words written in the elegant and distinguished Book of
Verses: "Beware lest when being kissed by the all-seeing Emperor, you
step upon the elusive banana-peel." It was at the height of eminence in
this altogether degraded person's career that he encountered the being
who led him on to his present altogether too lamentable condition.

Tien Nung is the earthly name by which is known she who combines all the
most illustrious attributes which have been possessed of women since the
days of the divine Fou-Hy. Her father is a person of very gross habits,
and lives by selling inferior merchandise covered with some of good
quality. Upon past occasions, when under the direct influence of Tien,
and in the hope of gaining some money benefit, this person may have
spoken of him in terms of praise, and may even have recommended friends
to entrust articles of value to him, or to procure goods on his advice.
Now, however, he records it as his unalterable decision that the father
of Tien Nung is by profession a person who obtains goods by stratagem,
and that, moreover, it is impossible to gain an advantage over him on
matters of exchange.

The events that have happened prove the deep wisdom of Li Pen when
he exclaimed "The whitest of pigeons, no matter how excellent in the
silk-hung chamber, is not to be followed on the field of battle." Tien
herself was all that the most exacting of persons could demand, but
her opinions on the subject of picture-making were not formed by heavy
thought, and it would have been well if this had been borne in mind by
this person. One morning he chanced to meet her while carrying open in
his hands four sets of printed leaves containing his pictures.

"I have observed," said Tien, after the usual personal inquiries had
been exchanged, "that the renowned Kin Yen, who is the object of the
keenest envy among his brother picture-makers, so little regards the
sacredness of his accomplished art that never by any chance does he
depict persons of the very highest excellence. Let not the words of an
impetuous maiden disarrange his digestive organs if they should seem
too bold to the high-souled Kin Yen, but this matter has, since she has
known him, troubled the eyelids of Tien. Here," she continued, taking
from this person's hand one of the printed leaves which he was carrying,
"in this illustration of persons returning from extinguishing a fire,
is there one who appears to possess those qualities which appeal to