In the midst of his enchanting reverie, the lady entered supported by two servants. He was more than surprised by her appearance. Her face was full and round and she had the daintiest little feet you ever saw. He had been led to expect good looks, but not beauty like this. Meeting his eye bent on her in admiration, she looked down in modesty, and, having presented him a cup of tea, she withdrew, not having uttered a word, according to etiquette.
The go-between followed her and after a little while, which seemed a cycle to the expectant lover, she reappeared, beaming with smiles, announcing their success. In a word, the lady was so pleased with Chang’s appearance that she had decided to accept him. She begged him to move into her house that he might superintend the preparations for the wedding.
He readily assented; then hurried back to the hotel with a heart full of love for the beautiful widow and benevolent intent towards her silver dollars. To say that he trod on air is to speak within bounds. His soul was electrified with joy.
The hotel bill paid, his effects were carried “to his house.” An elegant room was given him for his temporary occupancy. A delicate lunch of sweetmeats and pastry was served, after which the lady sent word to ask if he would condescend to buy a fan for her. It was only to be had in one place.
“Certainly,” said Chang, and set out in search of the store. But it was a search for the “blessed isles.” After beating around the dense city for some hours, he returned hungry and crestfallen.
But greater disasters awaited him. He found to his dismay the door of the house locked from the outside. “What does it mean?” he muttered. He knocked, pushed, kicked; but in vain. All was still within. Now thoroughly frightened, he inquired at a store opposite. “Why, sir, this house was rented together, with its furniture, by a family named Low. They moved off this afternoon. Nothing bad has happened, I hope?”
“No! no!” said Chang, his head all in a whirl, and staggered out. That night he spent at the old inn minus three trunks, three hundred dollars, many books and “skinning papers.”
The next morning he found the two strangers. On seeing them, the potential energy of his pent-up rage became kinetic. He could have kicked the two M. A.’s ten feet with an initial velocity of one hundred and fifty pounds per second, but he did not, for he was a lawyer. So he gave vent to abusive epithets and terrific denunciation. They declared their innocence and advised him to open the flood-gates of his wrath upon the go-between.
Chang saw that he was only wasting words on them, so he went off to seek that worthy person, having no idea of finding her at home. But she was, much to his surprise, and coolly inquired how he liked his new home. “New home! You wretch! A fine match you have made for me! I will have you arrested. I will have you punished for conspiracy.”
She asserted her innocence. Indeed “she hoped to be thunder-struck if she had done wrong in procuring for him a pretty wife and a big fortune.”