CHANG AND THE CHINESE

can trust nowadays, does one? . . . But you'll think
me cynical, I fear. Yours very sincerely, Lily Lulling-
Cheetham."

The silks were pretty enough : but Chang hovered in
an airy way in the background, and presently, knowing
that his confrere spoke no English, kicked one roll with
his foot, so as to expose the price, and said to me in an
off-hand manner, as though talking about the weather,
" Dealer who supplies those silks to Mrs. Lulling-
Cheetham, friend of mine : makes them himself in
Nanking, and sell here for five dollars and a half a
yard each ! No good."

But, also, I can give an instance of the contempt,
tolerant contempt. ... I was alone at dinner one night,
when, as Chang filled my glass, he said suddenly :—

" Major Champing-Chudbury, late master, him very
angry with Chang one night."

" Really . . . I'm sorry to hear it. I hope you had
given him no cause for complaint ? "

" Angry because not like me carry Mrs. Champing-
Chudbury upstairs.95

" Well, why did you do it, then ? "

" Because she could not walk."

" Poor creature ! " I said, " a cripple. . . . But isn't
that like people ? He ought to have been pleased and
grateful to you for helping her, and instead he was angry !
. . . Though actually, I believe, he was right in a
way—because, if they can use their legs at all, it's sup-
posed to be better to make them try to walk. . . . Other-
wise the muscles atrophy."

" Mrs. Champing-Chudbury, she try walk, all right:
but no good. Tellible fall 1 Hear it all over house.
House shake like quacker.* Fall velly heavy and hurt
herself bad." (At this point, Chang laughed so uproari-
ously that he had to stop talking. ... As soon as I
could make myself heard, I replied.)
* Earthquake.
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