_Lady W._—Here is the jar; now go to work and mend it. _Niu Chau._—[_Takes the jar in his hand and tosses it about, examining it._] This jar has certainly a very appalling fracture. _Lady W._—Therefore it requires the more care in mending. _Niu Chau._—That is self evident. _Lady W._—Now Lady Wang will retire again to her dressing-room, And after closing the doors, will resume her toilet. Her appearance she will beautify, On the left, her hair she will comb into a dragon’s-head tuft, On the right she will arrange it tastefully with flowers, Her lips she will color with blood-red vermilion, And a gem of chrysoprase will she place in the dragon’s-head tuft; Then, having completed her toilet, she will return to the door, And sit down to look at the jar mender. [_Exit._] [_Niu Chau sits down, straps the jar on his knee, and arranges his tools before him, and as he drills holes for the clamps, sings_—] Every hole drilled requires a pin, And every two holes drilled requires pins a pair. As I raise my head and look around— [_At this moment Lady Wang returns, beautifully dressed, and sits down by the door_] There sits, I see, a delicate young lady, Before she had the appearance of an old wife, Now she is transformed into a handsome young girl; On the left, her hair is combed into a dragon’s head tuft, On the right it is adorned tastefully with flowers. Her lips are like plums, her mouth is all smiles, Her eyes are brilliant as the phœnix’s; and She stands on golden lilies, but two inches long. I look again, another look—down drops the jar. [_The jar at this moment falls, and is broken to pieces._] [_Speaks._] Heigh-ya! Here then is a dreadful smash. _Lady W._—You have but to replace it with another, and do so quickly. _Niu Chau._—For one that was broken, a good one must be given. Had two been broken, then were a pair to be supplied; an old one being smashed, a new one must replace it. _Lady W._—You have destroyed the jar, and return me nothing but words. Give me a new one, then you may return home, not before. _Niu Chau._—Here on my knees upon the hard ground, I beg Lady Wang, while she sits above, to listen to a few words. Let me receive pardon for the accident her beauty has occasioned, and I will at once make her my wife. _Lady W._—Impudent old man! How presume to think that I ever can become your wife! _Niu Chau._—Yes, it is true, I am somewhat older than Lady Wang, yet would I make her my wife. _Lady W._—No matter, then, for the accident, but leave me now at once. _Niu Chau._—Since you have forgiven me, I again shoulder my boxes, And I will go elsewhere in search of a wife; And here, before high heaven, I swear never again to come near the house of Wang. You a great lady! You are but a vile, ragged girl, And will yet be glad to take up with a much worse companion.