the chief minister, but still I have read the Tchon g-yong Water springs not from the earth in drops. What is weak and subtle may not be made manifest. The perfect man is able to guard his own secret.'

The object of his visit being obtained, Kyatsetao rose from his seat. As he did so, he said

"President of the Louko, I will cause one of my attendants to present you a small box, but of rare antiquity, having been in the family of Kya two hundred years."

"My lord, it is a precious pearl. I am unworthy to touch it," replied Oulintse, but whose countenance indicated the pleasure he experienced at the prospect of possessing an object so valuable in the eyes of a Chinese antiquary, and honourable on account of the donor.

"It is a thing of but small value. Merely a token of my admiration of your abilities. Accept it, and let there be no ceremony between us.”

"My lord is obeyed," replied Oulintse, who accompanied his guest to his barge, uttering a profusion of civilities in gratitude for the distinguished visit that had honoured him.

As Kyatsetao entered his barge, a paper was

* Vide Thev. Pros.

put into his hands. It was a list of presents, all, or a part, of which Oulintse offered for his acceptance or selection. Having placed a mark before a few of the least valuable, an attendant begged the minister not to wait to receive them, as his master would cause them to be presented at his palace. But the fact was, that Oulintse did not possess one thing contained in the list, and it was necessary for him to purchase before he could give them away.

CHAPTER XII.

GREAT was the bustle that pervaded the house of the jeweller Kaopingte as the hour for the reception of his guests approached. With a long bamboo cane in his hand, he liberally bestowed corrections upon every side. His servants, whenever he was in sight, hurried about with the utmost alacrity, but whenever his back was turned, they mutually rubbed their shoulders, and abused their master in a most consolatory manner; whilst every little article-thanks to the confusion-that they could purloin, was carefully put aside, to compensate for the blows they had received.

The second of the invitations 105 had already been sent out. The hour of evening approached, and Kaopingte began to feel alarmed that he would be unable to invite his friends before the latest period good breeding allowed should be arrived.

In the saloon where he was to receive his guests, and in the hall of entertainment, his wife, surrounded by her females, hobbled about upon her heels-for the curious custom of deforming the feet, to render them diminutive, deprives most Chinese women of the power to walk with steadiness-and she screamed, scolded, and flogged as much as her good husband.

At last, but not before the hour of sunset had arrived, everything was arranged as the merchant desired, and immediately a number of red sheets of paper, folded in narrow plaits, were placed in the hands of male slaves. Outside they bore the superscription of the address, and within, after the enumeration of all the names and titles of the person to whom they were directed, were the characters that expressed, "I have prepared wine, fruit, and rice, and await the illumination of your presence.'

The guests, who had for some time been in expectation of the summons, rapidly arrived. The first to make his appearance was Kaohe, in his full dress as inspector of the market, accompanied by Nansanjin in the costume of his servant, and the few minutes that preceded the arrival of the other convives were spent by the merchant in instructing his cousin in the conduct he was to pursue. How profitable these lessons were we shall presently see.

The guests being assembled in the saloon of reception, were then conducted, one by one, according to their ranks-for even the trades in China have their ceremonious laws of precedence-into the hall of entertainment, by their bowing and obsequious host.

The room into which they entered was prettily furnished, and ornamented with real and artificial flowers placed in vases of porcelain. The windows were of oiled paper; but it was already dark, and the obstacle they opposed to the admission of the light was not observed. At one end of the room was a handsome buffet, adorned with flowers, fruits, drinking-vessels, and other festal furniture, and across a corner was erected a silken screen, from behind which the ladies of the house were to witness the proceedings. Across the opposite side extended a curtain. Twelve tables were arranged along the apartment, in two lines, and were ornamented with dishes of minced meats, raised in a pyramidal form, and garnished with lemons, on the peel of which were inscribed characters that incited the reader to indulge in the pleasure of the table.

The assembled company, in all sixteen persons, stood in a line facing the buffet, from which Kaopingte took a porcelain cup, filled with rice wine, and, sustaining it by a saucer of