64 CONJUGAL FIDELITY. 



of enjoyment had passed, perhaps never to 

 return ; and no consolation that could be offered 

 by any of her tribe had the least effect. Every 

 endeavour was made to recover the lost bird, as 

 it was not expected that the beautiful creature 

 would be killed. 



Some time had elapsed after the loss, when a 

 person, accidentally passing a hut, overheard 

 some Chinese of the lower class conversing toge- 

 ther ; he understood sufficient of their language 

 to find out that they said, " It would be a pity to 

 kill so handsome a bird." — " How, then," said 

 another, " can we dispose of it ?" The hut was 

 noted, as it was immediately suspected that the 

 lost Mandarin drake was the subject of the con- 

 versation. A servant was sent, and, after some 

 trouble, recovered the long-lost drake by paying 

 four dollars for him. He w^as then brought back 

 to the aviary in one of the usual cane cages. 



As soon as the bird recognized the aviary, he 

 expressed his joy by quacking vehemently and 

 flapping his wings. An interval of three weeks 

 had elapsed since he was taken away by force ; 

 but when the forlorn duck heard the note of 

 her lost husband, she quacked, even to scream- 

 ing, with ecstacy, and flew as far as she 

 could in the aviary to greet him on his restora- 



