Page:Leaves from my Chinese Scrapbook - Balfour, 1887.djvu/213

 the flowers had been destroyed? It's all a flam, to keep me from going again. He wants to make out that he's under supernatural protection, in order to scare me off!"

"What your worship says is exactly to the point," chimed in the parasites. In a short time they arrived at the garden-gate, both leaves of which were flung open, while the garden was full of visitors, who all had the same marvellous story in their mouths. But all this only hardened Chang's purpose, and he swore, loud enough to be heard, that if the fairies were there even then, he would still seize upon the garden. At last, however, after following a winding path, he found himself at the scene of his outrages of the day before, and then he saw that everything he had heard was true. Not a sign of devastation was visible; every flower bloomed upon its stalk; and there was something strange about their appearance—the more one looked at them the more beautiful they seemed to grow, till at last each flower bore a mysterious resemblance to a smiling human face.

Then Chang was chopfallen indeed; ay, and he was frightened too. But even this had no effect upon his resolution. He cast a cold, malicious glance around him, and then a thought of hideous wickedness came into his head. "Come, let us be off," he said to his associates, abruptly; "there's nothing to be done here."

"What!" exclaimed the parasites, "go away without insisting on the garden being given up to you?"

"Hush! " was the reply; "I have just thought of a splendid plan." Here they passed out of the gate, and began walking along the road again. "I am not going to say one word to old Tsiu, good or bad; but to-morrow his garden will be mine."