Page:The Overland Monthly, volume 1, issue 1.djvu/89

 so much as knock at the doors of the great? No servant would show us in, and a nice thing it would be to have our faces slapped in the presence of the whole world! My decision is—better not go!"

This high-spirited retort might have finally settled the family council, had not the good husband divined a way to save his pride, and yet make use of both the old lady and her advice. He had been gradually relaxing all the time, and at length smiling, suddenly changed his tactics.

"Good, old mother! you know these people better than I do; why should you not like to ramble in the direction of this great family yourself?"

"Nonsense! a nobleman's door is as wide as the sea, and who am I to venture into it? The footmen would turn me out, and I should have my labor for my pains!"

"Now, old lady, don't give up at this rate; if in the city you can meet with a certain Mr. Chow, a dependent of Lady Fung's, you may open every door of her mansion, though they were fastened with ten bolts!"

"Oh, yes, I knew all about the Chows, but, dear me, how, are people to know what sort of persons they are now after so many years of non-intercourse! This is the real difficulty of coming at the Chows for help. Well! well! I think I'll go myself with the little boy, for my daughter must not be seen selling her head to buy feet for such a stroll."

The next day old Madame Lew departs at dawn, and while the day was still young, reaches the Young mansion. After whole pages of diplomacy and intrigue, enough to have settled the affairs of a kingdom, the "genteel upper servants" of the establishment are induced to admit the visitors into the great drawing-room.

The hand-maiden, Miss Ping, lifts the embroidered red screen, and ushers in the old peasant woman and her charge into a vast hall, magnificently furnished with gilded lanterns and carved seats, a la Chinoise, all very costly, very grand and very uncomfortable.

Madam Lew, however, was quite fascinated by an extraordinary ticking sound, quite resembling the winnowing of flour in a machine; nor could she help gazing around for the cause of this unusual phenomenon. All of a sudden she spied in the centre of the hall a sort of box suspended on a pillar. At the bottom of this was hanging down a something like the balance weight of a steel-yard, which kept constantly wagging to and fro. "What in the name of goodness," thought the old lady, "is this? What can be the use of it?" Just then rung out a sound "dingdong," as if proceeding from a golden bell or brazen cymbal; she started to her feet with alarm, but the same sounds continued to strike ever so many times.

This extraordinary article of furniture was nothing more startling than an European clock, announcing the very hour when the great lady made her appearance in the reception room. She enters and her visitors fall upon their knees; an explanation follows, and the whole company are soon engaged in easy conversation. It soon takes the following turn. Lady Fung desirous of ascertaining the real motive of her humble visitor, says:

"Want of intercourse makes relatives but cold and distant; some will look down upon others, whom they will accuse of considering no one as good as themselves."

"Our circumstances, dear madam, have at home been very straightened, so we have been quite unable to visit you. Surely you would not have us slap your ladyship on the mouth, by our uncouth poverty!"

"Nay, such words wound the heart; even the Emperor has three families to provide for: his sisters, his mother's and his wife's relations."

"That's true, which reminds me of