SURPRISES 199
Fear of attack from Wang had passed away, and there was
no probability that Kin-Fo would lay violent hands on him-
self; his desire now was to live as long as possible.
But Kin-Fo did not care to give them an abrupt dis-
missal. If their services had not been disinterested, they
had at least been conscientious, and he therefore begged them
to stay over his marriage festivities, an invitation which
they were very pleased to accept.
"Marriage is a kind of suicide," was Fry's jesting re- mark to Craig.
"It is a surrender of one's life, at all events," was Craig's reply.
Old Nan was soon replaced in Le-ou's household by a domestic of more agreeable disposition. Loo-ta-loo, an aunt of Le-ou's, of mature age, had come to stay with her, and act a mother's part at the time of her marriage. She was the wife of a second-class mandarin of the fourth rank, with the blue button, formerly an Imperial reader, and member of the Academy of the Hanlin, apparently posses- sing every quality for performing her office in a manner worthy of the occasion.
It was Kin-Fo's intention to leave Pekin immediately after his marriage, as besides his objection to residing in the vicinity of the Imperial Court, he felt anxious to see his young wife properly installed as mistress of the sump- tuous yamen at Shang-Hai. Meantime he took temporary apartments in the Tien-Foo-Tang, or temple of celestial happiness, a very comfortable hotel and restaurant near the Tien-Men rampart, between the Chinese and Tartar towns. Craig and Fry were lodged in the same quarters. Soun had returned to his duties, but although he was always grum- bling, he took care first of all to assure himself that there was no phonograph at hand. The fate of old mother Nan was a warning to him to be cautious.
Kin-Fo had the pleasure of meeting two of his Canton friends in Pekin-the merchant Yin-Pang, and Hooal, the literate. They of course were invited to attend the ap- proaching ceremony, as well as several of the dignitaries and merchants with whom Kin-Fo was acquainted in the capitai.
Wang's apathetic, indifferent pupil seemed at last to have become truly happy; two months' trouble and botheration
