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dinner； Jasmine was glad to rest from the fatigues and heat of the day in
the cool courtyard into which her room opened。 Fortune and builders had
so arranged that a neighbouring house； towering above the inn； overlooked
this restful spot； and one of the higher windows faced exactly the position
which Jasmine had taken up。 Such a fact would not； in ordinary
circumstances； have troubled her in the least； but she had not been sitting
long before she began to feel an extraordinary attraction toward the
window。 She did her best to look the other way； but she was often
unconsciously impelled to glance up at the lattice。 Once she fancied she
saw the curtain move。 Determined to verify her impression； she suddenly
raised her eyes； after a prolonged contemplation of the pavement； and
caught a momentary sight of a girl's face； which as instantly disappeared；
but not before Jasmine had been able to recognise that it was one of
exceptional beauty。
〃Now； if I were a young man；〃 said she to herself； 〃I ought to feel my
heart beat at the sight of such loveliness； and it would be my bounden duty
to swear that I would win the owner of it in the teeth of dragons。 But as
my manhood goes no deeper than my outer garments； I can afford to sit
here with a quiet pulse and a whole skin。〃
The next day Jasmine was busily engaged in interviewing some
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officials in the interest of her father； and only reached the shelter of her inn
toward evening。 As she passed through the courtyard she instinctively
looked up at the window； and again caught a glimpse of the vision of
beauty which she had seen the evening before。 〃If she only knew；〃 thought
Jasmine； 〃that I was such a one as herself； she would be less anxious to see
me； and more likely to avoid me。〃
While amusing herself at the thought of the fair watcher； the inn door
opened； and a waiting…woman entered carrying a small box。 As she
approached Jasmine she bowed low； and with bated breath thus addressed
her：
〃May every happiness be yours； sir。 My young lady； Miss King； whose
humble dwelling is the adjoining house； seeing that you are living in
solitude； has sent me with this fruit and tea as a complimentary offering。〃
So saying； she presented to Jasmine the box； which contained pears
and a packet of scented tea。
〃To what am I indebted for this honour？〃 replied Jasmine； 〃I can claim
no relationship with your lady； nor have I the honour of her acquaintance。〃
〃My young lady says；〃 answered the waiting…woman； 〃that； among the
myriads who come to this inn and the thousands who go from it； she has
seen no one to equal your Excellency in form and feature。 At sight of you
she was confident that you came from a lofty and noble family； and having
learned from your attendants that you are the son of a colonel； she
ventured to send you these trifles to supplement the needy fare of this rude
inn。〃
〃Tell me something about your young lady；〃 said Jasmine； in a
moment of idle curiosity。
〃My young lady；〃 said the woman； 〃is the daughter of Mr。 King； who
was a vice…president of a lower court。 Her father and mother having both
visited the 'Yellow Springs' ＇Hades＇； she is now living with an aunt； who
has been blessed by the God of Wealth； and whose main object in life is to
find a husband whom her niece may be willing to marry。 The young
gentleman； my young lady's cousin； is one of the richest men in Ch'engtu。
All the larger inns belong to him； and his profits are as boundless as the
four seas。 He is as anxious as his mother to find a suitable match for the
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young lady； and has promised that so soon as she can make a choice he
will arrange the wedding。〃
〃I should have thought；〃 said Jasmine； 〃that； being the owner of so
much wealth and beauty； the young lady would have been besieged by
suitors from all parts of the empire。〃
〃So she is；〃 said the woman； 〃and from her window yonder she espies
them； for they all put up at this inn。 Hitherto she has made fun of them all；
and describes their appearance and habits in the most amusing way。 'See
this one；' says she； 'with his bachelor cap on and his new official clothes
and awkward gait； looking for all the world like a barn…door fowl dressed
up as a stork； or that one； with his round shoulders； monkey…face； and
crooked legs；' and so she tells them off。〃
〃What does she say of me； I wonder？〃 said Jasmine； amused。
〃Of your Excellency she says that her comparisons fail her； and that
she can only hope that the Fates who guided your jewelled chariot
hitherward will not tantalise her by an empty vision； but will bind your
ankles to hers with the red matrimonial cords。〃
〃How can I hope for such happiness？〃 said Jasmine； smiling。 〃But
please to tell your young lady that； being only a guest at this inn； I have
nothing worthy of her acceptance to offer in return for her bounteous gifts；
and that I can only assure her of my boundless gratitude。〃
With many bows； and with reiterated wishes for Jasmine's happiness
and endless longevity； the woman took her leave。
〃Truly this young lady has formed a most perverted attachment；〃 said
Jasmine to herself。 〃She reminds me of the man in the fairy tale who fell
in love with a shadow； and； so far as I can see； she is not likely to get any
more satisfaction out of it than he did。〃 So saying； she took up a pencil and
scribbled the following lines on a scrap of paper：
〃With thoughts as ardent as a quenchless thirst；
She sends me fragrant and most luscious fruit； Without a blush she
seeks a phenix guest ＇a bachelor＇ Who dwells alone like
case…enveloped lute。〃
After this mental effort Jasmine went to bed。 Nor had her interview
with the waiting…woman made a sufficient impression on her mind to
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interfere in any way with her sleep。 She was surprised； however； on
coming into her sitting…room in the morning； to meet the same messenger；
who； laden with a dish of hot eggs and a brew of tea； begged Jasmine to
〃deign to look down upon her offerings。〃
〃Many thanks；〃 said Jasmine； 〃for your kind attention。〃
〃You are putting the saddle on the wrong horse；〃 replied the woman。
〃In bringing you these I am but obeying the orders of Miss King； who
herself made the tea of leaves from Pu…erh in Yunnan； and who with her
own fair hands shelled the eggs。〃 〃Your young lady；〃 answered Jasmine；
〃is as bountiful as she is kind。 What return can I make her for her kindness
to a stranger？ Stay；〃 she said； as the thought crossed her mind that the
verses she had written the night before might prove a wholesome tonic for
this effusive young lady； 〃I have a few verses which I will venture to ask
her to accept。〃 So saying； she took a piece of peach…blossom paper； on
which she carefully copied the quatrain and handed it to the woman。 〃May
I trouble you；〃 said she； 〃to take this to your mistress？〃
〃If；〃 said Jasmine to herself as the woman took her departure； 〃Miss
King is able to penetrate the meaning of my verses； she won't like them。
Without saying so in so many words； I have told her with sufficient
plainness that I will have nothing to say to her。 But stupidity is a shield
sent by Providence to protect the greater part of mankind from many evils；
so perhaps she will escape。〃
It certainly in this case served to shield Miss King from Jasmine's
shafts。 She was delighted at receiving the verses； and at once sat down to
compose a quatrain to match Jasmine's in reply。 With infinite labour she
elaborated the following：
〃Sung Yuh on th' eastern wall sat deep in thought；
And longed with P'e to pluck the fragrant fruit。 If