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gone, hoping for the welcome moment; and then the young lady rushed hurriedly in, saying, "You are lost! Some one has told the Queen, and she, in a fit of anger, threw the handkerchief on the ground, and made use of very violent language. Oh dear! Oh dear! I'm sure something dreadful will happen." Ch'en threw himself on his knees, his face as pale as ashes, and begged to know what he should do ; but at that moment sounds were heard outside, and the young lady waved her hand to him, and ran away. Immediately a crowd came poinring in through the door, with ropes ready to secure the object of their search ; and among them was a slave-girl, who looked fixedly at oin: hero, and cried out, "Why, surely you are Mr. Ch*en, aren't you?" at the same time stopping the others from binding him until she should have reported to the Queen. In a few minutes she came back, and said the Queen requested him to walk in ; and in he went, through a number of doors, trembling all the time with fear, imtil he reached a hall, the screen before which was ornamented with green jade and silver. A beautiful girl drew aside the bamboo curtain at the door, and announced, "Mr. Ch'en;" and he himself advanced, and fell down before a lady, who was sitting upon a dais at the other end, knocking his head upon the ground, and crying out, "Thy servant is from a far-off country; spare, oh! spare his life." " Sir!" replied the Queen, rising hastily from her seat, and extending a hand to Ch*en, "but for you, I should not be here to-day. Pray excuse the rudeness of my maids." Thereupon a splendid repast was served, and wine was poured out in chased goblets, to the no small astonishment of Ch'en, who could not understand why he was treated thus. "Your kindness," observed the Queen, "in restoring me to life, I am quite unable to repay; however, as you have made my daughter the subject of your verse, the match is clearly ordained by fate, and I shall send her along to be your handmaid." Ch'en hardly knew what to make of this extraordinary accomplishment of his wishes, but the marriage was solemnised there and then; bands of music struck up wedding-airs, beautiful mats were laid down for them to walk upon, and the whole place was brilliantly lighted with a profusion of coloured lamps. Then Ch'en said to the Princess, "That