Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/389

 played, and the young couple proceeded to the final ceremony of worship, which made them irrevocably man and wife. Then, as is customary upon such occa- sions, Pao-yii raised his bride's veil. For a moment he seemed as though suddenly turned into stone, as he stood there speechless and motionless, with fixed eyes gazing upon a face he had little expected to behold. Meanwhile, Pao-ch'ai retired into an inner apartment ; and then, for the first time, Pao-yii found his voice.

"Am I dreaming ?" cried he, looking round upon his assembled relatives and friends.

" No, you are married," replied several of those nearest to him. " Take care ; your father is outside. He arranged it all."

"Who was that?" said Pao-yu, with averted head, pointing in the direction of the door through which Pao-ch'ai had disappeared.

" It was Pao-ch'ai, your wife ..."

" Tai-yii, you mean ; Tai-yii is my wife," shrieked he, interrupting them ; " I want Tai-yii ! I want Tai-yii ! Oh, bring us together, and save us both ! " Here he broke down altogether. Thick sobs choked his further utter- ance, until relief came in a surging flood of tears.

All this time Tai-yii was dying, dying beyond hope of recall. She knew that the hour of release was at hand, and she lay there quietly waiting for death. Every now and again she swallowed a teaspoonful of broth, but gradually the light faded out of her eyes, and the slave- girl, faithful to the last, felt that her young mistress's fingers were rapidly growing cold. At that moment, Tai-yii's lips were seen to move, and she was distinctly heard to say, "O Pao-yii, Pao-yii . . ." Those words were her last.

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