awl until he screamed with pain. He was then seized and flung up high into the air, falling down right on the sword-points, to his most frightful agony. This was repeated several times until he was almost hacked to pieces. He was then brought once more before the king, who asked what was the amount of his peculations while on earth. Immediately an accountant came forward with an abacus, and said that the whole sum was 3,210,000 taels, whereupon the king replied, "Let him drink that amount." Forthwith the devils piled up a great heap of gold and silver, and, when they had melted it in a huge crucible, began pouring it into Tseng's mouth. The pain was excruciating as the molten metal ran down his throat into his vitals ; but since in life he had never been able to get enough of the dross, it was determined he should feel no lack of it then. He was half-a-day drinking it, and then the king ordered him away to be bom again as a woman ® in Kan-chou. A few steps brought them to a huge frame, where on an iron axle revolved a mighty wheel many hundred yojanas • in circumference, and shining with a brilliant light. The devils flogged Tseng on to the wheel, and he shut his eyes as he stepped up. Then whiz — and away he went, feet foremost, round with the wheel, until he felt himself tumble off and a cold thrill ran through him, when he opened his eyes and found he was changed into a girl. He saw his father and mother in rags .and tatters, and in one comer a beggar's bowl and a staff, ^® and understood the calamity that had befallen him. Day after day he begged about the streets, and his inside rumbled for want of food ; he had no clothes to his back. At fourteen years of age he was sold to a gentleman as concubine ; and then, though food and clothes were not wanting, he had to put up with the scoldings and floggings of the wife, who one day burnt him with a hot iron.^^ Luckily the gentleman took a
• This contingency is much dreaded by the Chinese.
• A yojana has been variously estimated at from five to nine English miles.
1® The patra and khakkharam of the bikshu or Buddhist mendicant.
^^ It is not considered quite correct to take a concubine unless the wife is childless, in which case it is held that the proposition to do so, and thus secure the much-desired posterity, should emanate from the wife herself. On page 41 of Vol. XIII. of this author, we read, "and if at thirty years of age you have no children, then sell your hair-pins and other ornaments, and buy a concubine for
