It happened to be the season of the GREatest heat. Breakfast time too was already past， and masters as well as servants were， for the most part， under the influence of the lassitude felt on lengthy days. As Pao-yue therefore strolled， from place to place， his hands behind his back he heard not so much as the caw of a crow. Issuing out of his grandmother's compound on the near side， he wended his steps westwards， and crossed the passage， on which lady Feng's quarters gave. As soon as he reached the entrance of her court， he perceived the door ajar. But aware of lady Feng's habit of taking， during the hot weather， a couple of hours' siesta at noon， he did not feel it a convenient moment to intrude. Walking accordingly through the corner door， he stepped into Madame Wang's apartment. Here he discovered several waiting-maids， dosing with their needlework clasped in their hands. Madame Wang was asleep on the cool couch in the inner rooms. Chin Ch'uan-erh was sitting next to her massaging her legs. But she too was quite drowsy， and her eyes wore all awry. Pao-yue drew up to her with gentle tread. The moment， however， that he unfastened the pendants from the earrings she wore， Chin Ch'uan opened her eyes， and realised that it was no one than Pao-yue.
"Are you feeling so worn out！" he smilingly remarked in a low tone of voice.
Chin Ch'uan pursed up her lips and gave him a smile. then waving her hand so as to bid him quit the room， she again closed her eyes.
Pao-yue， at the sight of her， felt considerable affection for her and unable to tear himself away， so quietly stretching his head forward， and noticing that Madame Wang's eyes were shut， he extracted from a purse， suspended about his person， one of the 'scented-snow-for-moistening-mouth pills，' with which it was full， and placed it on Chin Ch'uan-erh's lips. Chin Ch'uan-erh， however， did not open her eyes， but simply held （the pill） in her mouth. Pao-yue then approached her and took her hand in his. "I'll ask you of your mistress，" he gently observed smiling， "and you and I will live together."
