ll
walking unsteadily, he went into the nuptial pavilion to see her who
was his bride, and came before the door, supported by his attendants.
The nurse was there, and cried out loud:

"My Lord wishes to enter!"

Yu-lang was, quite naturally, holding Prudence in his arms. He hastily
released her, and went close to the door.

"You have succeeded in rising, my elder brother?" said Prudence. "You
will fatigue yourself."

"That is no matter," he answered, making a deep obeisance before her
whom he believed to be his wife.

"Ten thousand happinesses be with you!" Yu-lang graciously replied.

"What an exquisite pair!" cried the wife of Liu, proud of her son and
happy at his fortune.

The false bride's beauty was meanwhile strangely reviving the
invalid's vitality. And the other lad thought:

"He is a fine boy in spite of his illness: there is no need to pity my
sister. But if he can get up, he will waste no time in coming to spend
the night with me. I must depart as quickly as possible."

When evening came, he explained his fears to Prudence.

"It is quite necessary to persuade your mother to send me back to
my home, that I may change places with my sister. Everything will be
discovered if we delay."

"You wish to go? But what will become of me alone?"

"I have already thought of that. Alas. Alas! But we are both betrothed
to another. What can we do?"

"If you do not want me living, I must die so that my soul may follow
you."

And she sobbed and sobbed. He dried her eyes saying to her:

"Do not meet trouble in this way, but leave me to find a plan."

They clasped each other in their arms, shedding most bitter tears.

Now it must be said that the wife of Liu was a little wearied of
seeing her daughter night and day inseparable from her sister-in-law.
However, she said nothing, because the marriage was not actually
accomplished. But passing before the marriage pavilion on that day,
she heard a sobbing. She drew near noiselessly and, through a hole in
the window paper, saw them close in each other's arms and weeping.

"This is very odd," she said.

She wished to make an outcry, but remembered that her son was just
getting better, and would fall ill again from any sorrow. She gently
tried to push the door open, but it was locked. She called out:

"It is strange that this door should be locked!"

The lovers recognized her voice, and made haste to dry their tears and
open the door. She came in.

"Why do