“The two persons in question sit, side by side, upon an embroidered couch, Listening to the well-expressed compliments of those who pass to and fro. From time to time their eyes meet, and glances of a very significant amusement pass between them; Can it be that on so ceremonious an occasion they are recalling events of a gravity-removing nature? “The gentle and rainbow-like Ts’ain has already arrived, With the graceful motion of a silver carp gliding through a screen of rushes, she moves among those who are assembled. On the brow of her somewhat contentious father there rests the shadow of an ill-repressed sorrow; Doubtless the frequently-misjudged Ah-Ping is thinking of his lonely hearth, now that he is for ever parted from that which he holds most precious. “In the most commodious chamber of the house the elegant wedding-gifts are conspicuously displayed; let us stand beside the one which we have contributed, and point out its excellence to those who pass by. Surely the time cannot be far distant when the sound of many gongs will announce that the very desirable repast is at length to be partaken of.” VIII. THE VISION OF YIN, THE SON OF YAT HUANG When Yin, the son of Yat Huang, had passed beyond the years assigned to the pursuit of boyhood, he was placed in the care of the hunchback Quang, so that he might be fully instructed in the management of the various weapons used in warfare, and also in the art of stratagem, by which a skilful leader is often enabled to conquer when opposed to an otherwise overwhelming multitude. In all these accomplishments Quang excelled to an exceptional degree; for although unprepossessing in appearance he united matchless strength to an untiring subtlety. No other person in the entire Province of Kiang-si could hurl a javelin so unerringly while uttering sounds of terrifying menace, or could cause his sword to revolve around him so rapidly, while his face looked out from the glittering circles with an expression of ill-intentioned malignity that never failed to inspire his adversary with irrepressible emotions of alarm. No other person could so successfully feign to be devoid of life for almost any length of time, or by his manner of behaving create the fixed impression that he was one of insufficient understanding, and therefore harmless. It was for these reasons that Quang was chosen as the instructor of Yin by Yat Huang, who, without possessing any official degree, was a person to whom marks of obeisance were paid not only within his own town, but for a distance of many li around it.