"Gracious Yeh, why are you so disquieted?" observed his physician, who at that moment entered the apartment. "Pray do not be annoyed by trifles." "Trifles! you withered old anatomy, you miserable compound of cunning and conceit, you--you go to--" "Yes, your excellency; but what is the trouble about? What has the usual serenity of your most excellent excellency's mind been disturbed about?" mildly inquired the patient and long-suffering "man of many remedies." "Look at this!" cried the irascible governor, thrusting the offensive document under the nose of the last speaker, in a manner which totally prevented his reading it. "Look at that. Do--you--call that a trifle, eh?" Without taking notice of the offensive manner in which Yeh spoke and acted, the old fellow calmly re-adjusted his horn spectacles, scratched his shaven pate, and then delivered himself as follows:-- "My vision's not quite as good as it was sixty years ago, but from a casual inspection I judge this to be a prescription for the prevention of heart-burn, it being about the size of the papers I dispense for that disease." "Hum! and you're the official who has charge of my valuable person? Go, sir, you are dismissed; I physic myself in future." "Great Fo, hear him," cried the old fellow, falling upon his hands, and kow-towing before the now calmed governor. "Oh, mighty Yeh, don't be angry with an old man. I confess I am almost blind, but believe me I am still possessing my other faculties. Who will prescribe for you when I am gone? Who knows your constitution as I do? Oh, gracious governor, don't discharge me." "Go, sir!" "Then I give thee a parting present, my lord; for the day may come when you will wish me back. Two at night before going to bed, and you'll never want another physician," saying which he handed Yeh a small bamboo-box, then kow-tow'd and having collected his treasures, made the best of his way towards the White Cloud Mountains. "Two at night. What does the fool mean? Two gold-leaf pills. POISON; So he thinks these foreign barbarians may take me, does he? I'll keep them; they may be useful if luck goes against me." After much pushing and jostling, Thompson arrived at an open space where he deposited his buckets: and, walking away, mingled with the crowd, who were struggling towards the water's edge, where the boatmen were reaping a fine harvest by carrying passengers at about ten times the ordinary fare. No one who could not pay was taken across; and although a tremendous crowd was waiting, the calculating sampan men would not lower their demands a sapeck.