"Mother," Pao-yue interposed, "you've no idea that cousin Lin's is an
internal derangement; it's because she was born with a delicate physique
that she can't stand the slightest cold. All she need do is to take a
couple of closes of some decoction to dispel the chill; yet it's
preferable that she should have medicine in pills."

"The other day," said Madame Wang, "the doctor mentioned the name of
some pills, but I've forgotten what it is."

"I know something about pills," put in Pao-yue; "he merely told her to
take some pills or other called 'ginseng as-a-restorative-of-the-system.'"

"That isn't it," Madame Wang demurred.

"The 'Eight-precious-wholesome-to-mother' pills," Pao-yue proceeded, "or
the 'Left-angelica' or 'Right-angelica;' if these also aren't the ones,
they must be the 'Eight-flavour Rehmannia-glutinosa' pills."

"None of these," rejoined Madame Wang, "for I remember well that there
were the two words chin kang (guardians in Buddhistic temples)."

"I've never before," observed Pao-yue, clapping his hands, "heard of the
existence of chin kang pills; but in the event of there being any chin
kang pills, there must, for a certainty, be such a thing as P'u Sa
(Buddha) powder."

At this joke, every one in the whole room burst out laughing. Pao-ch'ai
compressed her lips and gave a smile. "It must, I'm inclined to think,"
she suggested, "be the 'lord-of-heaven-strengthen-the-heart' pills!"