t Tchin-Sing had but one answer to all proposals;
it was too soon, and he desired his liberty for some time to
come. He refused the hand of Hon-Giu, of Oma, and other beautiful
young girls. Never was a young man more courted and more
overwhelmed with sweets and flowers than he, but his heart
remained insensible to all attractions. Not on account of its
coldness, for he appeared full of longing for an object to adore.
His heart seemed fixed upon some memory, some dream, perhaps, for
whose realization he was waiting and hoping. It was all in vain
to tell him of beautiful tresses, languishing eyes, and soft
hands waiting for his acceptance. He listened with a distracted
air, as if thinking of other things.

Ju-Kiouan was not less difficult to please. She refused all
suitors for her hand. This did not salute her gracefully, that
was not dainty in his habits; one had a bad handwriting, another
composed poor verses; in short all had some defect. She drew
amusing caricatures of everyone, which made her parents laugh,
and show the door to the unlucky lover in the most polite manner
possible.

At last the parents of both young people became alarmed at the
continued refusal of their children to marry, and the mothers
commenced to follow the subject in their dreams. One night Madame
Kouan dreamed that she saw a pearl of wonderful purity reposing
on the breast of her son. On the other hand, Madame Tou dreamed
that on her daughter's forehead sparkled a jasper of inestimable
value. Much consultation was held as to the significance of these
dreams. Madame Kouan's was thought to imply that her son would
win the highest honors of the Imperial Academy, while Madame
Tou's might signify that her daughter would find some untold
treasure in the garden. These interpretations, however, did not
satisfy the two mothers, whose whole minds were bent upon the
happy marriage of their children. Unfortunately both Tchin-Sing
and Ju-Kiouan persisted more obstinately than ever in their
refusal to listen to the subject.

As young people are not usually so averse to marriage, the
parents suspected some secret attachment, but a few days' careful
watching sufficed to prove that Tchin-Sing was paying court to no
young girl, and that no lover was to be seen under the balcony of
Ju-Kiouan.

At length both mothers decided to consult the bronze oracle in
the temple of Fo. After burning gilt paper and perfume before the
oracle, Madame Tou received the uns