"And noble as he is brave; for although he punished the traitor pirates with death, as enemies to their true Emperor, he permitted the miserable Hollanders, who, being barbarians, could know no better, to pile up their household goods in one of their ships and depart." "Thou hast not said aught of the noble Nicholas during this terrible fight," said the princess. "Truly, O illustrious lady, he fought like the brave war tiger that he is, and performed the greatest act of the fight; for with his own hands he slew the villain Yuen." "Then great was his destiny, for he has rendered the whole empire grateful," exclaimed Ki. "They owe the noble Nicholas more gratitude than the rebel Li-Kong, of whose place of refuge, or fate, none have been able to imagine, since the taking of Chen-si by the great Woo-san-Kwei." "God is indeed great; thus may treason be for ever punished," said the princess. "But greater to thy servant was the capturing of the villain mandarin, who killed his venerable parent. I had struck the rogue down with my sword, and rejoicing that I had at last the opportunity of destroying so great a villain, was about to kill him, when he saved his life by uttering a few words." "Is it under heaven that thou couldst save the life of the slayer of thy parent?" exclaimed Chow's mother. "Truly, my noble mother, for those words were 'Thy mother and the princess.' Like magic they kept my sword suspended midway, and I said, 'What words are these, thou dog?' And the mean rogue said, 'If the noble captain will save the life of his slave, he shall be restored to his parent.' Need a son tell his mother that he promised when the rascal said, 'That it had been known for a long time to him that the princess was living in disguise in the house of the retired colao in Fokien, and that had Li-Kong been successful in defeating Koshinga, it was the rogue's intention to sail for the coast and seize the illustrious lady?" "Truly Heaven is merciful in having destroyed such a villain," said the princess. "Then," added Chow, "delighted with the discovery, my enmity to the rogue became lost in my anxiety to again see my parent; so I besought of the noble Nicholas to send me in search of those lost pearls of our existence, which he did with these words: 'Tell the illustrious princess that the Tartar rogues will seize her if she does not seek the protection of Koshinga, the friend of China and the Mings, of whose favor her adopted brother Nicholas will assure her.' Thus commissioned, I obtained one of the smallest junks of the fleet, had it repainted and disguised to resemble a trading vessel, set sail from the island, and landed this morning, when I so nearly fell into the hands of the rats of Tartars. Such is the history of thy servant, and such his mission. It is for the great wisdom of the princess alone, to consider whether the daughter of the Mings may long remain in safety and undiscovered beneath the dominion of the butchers of her race."