sinful, sinful as thoughts born of young hearts, sinful here in the
temple, in the presence of Fo and the other holy gods.

"I know whither his thoughts had strayed. At the farther end of the
city, on the flat roof paved with porcelain, on which stood the
handsome vases covered with painted flowers, sat the beauteous Pu, of
the little roguish eyes, of the full lips, and of the tiny feet. The
tight shoe pained her, but her heart pained her still more. She lifted
her graceful round arm, and her satin dress rustled. Before her stood
a glass bowl containing four gold-fish. She stirred the bowl carefully
with a slender lacquered stick, very slowly, for she, too, was lost in
thought. Was she thinking, perchance, how the fishes were richly
clothed in gold, how they lived calmly and peacefully in their crystal
world, how they were regularly fed, and yet how much happier they
might be if they were free? Yes, that she could well understand, the
beautiful Pu. Her thoughts wandered away from her home, wandered to
the temple, but not for the sake of holy things. Poor Pu! Poor
Soui-hong!

"Their earthly thoughts met, but my cold beam lay between the two,
like the sword of the cherub."

TWENTY-SEVENTH EVENING.

"The air was calm," said the Moon; "the water was transparent as the
purest ether through which I was gliding, and deep below the surface I
could see the strange plants that stretched up their long arms towards
me like the gigantic trees of the forest. The fishes swam to and fro
above their tops. High in the air a flight of wild swans were winging
their way, one of which sank lower and lower, with wearied pinions,
his eyes following the airy caravan, that melted farther and farther
into the distance. With outspread wings he sank slowly, as a soap
bubble sinks in the still air, till he touched the water. At length
his head lay back between his wings, and silently he lay there, like a
white lotus flower upon the quiet lake. And a gentle wind arose, and
crisped the quiet surface, which gleamed like the clouds that poured
along in great broad waves; and the swan raised his head, and the
glowing water splashed like blue fire over his breast and back. The
morning dawn illuminated the red clouds, the swan rose strengthened,
and flew towards the rising sun, towards the bluish coast whither the
caravan had gone; but he flew alone, with a longing in his breast.
Lonely he flew over the blue swelling billows."

TWENTY-EIGHTH EVEN