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"In what special way are you so seriously ill?" she asked, sitting near the bed and touching his wrist. After a moment she continued: "Shall I tell you the name of your illness? It is called Victorious-Immortal, little daughter of Chou, and her house is near the Ts'ao Gate." The sick man was startled and sat up: "How do you know that?"
As for Erh-lang, his heart stayed faithful to the girl he had so greatly loved. At every feast he went to the temple of the Marshal-of-the-Five-Ways, and burned incense, so that the pleasant smoke of it might ascend to the palace of the soul of little Victorious-Immortal.
My little name is Victorious-Immortal. And I pray you do not charge too much, for I am not yet betrothed or married." The young lover trembled with joy, saying to himself: "These words are meant for me, I am sure of that." The merchant was meanwhile protesting, and the young girl added: "My father is not at home just now.
"Do not speak so loud," he answered, setting down his burdens. He went to his bed, and there put little Victorious-Immortal. He drew a knife from his girdle and showed it to the girl: "Little one, I have some business to settle with you. If we come to an agreement, I will take you to Fan's house. If not, you very well behold this knife, and I shall cut you in two pieces."
Seeing a chance to reach to her desire, little Victorious-Immortal decided to tell everything. When she had finished, the very old woman said: "Do not be troubled. I know one of his relations who has spoken to me of him. He is intelligent and level-headed. I shall go and see his brother, to make arrangements for your marriage, if you finally wish to marry him."
The wretched lad, obeying instinctive habit, trembled and lied: "Little sister, I have come to save you." Naturally, when little Victorious-Immortal had heard the foul Chou's violent words, her despair had made her lose all sign of life. It was for this reason that she had been put in her coffin while still alive. Aroused now by the cold, her first thought was to remember her father's anger.
But the young girl came back almost at once to draw aside the big door-curtain and to look out at him as he passed. He went on walking to and fro, as if he had lost his senses, and did not return to his house till evening. From that particular day Victorious-Immortal remained so strangely affected that she was quite unable to swallow a grain of rice, or even to touch a cake.
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