Su Tai-ch‘in, _a Suitor_. Hu Mao-yüan, _a Suitor_. P‘ing Kuei, _a Beggar_. P‘u-sa, _the Beggar’s Guardian Angel_. Lady Wang, _daughter of a high Mandarin_. Gatekeeper. _Suitors, Servants, &c._ SCENE--_Outside the city of Ch‘ang-an_. Su T‘ai-ch‘in. _At Ch‘ang-an city I reside: My father is a Mandarin; Oh! if I get the Flowery Ball, My cup of joy will overflow. My humble name is Su T‘ai-ch‘in. To-day the Lady Wang will throw A Flowery Ball to get a spouse; And if perchance this ball strikes me, I am a lucky man indeed. But now I must go on my way._ [Walks on towards the city _Enter ~Hu Mao-yüan~._ Hu Mao-yüan. _My father is a nobleman, And I’m a jolly roving blade; To-day the Lady Wang will throw A Flowery Ball to get a spouse. It all depends on destiny Whether or not this Ball strikes me. My humble name is Hu Mao-yüan; But as the Ball is thrown to-day I must be moving on my way. Why, that looks very like friend Su! I’ll call: “Friend Su, don’t go so fast.”_ Su. _It’s Hu Mao-yüan: now where go you?_ Hu. _To the Governor’s palace to get me a wife._ Su. _To the Flowery Ball? Well, I’m going too._ [Sings.] _The Lady Wang the Flowery Ball will throw, That all the world her chosen spouse might see, Among the noble suitors down below-- But who knows who the lucky man will be?_ Hu [sings.] _I think your luck is sure to take you through._ Su [sings.] _Your handsome face should bring the Ball to ~you~._ Hu [sings.] _At any rate it lies between us two._ Su [sings.] _There’s hardly anybody else who’d do._ Hu [sings.] _Then come let us go, let us make haste and run._ Su [sings.] _Away let us go, but don’t be so slow, Or we shan’t be in time for the fun._ [Exeunt. _Enter ~P‘ing Kuei~._