140 STRANGE STORIES FROM
shorten your life accordingly." ^ Hsiang-ju fell on his knees, and with tears implored forgiveness ; whereupon his father turned to the young lady, and said, " A girl who behaves like this disgraces others as well as herself; and if people find this out, we shan't be the only ones to suffer." The old man then went back to bed in a rage, and Miss Hung-yii, weeping' bitterly, said to Hsiang-ju, " Your father's reproaches have overwhelmed me with shame. Our friendship is now at an end." ** I could say nothing," rephed he, " as long as my father was here ; but if you have any consideration for me, I pray you think nothing of his remarks." Miss Hung-yii pro- tested, however, that they could meet no more, and then Hsiang-ju also burst into tears. "Do not weep," cried she, " our friendship was an impossible one, and time must sooner or later have put an end to these visits. Meanwhile, I hear there is a very good match to be made in the neighbourhood." Hsiang-ju repUed that he was poor ; but Miss Hung-yii told him to meet her again the following evening, when she would endeavour to do some- thing for him. At the appointed time she arrived, and, producing forty ounces of silver, presented thena to Hsiaiig- ju ; telling him that at a village some distance off there was a Miss Wei, eighteen years of age, who was not yet married because of the exorbitant demands of her parents, but that a httle extra outlay would secure for him the young lady's hand. Miss Hung-yii then bade him farewell, and Hsiang-ju went off to inform his father, expressing a desire to go and make inquiries, but saying nothing about the forty ounces. His father, thinking that they were not sufficiently well off, urged him not to go ; how- ever, by dint of argument, he finally persuaded the old man that, at any rate, there was no harm in trying. So he borrowed horses and attendants, and set off to the house of Mr. Wei, who was a man of considerable property ; and when he got there he asked Mr. Wei to come outside and accord hun a few minutes' conversation. Now the latter knew that Hsiang-ju belonged to a very good farnily ; and when he saw all the retinue that Hsiang-ju had brought
^ Meaning that it would become known to the Arbiter of life and death in the world below, who would punish him by shortening his appointed term of years. See The Wei-ch'i Devil, No. CXXXI, •
