ided when conversing with Ming-hi on the detail of the scheme; for,
unaffected as the Mandarin himself would have been at the prospect of
an honourable poverty, it was no part of his intention that the adorable
and exceptionally-refined Lila should be drawn into such an existence.
That, indeed, had been the essential of his reply on a certain and not
far removed occasion, when two persons of widely differing positions
had each made a formal request that he might be allowed to present
marriage-pledging gifts to the very desirable Lila. Maintaining an
enlightened openness of mind upon the subject, the Mandarin had replied
that nothing but the merit of undoubted suitableness of a person would
affect him in such a decision. As it was ordained by the wise and
unchanging Deities that merit should always be fittingly rewarded,
he went on to express himself, and as the most suitable person was
obviously the one who could the most agreeably provide for her, the
two circumstances inevitably tended to the decision that the one chosen
should be the person who could amass the greatest number of taels. To
this end he instructed them both to present themselves at the end of
a year, bringing with them the entire profits of their undertakings
between the two periods.

"This deliberate pronouncement affected the two persons in question in
an entirely opposite manner, for one of them was little removed from a
condition of incessant and most uninviting poverty, while the other was
the very highly-rewarded picture-maker Pe-tsing. Both to this latter
person, and to the other one, Lee Sing, the ultimate conclusion of the
matter did not seem to be a question of any conjecture therefore, and,
in consequence, the one became most offensively self-confident, and
the other leaden-minded to an equal degree, neither remembering the
unswerving wisdom of the proverb, 'Wait! all men are but as the black,
horn-cased beetles which overrun the inferior cooking-rooms of the city,
and even at this moment the heavily-shod and unerring foot of Buddha may
be lifted.'

"Lee Sing was, by profession, one of those who hunt and ensnare the
brilliantly-coloured winged insects which are to be found in various
parts of the Empire in great variety and abundance, it being his duty
to send a certain number every year to Peking to contribute to the
amusement of the dignified Emperor. In spite of the not too intelligent
nature of the occupation, Lee Sing took an honourable