itwasasuperstition,butasuperstitionofsuchaclass,thathewhoknowsthestoryandhasseenthispicture,needhaveonlytwowordsplacedunderthepicturetomakehimunderstandit;andthesetwowordsare:"amother."

twenty-fifthevening

"itwasyesterday,inthemorningtwilight"-thesearethewordsthemoontoldme-"inthegreatcitynochimneywasyetsmoking-anditwasjustatthechimneysthatiwaslooking.suddenlyalittleheademergedfromoneofthem,andthenhalfabody,thearmsrestingontherimofthechimney-pot.'ya-hip!ya-hip!'criedavoice.itwasthelittlechimney-sweeper,whohadforthefirsttimeinhislifecreptthroughachimney,andstuckouthisheadatthetop.'ya-hip!ya-hip'yes,certainlythatwasaverydifferentthingtocreepingaboutinthedarknarrowchimneys!theairblewsofresh,andhecouldlookoverthewholecitytowardsthegreenwood.thesunwasjustrising.itshoneroundandgreat,justinhisface,thatbeamedwithtriumph,thoughitwasveryprettilyblackedwithsoot.

"'thewholetowncanseemenow,'heexclaimed,'andthemooncanseemenow,andthesuntoo.ya-hip!ya-hip!'andheflourishedhisbroomintriumph."

twenty-sixthevening

"lastnightilookeddownuponatowninchina,"saidthemoon."mybeamsirradiatedthenakedwallsthatformthestreetsandthen,certainly,adoorisseen;butitislocked,forwhatdoesthechinamancareabouttheouterworld?closewoodenshutterscoveredthewindowsbehindthewallsofthehouses;butthroughthewindowsofthetempleafaintlightglimmered.ilookedin,andsawthequaintdecorationswithin.fromthefloortotheceilingpicturesarepainted,inthemostglaringcolours,andrichlygilt-picturesrepresentingthedeedsofthegodshereonearth.ineachnichestatuesareplaced,buttheyarealmostentirelyhiddenbythecoloureddraperyandthebannersthathangdown.beforeeachidol(andtheyareallmadeoftin)stoodalittlealtarofholywater,withflowersandburningwaxlightsonit.aboveallthereststoodfo,thechiefdeity,cladinagarmentofyellowsilk,foryellowisherethesacredcolour.atthefootofthealtarsatalivingbeing,ayoungpriest.heappearedtobepraying,butinthemidstofhisprayerheseemedtofallintodeepthought,andthismusthavebeenwrong,forhischeeksglowedandhehelddownhishead.poorsoui-hong!washe,perhaps,dreamingofworkinginthelittleflowergardenbehindthehighstreetwall?anddidthatoccupationseemmoreagreeabletohimthanwatchingthewaxlightsinthetemple?ordidhewishtositattherichfeast,wipinghismouthwithsilverpaperbetweeneachcourse?orwashissinsogreatthat,ifhedaredutterit,thecelestialempirewouldpunishitwithdeath?hadhisthoughtsventuredtoflywiththeshipsofthebarbarians,totheirhomesinfardistantengland?no,histhoughtsdidnotflysofar,andyettheyweresinful,sinfulasthoughtsbornofyounghearts,sinfulhereinthetemple,inthepresenceoffoandtheotherholygods.

"iknowwhitherhisthoughtshadstrayed.atthefartherendofthecity,ontheflatroofpavedwithporcelain,onwhichstoodthehandsomevasescoveredwithpaintedflowers,satthebeauteouspu,ofthelittleroguisheyes,ofthefulllips,andofthetinytightshoepainedher,butherheartpainedherstillmore.sheliftedhergracefulroundarm,andhersatindressrustled.beforeherstoodaglassbowlcontainingfourgold-fish.shestirredthebowlcarefullywithaslenderlacqueredstick,veryslowly,forshe,too,waslostinthought.wasshethinking,perchance,howthefisheswererichlyclothedingold,howtheylivedcalmlyandpeacefullyintheircrystalworld,howtheywereregularlyfed,andyethowmuchhappiertheymightbeiftheywerefree?