Chia Cheng gives good advice to his wayward son. Li Kuei receives a reprimand. Chia Jui and Li Kuei rebuke the obstinate youths! Ming Yen causes trouble in the school-room.

But to return to our story. Mr. Chin， the father， and Chin Chung， his son， only waited until the receipt， by the hands of a servant， of a letter from the Chia family about the date on which they were to go to school. Indeed， Pao-yue was only too impatient that he and Chin Chung should come together， and， without loss of time， he fixed upon two days later as the day upon which they were definitely to begin their studies， and he despatched a servant with a letter to this effect.

On the day appointed， as soon as it was daylight， Pao-yue turned out of bed. Hsi Jen had already by that time got books， pencils and all writing necessaries in perfect readiness， and was sitting on the edge of the bed in a moping mood; but as soon as she saw Pao-yue approach， she was constrained to wait upon him in his toilette and ablutions.

Pao-yue， noticing how despondent she was， made it a point to address her. My dear sister， he said， how is it you arent again yourself? Is it likely that you bear me a grudge for being about to go to school， because when I leave you， youll all feel dull?

Hsi Jen smiled. What an ideal she replied. Study is a most excellent thing， and without it a whole lifetime is a mere waste， and what good comes in the long run? Theres only one thing， which is simply that when engaged in reading your books， you should set your mind on your books; and that you should think of home when not engaged in reading. Whatever you do， dont romp together with them， for were you to meet our master， your father， it will be no joke! Although its asserted that a scholar must strain every nerve to excel， yet its preferable that the tasks should be somewhat fewer， as， in the first place， when one eats too much， one cannot digest it; and， in the second place， good health must also be carefully attended to. This is my view on the subject， and you should at all times consider it in practice.

While Hsi Jen gave utterance to a sentence， Pao-yue nodded his head in sign of approval of that sentence. Hsi Jen then went on to speak. ve also packed up， she continued， your long pelisse， and handed it to the pages to take it over; so mind， when its cold in the school-room， please remember to put on this extra clothing， for its not like home， where you have people to look after you. The foot-stove and hand-stove， Ive also sent over; and urge that pack of lazy-bones to attend to their work， for if you say nothing， they will be so engrossed in their frolics， that theyll be loth to move， and let you， all for nothing， take a chill and ruin your constitution.

Compose your mind， replied Pao-yue; when I go out， I know well enough how to attend to everything my own self. But you people shouldnt remain in this room， and mope yourselves to death; and it would be well if you would often go over to cousin Lins for a romp.

While saying this， he had completed his toilette， and Hsi Jen pressed him to go and wish good morning to dowager lady Chia， Chia Cheng， madame Wang， and the other members of the family.

Pao-yue， after having gone on to give a few orders to Ching Wen and She Yueh， at length left his apartments， and coming over， paid his obeisance to dowager lady Chia. Her venerable Ladyship had likewise， as a matter of course， a few recommendations to make to him， which ended， he next went and GREeted madame Wang; and leaving again her quarters， he came into the library to wish Chia Cheng good morning.

As it happened， Chia Cheng had on this day returned home at an early hour， and was， at this moment， in the library， engaged in a friendly chat with a few gentlemen， who were family companions. Suddenly perceiving Pao-yue come in to pay his respects， and report that he was about to go to school， Chia Cheng gave a sardonic smile. If you do again， he remarked， make allusions to the words going to school， youll make even me blush to death with shame! My advice to you is that you should after all go your own way and play; thats the best thing for you; and mind you dont pollute with dirt this floor by standing here， and soil this door of mine by leaning against it!

the family companions stood up and smilingly expostulated.

Venerable Sir， they pleaded， why need you be so down upon him? Our worthy brother is this day going to school， and may in two or three years be able to display his abilities and establish his reputation. He will， beyond doubt， not behave like a child， as he did in years gone past. But as the time for breakfast is also drawing nigh， you should， worthy brother， go at once.

When these words had been spoken， two among them， who were advanced in years， readily took Pao-yue by the hand， and led him out of the library.

Who are in attendance upon Pao-yue? Chia Cheng having inquired， he heard a suitable reply， We， Sir! given from outside; and three or four sturdy fellows entered at an early period and fell on one knee， and bowed and paid their obeisance.

When Chia Cheng came to scrutinise who they were， and he recognised Li Kuei， the son of Pao-yues nurse， he addressed himself to him. You people， he said， remain waiting upon him the whole day long at school， but what books has he after all read? Books indeed! why， he has read and filled his brains with a lot of trashy words and nonsensical phrases， and learnt some ingenious way of waywardness. Wait till I have a little leisure， and Ill set to work， first and foremost， and flay your skin off， and then settle accounts with that good-for-nothing!

This threat so terrified Li Kuei that he hastily fell on both his knees， pulled off his hat， knocked his head on the ground， and gave vent to repeated assenting utterances： Oh， quite so， Sir! Our elder brother Mr. Pao has， he continued， already read up to the third book of the Book of Odes， up to where theres something or other like： Yiu， Yiu， the deer bleat; the lotus leaves and duckweed. Your servant wouldnt presume to tell a lie!

As he said this， the whole company burst out into a boisterous fit of laughter， and Chia Cheng himself could not also contain his countenance and had to laugh. Were he even， he observed， to read thirty books of the Book of Odes， it would be as much an imposition upon people and no more， as (when the thief) who， in order to steal the bell， stops up his own ears! You go and present my compliments to the gentleman in the schoolroom， and tell him， from my part， that the whole lot of Odes and old writings are of no use， as they are subjects for empty show; and that he should， above all things， take the Four Books， and explain them to him， from first to last， and make him know them all thoroughly by heart，that this is the most important thing!

Li Kuei signified his obedience with all promptitude， and perceiving that Chia Cheng had nothing more to say， he retired out of the room.

During this while， Pao-yue had been standing all alone outside in the court， waiting quietly with suppressed voice， and when they came out he at once walked away in their company.

Li Kuei and his companions observed as they shook their clothes， Did you， worthy brother， hear what he said that he would first of all flay our skins off! Peoples servants acquire some respectability from the master whom they serve， but we poor fellows fruitlessly wait upon you， and are beaten and blown up in the bargain. It would be well if we were， from henceforward， to be treated with a certain amount of regard.

Pao-yue smiled， Dear Brother， he added， dont feel aggrieved; Ill invite you to come round to-morrow!

My young ancestor， replied Li Kuei， who presumes to look forward to an invitation? all I entreat you is to listen to one or two words I have to say， thats all.

As they talked they came over once more to dowager lady Chias on this side.

Chin Chung had already arrived， and the old lady was first having a chat with him. Forthwith the two of them exchanged salutations， and took leave of her ladyship; but Pao-yue， suddenly remembering that he had not said good-bye to Tai-yue， promptly betook himself again to Tai-yues quarters to do so.

Tai-yue was， at this time， below the window， facing the mirror， and adjusting her toilette. Upon hearing Pao-yue mention that he was on his way to school， she smiled and remarked， Thats right! youre now going to school and youll be sure to reach the lunar palace and pluck the olea fragrans; but I cant go along with you.

My dear cousin， rejoined Pao-yue， wait for me to come out from school， before you have your evening meal; wait also until I come to prepare the cosmetic of rouge.

After a protracted chat， he at length tore himself away and took his departure.

How is it， interposed Tai-yue， as she once again called out to him and stopped him， that you dont go and bid farewell to your cousin Pao Chai?

Pao-yue smiled， and saying not a word by way of reply he straightway walked to school， accompanied by Chin Chung.

This public school， which it must be noticed was also not far from his quarters， had been originally instituted by the founder of the establishment， with the idea that should there be among the young fellows of his clan any who had not the means to engage a tutor， they should readily be able to enter this class for the prosecution of their studies; that all those of the family who held official position should all give (the institution) pecuniary assistance， with a view to meet the expenses necessary for allowances to the students; and that they were to select men advanced in years and possessed of virtue to act as tutors of the family school.

the two of them， Chin Chung and Pao-yue， had now entered the class， and after they and the whole number of their schoolmates had made each others acquaintance， their studies were commenced. Ever since this time， these two were wont to come together， go together， get up together， and sit together， till they became more intimate and close. Besides， dowager lady Chia got very fond of Chin Chung， and would again and again keep him to stay with them for three and five days at a time， treating him as if he were one of her own GREat-grandsons. Perceiving that in Chin Chungs home there was not much in the way of sufficiency， she also helped him in clothes and other necessaries; and scarcely had one or two months elapsed before Chin Chung got on friendly terms with every one in the Jung mansion.

Pao-yue was， however， a human being who could not practise contentment and observe propriety; and as his sole delight was to have every caprice gratified， he naturally developed a craving disposition. We two， you and I， are， he was also wont secretly to tell Chin Chung， of the same age， and fellow-scholars besides， so that theres no need in the future to pay any regard to our relationship of uncle and nephew; and we should treat each other as brothers or friends， thats all.

Chin Chung at first (explained that) he could not be so presumptuous; but as Pao-yue would not listen to any such thing， but went on to address him as brother and to call him by his style Ching Ching， he had likewise himself no help， but to begin calling him， at random， anything and anyhow.

there were， it is true， a large number of pupils in this school， but these consisted of the sons and younger brothers of that same clan， and of several sons and nephews of family connections. The proverb appositely describes that there are nine species of dragons， and that each species differs; and it goes of course without saying that in a large number of human beings there were dragons and snakes， confusedly admixed， and that creatures of a low standing were included.

Ever since the arrival of the two young fellows， Chin Chung and Pao-yue， both of whom were in appearance as handsome as budding flowers， and they， on the one hand， saw how modest and genial Chin Chung was， how he blushed before he uttered a word， how he was timid and demure like a girl， and on the other hand， how that Pao-yue was naturally proficient in abasing and demeaning himself， how he was so affable and good-natured， considerate in his temperament and so full of conversation， and how that these two were， in consequence， on such terms of intimate friendship， it was， in fact， no matter of surprise that the whole company of fellow-students began to foster envious thoughts， that they， behind their backs， passed on their account， this one one disparaging remark and that one another， and that they insinuated slanderous lies against them， which extended inside as well as outside the school-room.

Indeed， after Hsueeh Pan had come over to take up his quarters in madame Wangs suite of apartments， he shortly came to hear of the existence of a family school， and that this school was mainly attended by young fellows of tender years， and inordinate ideas were suddenly aroused in him. While he therefore fictitiously gave out that he went to school， [he was as irregular in his attendance as the fisherman] who catches fish for three days， and suns his nets for the next two; simply presenting his school-fee gift to Chia Tai-jui and making not the least proGREss in his studies; his sole dream being to knit a number of familiar friendships. Who would have thought it， there were in this school young pupils， who， in their greed to obtain money， clothes and eatables from Hsueeh Pan， allowed themselves to be cajoled by him， and played tricks upon; but on this topic， it is likewise superfluous to dilate at any length.

there were also two lovable young scholars， relatives of what branch of the family is not known， and whose real surnames and names have also not been ascertained， who， by reason of their good and winsome looks， were， by the pupils in the whole class， given two nicknames， to one that of Hsiang Lin， Fragrant Love， and to the other Yue Ai， Precious Affection. But although every one entertained feelings of secret admiration for them， and had the wish to take liberties with the young fellows， they lived， nevertheless， one and all， in such terror of Hsueeh Ps imperious influence， that they had not the courage to come forward and interfere with them.

As soon as Chin Chung and Pao-yue had， at this time， come to school， and they had made the acquaintance of these two fellow-pupils， they too could not help becoming attached to them and admiring them， but as they also came to know that they were GREat friends of Hsueeh Pan， they did not， in consequence， venture to treat them lightly， or to be unseemly in their behaviour towards them. Hsiang Lin and Yue Ai both kept to themselves the same feelings， which they fostered for Chin Chung and Pao-yue， and to this reason is to be assigned the fact that though these four persons nurtured fond thoughts in their hearts there was however no visible sign of them. Day after day， each one of them would， during school hours， sit in four distinct places： but their eight eyes were secretly linked together; and， while indulging either in innuendoes or in double entendres， their hearts， in spite of the distance between them， reflected the whole number of their thoughts.

But though their outward attempts were devoted to evade the detection of other peoples eyes， it happened again that， while least expected， several sly lads discovered the real state of affairs， with the result that the whole school stealthily frowned their eyebrows at them， winked their eyes at them， or coughed at them， or raised their voices at them; and these proceedings were， in fact， not restricted to one single day.

As luck would have it， on this day Tai-jui was， on account of business， compelled to go home; and having left them as a task no more than a heptameter line for an antithetical couplet， explaining that they should find a sentence to rhyme， and that the following day when he came back， he would set them their lessons， he went on to hand the affairs connected with the class to his elder grandson， Chia Jui， whom he asked to take charge.

Wonderful to say Hsueeh Pan had of late not frequented school very often， not even so much as to answer the roll， so that Chin Chung availed himself of his absence to ogle and smirk with Hsiang Lin; and these two pretending that they had to go out， came into the back court for a chat.

Does your worthy father at home mind your having any friends? Chin Chung was the first to ask. But this sentence was scarcely ended， when they heard a sound of coughing coming from behind. Both were taken much aback， and， speedily turning their heads round to see， they found that it was a fellow-scholar of theirs， called Chin Jung.

Hsiang Lin was naturally of somewhat hasty temperament， so that with shame and anger mutually impelling each other， he inquired of him， Whats there to cough at? Is it likely you wouldnt have us speak to each other?

I dont mind your speaking， Chin Jung observed laughing; but would you perchance not have me cough? Ill tell you what， however; if you have anything to say， why not utter it in intelligible language? Were you allowed to go on in this mysterious manner， what strange doings would you be up to? But I have sure enough found you out， so whats the need of still prevaricating? But if you will， first of all， let me partake of a share in your little game， you and I can hold our tongue and utter not a word. If not， why the whole school will begin to turn the matter over.

At these words， Chin Chung and Hsiang Lin were so exasperated that their blood rushed up to their faces. What have you found out? they hastily asked.

What I have now detected， replied Chin Jung smiling， is the plain truth! and saying this he went on to clap his hands and to call out with a loud voice as he laughed： They have moulded some nice well-baked cakes， wont you fellows come and buy one to eat! (These two have been up to larks， wont you come and have some fun!)

Both Chin Chung and Hsiang Lin felt resentful as well as fuming with rage， and with hurried step they went in， in search of Chia Jui， to whom they reported Chin Jung， explaining that Chin Jung had insulted them both， without any rhyme or reason.