!"

When a few months had passed, Sir Hu said to his subordinates: "I have
a daughter who is very pretty and good, and would like to find a
son-in-law to marry into my family. Do you know of any one who might
answer?"

His subordinates all knew that Mosu was young and had lost his wife.
So they unanimously suggested him.

Sir Hu replied: "I have also thought of that gentleman, but he is
young and has risen very rapidly. I am afraid he has loftier
ambitions, and would not care to marry into my family and become my
son-in-law."

"He was originally poor," answered his people, "and he is your
subordinate. Should you care to show him a kindness of this sort, he
will be sure to accept it joyfully, and will not object to marrying
into your family."

"Well, if you all believe it can be done," said Sir Hu, "then pay him
a visit and find out what he thinks about it. But you must not say
that I have sent you."

Mosu, who was just then reflecting how he might win Sir Hu's favor,
took up the suggestion with pleasure, and urgently begged them to act
as his go-between in the matter, promising them a rich reward when the
connection was established.

So they went back again and reported to Sir Hu.

He said: "I am much pleased that the gentleman in question does not
disdain this marriage. But my wife and I are extremely fond of this
daughter of ours, and we can hardly resign ourselves to giving her up.
Sir Mosu is young and aristocratic, and our little daughter has been
spoiled. If he were to ill-treat her, or at some future time were to
regret having married into our family, my wife and I would be
inconsolable. For this reason everything must be clearly understood in
advance. Only if he positively agrees to do these things would I be
able to receive him into my family."

Mosu was informed of all these conditions, and declared himself ready
to accept them. Then he brought gold and pearls and colored silks to
Sir Hu's daughter as wedding gifts, and a lucky day was chosen for the
wedding. Sir Hu charged his wife to talk to Little Golden Daughter.

"Your adopted father," said she, "feels sorry for you, because you are
lonely, and therefore has picked out a young scholar for you to
marry."

But Little Golden Daughter replied: "It is true that I am of humble
birth, yet I know what is fitting. It chances that I agreed to cast my
lot with Mosu for better or for worse. And though he has shown me but
little kindness, I will marry