"The noble Nicholas has a father?"
"Truly, a noble one."
"Then, as Chow has neither father, mother, nor aught else, but hatred for his father's slayer and gratitude to the preserver of his life——"
"What words are these?" said Nicholas, impatiently.
"The good Nicholas has money; let him give it to Chow, and he will bribe the mandarin to slit him into ribbons in thy stead," said Chow, seriously.
"Silence, Chow! this scheme of thine is offensive," said Nicholas, not without a tear at the boys devotion.
"Alas! of what use is a friend if he will not be serviceable in the hour of need?" said Chow.
Their conversation was interrupted by the opening of the door.
"It is the illustrious Yang himself, who spoke good words to the boy-correcting mandarin; may he be turned into a bamboo himself in the next world," exclaimed Chow with a writhe of remembrance.
"Thou art the son of the good merchant, my correspondent?" said Yang.