After supper the old lady retired, leaving the lovers engaged in the liveliest conversation, laughing and chattering completely at their ease.
After a while the young man said: “I passed your house the other day and you happened to be standing at the door. And after that, I could think of nothing but you; whether I lay down to rest or sat down to eat, I could not stop thinking of you.” She laughed and answered: “It was just the same with me.“ He said: “You must know that I did not come to-day simply to look for building-land. I came hoping that you would fulfil my lifelong desire; but I was not sure how you would welcome me. What—”
He had not finished speaking when the old woman came back and asked what they were saying. When they told her, she laughed and said, “Has not Mencius written that ‘the relationship between men and women is the ground-work of society’? When lovers are agreed, not even the mandate of a parent will deter them. But my daughter is of humble birth. Are you sure that she is fit to ‘present pillow and mat’ to a great man?”
He came down from the daïs and, bowing low, begged that she would accept him as her slave. Henceforward the old lady regarded him as her son-in-law; they drank heavily together and finally parted. Next morning he had all his boxes and bags brought round to Mrs. Li’s house and settled there permanently. Henceforward he shut himself up with his mistress and none of his friends ever heard of him. He consorted only with actors and dancers and low people of that kind, passing the time in wild sports and wanton feasting. When his money was all spent, he sold his horses and men-servants. In about a year his money, property, servants and horses were all gone.
For some time the old lady’s manner towards him had been growing gradually colder, but his mistress remained as devoted as ever. One day she said to him, “We have been together a year, but I am still not with child. They say that the spirit of the Bamboo Grove answers a woman’s prayers as surely as an echo. Let us go to his temple and offer a libation.”
The young man, not suspecting any plot, was delighted to take her to the temple, and having pawned his coat to buy sweet wine for the libation, he went with her and performed the ceremony of prayer. They stayed one night at the temple and came back next day. Whipping up their donkey, they soon arrived at the north gate of the P‘ing-k‘ang quarter. At this point his mistress turned to him and said, “My aunt’s house is in a turning just near here. How would it be if we were to go there and rest for a little?”
He drove on as she directed him, and they had not gone more than a hundred paces, when he saw the entrance to a spacious carriage-drive. A servant who belonged to the place came out and stopped the cart, saying, “This is the entrance.” The young man got down and was met by some one who came out and asked who they were. When told that it was Miss Li, he went back and announced her. Presently a married lady came out who seemed to be about forty. She greeted him, saying, “Has my niece arrived?” Miss Li then got out of the cart and her aunt said to her: “Why have you not been to see me for so long?” At which they looked at one another and laughed. Then Miss Li introduced him to her aunt and when that was over they all went into a side garden near the Western Halberd Gate. In the middle of the garden was a pagoda, and round it grew bamboos and trees of every variety, while ponds and summer-houses added to its air of seclusion. He asked Miss Li if this were her aunt’s estate; she laughed, but did not answer and spoke of something else.
Tea of excellent quality was served; but when they had been drinking it for a little while, a messenger came galloping up on a huge Fergana horse, saying that Miss Li’s mother had suddenly been taken very ill and had already lost consciousness, so that they had better come back as quickly as possible.
Miss Li said to her aunt: “I am very much upset. I think I had better take the horse and ride on ahead. Then I will send it back, and you and my husband can come along later.” The young man was anxious to go with her, but the aunt and her servants engaged him in conversation, flourishing their hands in front of him and preventing him from leaving the garden. The aunt said to him: “No doubt my sister is dead by this time. You and I ought to discuss together what can be done to help with the expenses of the burial. What is the use of running off like that? Stay here and help me to make a plan for the funeral and mourning ceremonies.”
It grew late; but the messenger had not returned. The aunt said: “I am surprised he has not come back with the horse. You had better go there on foot as quickly as possible and see what has happened. I will come on later.”