It was the voice of Ya-nei, singing:
A dream has come to me from the Blue Bowl,
But I was not able to speak.
I could not tell her of my delight
Or appoint an endless alliance.
She rose softly, opened her cabin door without sound and went up on
to the bridge. Ya-nei was standing on the other ship, and immediately
leaped to her side, and boldly took her in his arms. Between joy and
alarm, she did not dare to resist. He drew her into her cabin and
embraced her.
At that moment one of the slaves passed before the cabin and, seeing
the door open, cried out:
"The door is open! O thieves!"
Elegant at once covered her lover with the blanket, but one of the
slaves saw the invader's feet. Ho Chang and his wife snatched away the
blanket.
"How does this wretch dare to dishonor my family?" cried the Governor
in a rage. "Ah, throw him into the river!"
In spite of the prayers of the culprit and the girl two men seized the
former, dragged him away and threw him into the water. She followed
him in despair, crying:
"I have ruined him! I wish to follow!"
And she too threw herself into the water. She woke with a start. It
was only a dream.
Till morning she lay and thought, wondering if this dream were perhaps
an omen that her destiny ought not to be bound up with that of Ya-nei.
He also had complicated dreams that night.
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