scars even on his face completely
healed up; so he was able to shift his quarters again into the garden of
Broad Vista.

But we will banish this topic as it does not deserve any additional
explanations. Let us now turn our attention elsewhere. During the time
that Pao-yue was of late laid up in bed, Chia Yuen along with the young
pages of the household sat up on watch to keep an eye over him, and both
day and night, they tarried on this side of the mansion. But Hsiao Hung
as well as all the other waiting-maids remained in the same part to
nurse Pao-yue, so (Chia Yuen) and she saw a good deal of each other on
several occasions, and gradually an intimacy sprung up between them.

Hsiao Hung observed that Chia Yuen held in his hand a handkerchief very
much like the one she herself had dropped some time ago and was bent
upon asking him for it, but she did, on the other hand, not think she
could do so with propriety. The unexpected visit of the bonze and Taoist
priest rendered, however, superfluous the services of the various male
attendants, and Chia-yuen had therefore to go again and oversee the men
planting the trees. Now she had a mind to drop the whole question, but
she could not reconcile herself to it; and now she longed to go and ask
him about it, but fears rose in her mind lest people should entertain
any suspicions as to the relations that existed between them. But just
as she faltered, quite irresolute, and her heart was thoroughly
unsettled, she unawares heard some one outside inquire: "Sister, are you
in the room or not?"

Hsiao Hung, upon catching this question, looked out through a hole in
the window; and perceiving at a glance that it was no one else than a
young servant-girl, attached to the same court as herself, Chia Hui by