the imperial consort of the Chia family， we must now observe， upon catching sight， from the interior of her chair， of the picture presented within as well as without the confines of this garden， shook her head and heaved a sigh. "What lavish extravagance！ What excessive waste！" she soliloquised.
But of a sudden was again seen a eunuch who， on his knees， invited her to get into a boat； and the Chia consort descended from the chair and stepped into the craft， when the expanse of a limpid stream met her gaze， whose grandeur resembled that of the dragon in its listless course. The stone bannisters， on each side， were one mass of air-tight lanterns， of every colour， made of crystal or glass， which threw out a light like the lustre of silver or the brightness of snow.
the willow， almond and the whole lot of trees， on the upper side， were， it is true， without blossom and leaves； but pongee and damask silks， paper and lustring had been employed， together with rice-paper， to make flowers of， which had been affixed on the branches. Upon each tree were suspended thousands of lanterns； and what is more， the lotus and aquatic plants， the ducks and water fowl in the pond had all， in like manner， been devised out of conches and clams， plumes and feathers. The various lanterns， above and below， vied in refulgence. In real truth， it was a crystal region， a world of pearls and precious stones. On board the boat were also every kind of lanterns representing such designs as are used on flower-pots， pearl-laden portieres， embroidered curtains， oars of cinnamon wood， and paddles of magnolia， which need not of course be minutely described.
they entered a landing with a stone curb； and on this landing was erected a flat lantern upon which were plainly visible the four characters the "Persicary beach and flower-laden bank." But， reader， you have heard how that these four characters "the persicary beach and the flower-laden bank，" the motto "a phoenix comes with dignified air，" and the rest owe one and all their origin to the unexpected test to which Chia Cheng submitted， on a previous occasion， Pao-yue's literary abilities； but how did it come about that they were actually adopted？
You must remember that the Chia family had been， generation after generation， given to the study of letters， so that it was only natural that there should be among them one or two renowned writers of verses； for how could they ever resemble the families of such upstarts， who only employ puerile expressions as a makeshift to get through what they have to do？ But the why and the wherefore must be sought in the past. The consort， belonging to the Chia mansion， had， before she entered the palace， been， from her infancy， also brought up by dowager lady Chia； and when Pao-yue was subsequently added to the family， she was the eldest sister and Pao-yue the youngest child. The Chia consort， bearing in mind how that she had， when her mother was verging on old age， at length obtained this younger brother， she for this reason doated upon him with single love； and as they were besides companions in their attendance upon old lady Chia， they were inseparable for even a moment. Before Pao-yue had entered school， and when three or four years of age， he had already received oral instruction from the imperial spouse Chia from the contents of several books and had committed to memory several thousands of characters， for though they were only sister and brother， they were like mother and child. And after she had entered the Palace， she was wont time and again to have letters taken out to her father and her cousins， urgently recommending them to be careful with his bringing up， that if they were not strict， he could not possibly become good for anything， and that if they were immoderately severe， there was the danger of something unpropitious befalling him， with the result， moreover， that his grandmother would be stricken with sorrow； and this solicitude on his account was never for an instant lost sight of by her.
Hence it was that Chia Cheng having， a few days back， heard his teacher extol him for his extreme abilities， he forthwith put him to the test on the occasion of their ramble through the garden. And though （his compositions） were not in the bold style of a writer of note， yet they were productions of their own family， and would， moreover， be instrumental， when the Chia consort had her notice attracted by them， and come to know that they were devised by her beloved brother， in also not rendering nugatory the anxious interest which she had ever entertained on his behalf， and he， therefore， purposely adopted what had been suggested by Pao-yue； while for those places， for which on that day no devices had been completed， a good number were again subsequently composed to make up what was wanted.
After the Chia consort had， for we shall now return to her， perused the four characters， she gave a smile. "The two words 'flower-laden bank，'" she said， "are really felicitous， so what use was there for 'persicary beach？'"
When the eunuch in waiting heard this observation， he promptly jumped off the craft on to the bank， and at a flying pace hurried to communicate it to Chia Cheng， and Chia Cheng instantly effected the necessary alteration.
By this time the craft had reached the inner bank， and leaving the boat， and mounting into her sedan chair， she in due course contemplated the magnificent Jade-like Palace； the Hall of cinnamon wood， lofty and sublime； and the marble portals with the four characters in bold style： the "Precious confines of heavenly spirits，" which the Chia consort gave directions should be changed for the four words denoting： "additional Hall （for the imperial consort） on a visit to her parents." And forthwith making her entrance into the travelling lodge her gaze was attracted by torches burning in the court encompassing the heavens， fragments of incense strewn on the ground， fire-like trees and gem-like flowers， gold-like windows and jade-like bannisters. But it would be difficult to give a full account of the curtains， which rolled up （as fine as a） shrimp's moustache； of the carpets of other skins spread on the floor； of the tripods exhaling the fragrant aroma of the brain of the musk deer； of the screens in a row resembling fans made of pheasant tails. Indeed， the gold-like doors and the windows like jade were suggestive of the abode of spirits； while the halls made of cinnamon wood and the palace of magnolia timber， of the very homes of the imperial secondary consorts.
