tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">THE DWARF HUNTERS

18 THE CORPSE THE BLOOD-DRINKER 22 LOVE REWARDED 30 THE WOMAN IN GREEN 38 THE FAULT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 42 DECEIVING SHADOWS 47 PEACEFUL-LIGHT 54 HONG THE CURRIER 61 AUTUMN-MOON 72 THE PRINCESS NELUMBO 79 THE TWO BROTHERS 84 THE MARBLE ARCH 90 THE DUTIFUL SON 106 THROUGH MANY LIVES 110 THE RIVER OF SORROWS 114 THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND 120 THE SPIRIT OF THE RIVER 125 THE-DEVILS-OF-THE-OCEAN 131 UNKNOWN DEVILS 138 CHILDLESS 143 THE PATCH OF LAMB'S SKIN 149 LOVE'S-SLAVE 154 THE LAUGHING GHOST 162

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Strange Stories from the Lodge of Leisures

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THE GHOST IN LOVE

On the 15th day of the First Moon, in the second year of the period of "Renewed Principles," the streets of the town of the Eastern Lake were thronged with people who were strolling about.

At the setting of the sun every shop was brightly lit up; processions of people moved hither and thither; strings of boys were carrying lanterns of every form and colour; whole families passed, every member of whom, young or old, small or big, was holding at the end of a thin bamboo the lighted image of a bird, an animal, or a flower.

Richer ones, several together, were carrying enormous dragons whose luminous wings waved at every motion and whose glaring eyes rolled from right to left. It was the Fête of the Lanterns.

A young man, clothed in a long pale green dress, allowed himself to be pushed about by the crowd; the passers-by bowed to him:

"How is my Lord Li The-peaceful?"

"The humble student thanks you; and you, how are you?"

"Very well, thanks to your happy influence."

"Does the precious student soon pass his second literary examination?"

"In two months; ignorant that I am. I am idling instead of working."

The fête was drawing to a close when The-peaceful quitted the main street, and went towards the East Gate, where the house was to be found in which he lived alone.

He went farther and farther: the moving lights were rarer; ere long he only saw before him the fire of a white lantern decorated with two red peonies. The paper globe was swinging to the steps of a tiny girl clothed in the blue linen that only slaves wore. The light, behind, showed the elegant silhouette of another woman, this one covered with a long jacket made in a rich pink silk edged with purple.

As the student drew nearer, the belated walker turned round, showing an oval face and big long eyes, wherein shone a bright speck, cruel and mysterious.

Li The-peaceful slackened his pace, following the two strangers, whose small feet glided silently on the shining flagstones of the street.

He was asking himself how he could begin a conversation, when the mistress turned round again, softly smiled, and in a low, rich voice, said to him:

"Is it not strange that in the advancing night we are following the same road?"

"I owe it to the favour of Heaven," he