my heart beat violently just the same, and it pained me even more to see Tzu-chun's face turn pale, she who had always been so brave and fearless, but who seemed to have grown weak and timid of late.
"What does it matter? Heng, we'll find something new to do. We . . . "
She did not finish her sentence. I did not know why, but her voice sounded vague and unconvincing. The lamplight seemed dimmer than usual. What timid and laughable things human beings are! How profoundly affected they can be by little things like that! We first stared at each other in silence, then we began to talk about the situation, and we decided that we must do our best to stretch out as far as possible the little money we had, that we should put a classified advertisement in the papers for a copying or tutoring job and at the same time write to the editor of The Friend of Liberty, telling him of our present difficulties and asking him to help us by using some of my translations.
"Let us begin at once! Let us open up a new road!"
I turned resolutely to the table, pushing aside a bottle of sesame oil and a dish of vinegar while Tzu-chun brought to me the dim lamp. I first drafted an advertisement and then selected some books that I might translate. I had not opened any of them since we moved and they had been gathering dust. I left the letter to the last.
It was difficult. I did not know how to word it. When I stopped and tried to think, I would catch a glimpse of her face, so sad and crushed, in the dim lamplight. I never thought that such a little thing would cause such a noticeable change in Tzu-chun, who had been so resolute and fearless. The truth was that she had become very weak and timid of late—not only this evening. I felt more distressed
