380 CHINESE LITERATURE
her death-bed. She spoke a kind word to all, except to Pao-ch'ai. For her she had only a sigh, that fate had linked her with a husband whose heart was buried in the grave. So she died, and there was a splendid funeral, paid for out of funds raised at the pawnshop. Pao- ch'ai appeared in white ; and among the flowers which were gathered around the bier, she was unanimously pronounced to be the fairest blossom of all.
Then other members of the family die, and Pao-yii relapses into a condition as critical as ever. He is in fact at the point of death, when a startling announce- ment restores him again to consciousness. A Buddhist priest is at the outer gate, and he has brought back Pao-yii's lost tablet of jade. There was, of course, great excitement on all sides ; but the priest refused to part with the jade until he had got the promised reward. And where now was it possible to raise such a sum as that, and at a moment's notice ? Still it was felt that the tablet must be recovered at all costs. Pao-ytl's life depended on it, and he was the sole hope of the family. So the priest was promised his reward, and the jade was conveyed into the sick-room. But when Pao-yti clutched it in his eager hand, he dropped it with a loud cry and fell back gasping upon the bed.
In a few minutes Pao-yii's breathing became more and more distressed, and a servant ran out to call in the priest, in the hope that something might^yet be done. The priest, however, had disappeared, and by this time Pao- yii had ceased to breathe.
Immediately upon the disunion of body and soul which mortals call death, the spirit of Pao-yii set off on its journey to the Infinite, led by a Buddhist priest. Just then a voice called out and said that Tai-yii was
�� �
