"It's an abacus，" Chia Cheng observed.

"Quite so！" replied Ying Ch'un smiling； after which they also conned the one below， by T'an-ch'un， which ran thus and had something to do with an object：

This is the time when 'neath the stairs the pages their heads raise！ The term of "pure brightness" is the meetest time this thing to make！ The vagrant silk it snaps， and slack， without tension it strays！ The East wind don't begrudge because its farewell it did take！

"It would seem，" Chia Cheng suggested， "as if that must be a kite！"

"It is，" answered T'an C'h'un； whereupon Chia Cheng read the one below， which was written by Tai-yue to this effect and bore upon some thing：

After the audience， his two sleeves who brings with fumes replete？ Both by the lute and in the quilt， it lacks luck to abide！ The dawn it marks； reports from cock and man renders effete！ At midnight， maids no trouble have a new one to provide！ The head， it glows during the day， as well as in the night！ Its heart， it burns from day to day and 'gain from year to year！ Time swiftly flies and mete it is that we should hold it dear！ Changes might come， but it defies wind， rain， days dark or bright！

"Isn't this a scented stick to show the watch？" Chia Cheng inquired.

"Yes！" assented Pao-yue， speaking on Tai-yue's behalf； and Chia Cheng thereupon prosecuted the perusal of a conundrum， which ran as follows， and referred to an object；

With the South， it sits face to face， And the North， the while， it doth face； If the figure be sad， it also is sad， If the figure be glad， it likewise is glad！

"Splendid！ splendid！" exclaimed Chia Cheng， "my guess is that it's a looking-glass. It's excellently done！"

Pao-yue smiled. "It is a looking glass！" he rejoined.

"This is， however， anonymous； whose work is it？" Chia Cheng went on to ask， and dowager lady Chia interposed： "This， I fancy， must have been composed by Pao-yue，" and Chia Cheng then said not a word， but continued reading the following conundrum， which was that devised by Pao-ch'ai， on some article or other：

Eyes though it has； eyeballs it has none， and empty 'tis inside！ the lotus flowers out of the water peep， and they with gladness meet， But when dryandra leaves begin to drop， they then part and divide， For a fond pair they are， but， united， winter they cannot GREet.

When Chia Cheng finished scanning it， he gave way to reflection. "This object，" he pondered， "must surely be limited in use！ But for persons of tender years to indulge in all this kind of language， would seem to be still less propitious； for they cannot， in my views， be any of them the sort of people to enjoy happiness and longevity！" When his reflections reached this point， he felt the more dejected， and plainly betrayed a sad appearance， and all he did was to droop his head and to plunge in a brown study.

But upon perceiving the frame of mind in which Chia Cheng was， dowager lady Chia arrived at the conclusion that he must be fatigued； and fearing， on the other hand， that if she detained him， the whole party of young ladies would lack the spirit to enjoy themselves， she there and then faced Chia Cheng and suggested： "There's no need really for you to remain here any longer， and you had better retire to rest； and let us sit a while longer； after which， we too will break up！"

As soon as Chia Cheng caught this hint， he speedily assented several consecutive yes's； and when he had further done his best to induce old lady Chia to have a cup of wine， he eventually withdrew out of the Hall. On his return to his bedroom， he could do nothing else than give way to cogitation， and， as he turned this and turned that over in his mind， he got still more sad and pained.

"Amuse yourselves now！" readily exclaimed dowager lady Chia， during this while， after seeing Chia Cheng off； but this remark was barely finished， when she caught sight of Pao-yue run up to the lantern screen， and give vent， as he gesticulated with his hands and kicked his feet about， to any criticisms that first came to his lips. "In this，" he remarked， "this line isn't happy； and that one， hasn't been suitably solved！" while he behaved just like a monkey， whose fetters had been let loose.

"Were the whole party after all，" hastily ventured Tai-yue， "to sit down， as we did a short while back and chat and laugh； wouldn't that be more in accordance with good manners？"

Lady Feng thereupon eGREssed from the room in the inner end and interposed her remarks. "Such a being as you are，" she said， "shouldn't surely be allowed by Mr. Chia Cheng， an inch or a step from his side， and then you'll be all right. But just then it slipped my memory， for why didn't I， when your father was present， instigate him to bid you compose a rhythmical enigma； and you would， I have no doubt， have been up to this moment in a state of perspiration！"

At these words， Pao-yue lost all patience， and laying hold of lady Feng， he hustled her about for a few moments.

But old lady Chia went on for some time to bandy words with Li Kung-ts'ai， with the whole company of young ladies and the rest， so that she， in fact， felt considerably tired and worn out； and when she heard that the fourth watch had already drawn nigh， she consequently issued directions that the eatables should be cleared away and given to the crowd of servants， and suggested， as she readily rose to her feet， "Let us go and rest！ for the next day is also a feast， and we must get up at an early hour； and to-morrow evening we can enjoy ourselves again！" whereupon the whole company dispersed.

But now， reader， listen to the sequel given in the chapter which follows.