ordinary young person
at Chee Chou," said Kai Lung imperturbably, "then the remainder of the
history of the noble-minded Yung Chang can remain until an evil fate has
overtaken Wang Yu, as it assuredly will shortly."

"A fair wind raises no storm," said Wang Yu sulkily; and Kai Lung
continued:

"Such loveliness could not escape the evil eye of Li Ting, and
accordingly, as he grew in favour with Ti Hung, he obtained his consent
to the drawing up of the marriage contracts. More than this, he had
already sent to Ning two bracelets of the finest gold, tied together
with a scarlet thread, as a betrothal present. But, as the proverb
says, 'The good bee will not touch the faded flower,' and Ning, although
compelled by the second of the Five Great Principles to respect her
father, was unable to regard the marriage with anything but abhorrence.
Perhaps this was not altogether the fault of Li Ting, for on the evening
of the day on which she had received his present, she walked in the
rice fields, and sitting down at the foot of a funereal cypress, whose
highest branches pierced the Middle Air, she cried aloud:

"'I cannot control my bitterness. Of what use is it that I should be
called the "White Pigeon among Golden Lilies," if my beauty is but for
the hog-like eyes of the exceedingly objectionable Li Ting? Ah, Yung
Chang, my unfortunate lover! what evil spirit pursues you that you
cannot pass your examination for the second degree? My noble-minded but
ambitious boy, why were you not content with an agricultural or even a
manufacturing career and happiness? By aspiring to a literary degree,
you have placed a barrier wider than the Whang Hai between us.'

"'As the earth seems small to the soaring swallow, so shall insuperable
obstacles be overcome by the heart worn smooth with a fixed purpose,'
said a voice beside her, and Yung Chang stepped from behind the cypress
tree, where he had been waiting for Ning. 'O one more symmetrical than
the chrysanthemum,' he continued, 'I shall yet, with the aid of my
ancestors, pass the second degree, and even obtain a position of high
trust in the public office at Peking.'

"'And in the meantime,' pouted Ning, 'I shall have partaken of the
wedding-cake of the utterly unpresentable Li Ting.' And she exhibited
the bracelets which she had that day received.

"'Alas!' said Yung Chang, 'there are times when one is tempted to doubt
even the most efficacious and violent means. I had hoped that by