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While indulging in these erratic reflections， he discerned some one coming， looking like a black apparition， who Chia Jui readily concluded， in his mind， must be lady Feng； so that， unmindful of distinguishing black from white， he as soon as that person arrived in front of him， speedily clasped her in his embrace， like a ravenous tiger pouncing upon its prey， or a cat clawing a rat， and cried： "My darling sister， you have made me wait till I'm ready to die."
As he uttered these words， he dragged the comer， in his arms， on to the couch in the room； and while indulging in kisses and protestations of warm love， he began to cry out at random epithets of endearment.
Not a sound， however， came from the lips of the other person； and Chia Jui had in the fulness of his passion， exceeded the bounds of timid love and was in the act of becoming still more affectionate in his protestations， when a sudden FLASH of a light struck his eye， by the rays of which he espied Chia Se with a candle in hand， casting the light round the place， "Who's in this room？" he exclaimed.
"Uncle Jui，" he heard some one on the couch explain， laughing， "was trying to take liberties with me！"
Chia Jui at one glance became aware that it was no other than Chia Jung； and a sense of shame at once so overpowered him that he could find nowhere to hide himself； nor did he know how best to extricate himself from the dilemma. Turning himself round， he made an attempt to make good his escape， when Chia Se with one grip clutched him in his hold.
"Don't run away，" he said； "sister-in-law Lien has already reported your conduct to madame Wang； and explained that you had tried to make her carry on an improper flirtation with you； that she had temporised by having recourse to a scheme to escape your importunities， and that she had imposed upon you in such a way as to make you wait for her in this place. Our lady was so terribly incensed， that she well-nigh succumbed； and hence it is that she bade me come and catch you！ Be quick now and follow me， and let us go and see her."
After Chia Jui had heard these words， his very soul could not be contained within his body.
"My dear nephew，" he entreated， "do tell her that it wasn't I； and I'll show you my gratitude to-morrow in a substantial manner."
"Letting you off，" rejoined Chia Se， "is no difficult thing； but how much， I wonder， are you likely to give？ Besides， what you now utter with your lips， there will be no proof to establish； so you had better write a promissory note."
"How could I put what happened in black and white on paper？" observed Chia Jui.
"there's no difficulty about that either！" replied Chia Se； "just write an account of a debt due， for losses in gambling， to some one outside； for payment of which you had to raise funds， by a loan of a stated number of taels， from the head of the house； and that will be all that is required."
"This is， in fact， easy enough！" Chia Jui having added by way of answer； Chia Se turned round and left the room； and returning with paper and pencils， which had been got ready beforehand for the purpose， he bade Chia Jui write. The two of them （Chia Jung and Chia Se） tried， the one to do a good turn， and the other to be perverse in his insistence； but （Chia Jui） put down no more than fifty taels， and appended his signature.
