s, and dared not answer.
He brought his lips close to the delicate ear lying beside him, and
whispered:

"Why are you so bashful? We are only two women together."

Very low, she answered him:

"I am betrothed to the son of P'ei, the druggist, and already they
are urging that the ceremony should take place. Happily nothing is yet
decided."

"You are not very eager, then?"

She pushed his head gently away, saying:

"It is not nice of you to take hold of my words in this way, and to
make fun of me. If I am not eager, you do not seem to be any more so
than I."

"And how do you know that, maiden? In any case, how could I be so when
we are two women."

"You speak to me as if you were my mother," the other laughed.

"Considering my age, I should rather be your husband," he
thoughtlessly said.

She burst out laughing:

"It is I who am the husband, seeing that I took my brother's place at
the wedding."

"Well, let us not argue, but rather act as if we were husband and
wife."

Thus both of them spoke words of meaning. They grew more and more
passionate.

"Since we are husband and wife," he said impatiently, "why do we not
sleep under the same blanket?"

As he spoke, he pushed back the thick quilt, and began to observe the
garment on the so sweet and smooth, so soft and graceful body. She
had kept on an under garment, but her heart was filled with Springtime
thoughts, and she offered no resistance to his eye.

Then, trembling with desire, he came to her breasts that had so lately
dawned, and were so firm. Their tender points were red as a cock's
crest, and in all things lovable.

Delighted with this game, Prudence put out her hands to return his
caresses, and also found his breasts. But there was nothing but quite
a little button. She was astonished, and said to herself:

"She is as tall as I am. How comes it that she is not further
developed?"

But by this time Yu-lang was holding her right in his arms, and
had his lips glued to her, wantonly thrusting out his tongue. She
continued the game by giving it a little nibble, and then thrust out
her own tongue. This he so tenderly caressed with his that the girl's
body seemed all at once to melt, and she said languorously:

"This is no longer a game. We are truly husband and wife!"

The false bride, seeing that he had fully awakened the passion of his
dupe, made answer:

"Not yet. We must take off our under garments."

"But I am afraid lest people shou