ld talk. It is not good to take them
off."

He gave a nervous laugh and, without paying attention to her words,
undid her girdle and took off her garment. As he advanced toward her,
she protected herself with her two hands, saying:

"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, you must not!"

But he kissed her again upon the lips.

"There is nothing to forbid it, little sister. You may caress me
also."

In her agitation, and so as not to seem too stupid, she took off his
vest, and her timid little hand suddenly stopped short. Her surprise
was such that, for a moment, she could not speak. But at last she
said: "What man are you who dare to take my sister-in-law's place?"

"I am your husband," he answered hugging her to him.

She pushed him off, and said seriously:

"If you do not tell me in plain truth who you are, I shall cry and
call out, and you will be sorry for that."

"Do not be angry, little sister," he replied. "I will tell you
everything. I am Yu-lang, your sister-in-law's elder brother. My
parents heard that your brother was seriously ill, and did not wish my
sister to leave our house; but since your parents would not alter the
day of the marriage, I had to disguise myself and take my sister's
place, until your brother should be healed. I never expected that
Heaven would, in its bounty, allow me to become your husband. But we
alone must know of our love. Let us not betray it to any."

Pressing forward again, he tried to bind her in his arms. Although
she had believed she was with a woman, Prudence had loved him from
the first; the feeling which she had mistaken for friendship quickly
changed to that of love, for it was kindled, as was all of her, by the
young man's ardour. Nevertheless she was suffused with shame, and so
wavered between one extremity and the other.

As for him, in the freshness of his still maiden youth he spoke to
her of everlasting vows, of a love higher than the mountain and vaster
than the sea, and of a marriage shaped from a boundless happiness. Her
betrothed, her parents and her shame were all forgotten. She covered
her face with her hand and resisted no longer.

When the cloud and the rain of their intoxication had been dispelled,
they clasped each other close and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, the nurse, being in the secret of this disguise, had been
much disturbed at seeing Prudence share the young man's bed. From the
adjoining room she had heard their laughter, and then their sighs,
an