sonably and
intelligently be drowned in salt water, fresh water, or--or honourable
rice spirit, shall be guilty of, and suffer--complete loss of memory."
With these words the immoderate and contemptible person sank down in a
very profound slumber.

"Alas!" said Ling, turning to Mian, who stood near, unable to retire
even had she desired, by reason of the extreme agitation into which
the incident had thrown her delicate mind and body, "how intensely
aggravating a circumstance that we are compelled to entertain so
dissolute a one by reason of this person's preoccupation when the matter
was read. Nevertheless, it is not unlikely that the detail he spoke of
was such as he insisted, to the extent of making it a thing not to be
done to journey in any manner by water. It shall be an early endeavour
of this person to get these restraining details equitably amended; but
in the meantime we will retrace our footsteps through the wood, and
the enraptured Ling will make a well-thought-out attempt to lighten the
passage by a recital of his recently-composed verses on the subject of
'Exile from the Loved One; or, Farewell and Return.'"

XIV

"My beloved lord!" said Mian sadly, on a morning after many days had
passed since the return of Ling, "have you not every possession for
which the heart of a wise person searches? Yet the dark mark is scarcely
ever absent from your symmetrical brow. If she who stands before you,
and is henceforth an integral part of your organization, has failed you
in any particular, no matter how unimportant, explain the matter to her,
and the amendment will be a speedy and a joyful task."

It was indeed true that Ling's mind was troubled, but the fault did not
lie with Mian, as the person in question was fully aware, for before
her eyes as before those of Ling the unevadable compact which had been
entered into with Chang-ch'un was ever present, insidiously planting
bitterness within even the most select and accomplished delights. Nor
with increasing time did the obstinate and intrusive person Wang become
more dignified in his behaviour; on the contrary, he freely made use of
his position to indulge in every variety of abandonment, and almost each
day he prevented, by reason of his knowledge of the things to be done
and not to be done, some refined and permissible entertainment
upon which Ling and Mian had determined. Ling had despatched many
communications upon this subject to Chang-ch'un, praying also