Shocked that they had been the means of keeping the man from so holy a duty. Nicholas apologized, and was about leaving the house, when with an hysterical laugh, the man said, "See, O honorable youths, this woman has but little faith in the power of the holy bonzes, who have been offering sacrifices to Fo, to save the life of this pearl of my existence." "By what means, O foolish man, can these bonzes save thy child's life? Are not the physicians of Hang-tcheou famous for their skill?" "Truly they are less than mice; they could not save my child, and I have dismissed them for a holy bonze, whose influence over the god who protects the lives of the young, has made him promise that my pearl shall not become dissolved in death." "She is passing from us now, O my husband," said the unhappy wife. "It cannot be, woman; the god is but chastising you with a terrible fear, for your want of faith; for how is it possible he can refuse so trifling a favor as the life of a young girl, when I have daily offered sacrifices of animals, and money, and burned incense at his altar?" Shocked at the man's superstitious belief in the power of Fo, and his brother idols, Nicholas made one other effort to shake it; finding, however, that it was useless, he paid the bill, purchased a lantern for himself and another for Chow, and they went on their way to the Buddhist monastery, the only house wherein he could find shelter for that night. CHAPTER V. ADVENTURE IN A BUDDHIST MONASTERY.--CHOW'S ENCOUNTER WITH A BONZE. To Londoners who find it an easy matter to pass, at any time of the night, from one end of the metropolis to the other, it may appear that Nicholas and Chow had no very difficult task before them. Such however, was not the case, for in the first place, instead of open thoroughfares, the great streets of the cities of China are barricaded at the ends with chains, and the smaller ones with wicket-gates, at each of which is placed a watchman, whose business it is to question every pedestrian, and through the night to keep clanging a piece of hard wood against a hollow bamboo cane, for the purpose of showing his watchfulness.