perched on a branch, an oriole chirped jeers. 270

All doors were shut, all bolts were locked in place.

A threshold strewn with flowers—where was she?

He lingered, standing there as time passed by,

then to the rear he strolled—he saw a house.

Its owner, traveling heathen climes for trade,* 275

was still away—left vacant were the rooms.

Young Kim, as student, came to rent the house¬

he brought his lute, his books, and settled in.

He lacked for nothing—trees and rocks, a porch

inscribed in vivid gold: "Kingfisher View." * 280

The porch's name made him exult inside:

"It must be Heaven's will that we should meet!"

He left his window open just a crack

and daily glanced his eyes toward that east wall.

Nearby both spring and grotto stayed tight shut: * 285

he failed to see the nymph flit in and out.

Since he left home to dwell at this strange lodge,

twice on its rounds the moon had come and gone.

Now, on a balmy day, across the wall,

he glimpsed a lissome form beneath peach trees. 290

He dropped the lute, smoothed down his gown, rushed out:

her scent was wafting still—of her no trace.

As he paced round the wall, his eye espied

a golden hairpin caught on a peach branch.

He reached for it and took it home. He thought: 295

"It left a woman's chamber and came here.

This jewel must be hers. Why, fate binds us¬—

if not, could it have fallen in my hands?"

Now sleepless, he admired and stroked the pin

still faintly redolent of sandalwood. 300

At dawn when mists had cleared, he found the girl

peering along the wall with puzzled eyes.

The student had been lurking there in wait—¬

across the wall he spoke to test her heart:

"From nowhere I have found this hairpin here: 305

I would send back the pearl, but where's Ho p'u?"

Now from the other side Kieu's voice was heard:

"I thank him who won't keep a jewel found.

A pin's worth little, but it means so much

that in your scale what's right weighs more than gold." 310

He said: "We come and go in these same parts—¬

we're neighbors, not two strangers, not at all!

I owe this moment to some scent you dropped,

but countless torments I've endured till now.

So long I've waited for just this one day! 315

Stay on and let me ask your private thoughts."

He hurried off and fetched some things from home:

gold bracelets in a pair, a scarf of silk.

By ladder he could climb across the wall:

she was the one he'd met that day, no doubt! 320

Ashamed, the girl maintained a shy reserve:

while he gazed at her face, she hung her head.

He said: "We chanced to meet—and ever since

I have in secret yearned and pined for you.

My slender frame has wasted—who'd have thought 325

that I could linger on to see this day?

For months I dreamt my goddess in the clouds;*

lovelorn, I hugged my post, prepared to drown.*

But you are here—I beg to ask one thing:

will on a leaf of grass the mirror shine?" * 330

She faltered—after some demur she said:

"Our ways are snow pure, plain as turnip greens.

When comes the time for love, the marriage bond,*

my parents' wish will tie it or will not.

You deign to care for me, but I'm too young 335

to know what's right and dare not give my word."

He said: "It blows one day and rains the next¬—

how often does chance favor us in spring?

If you ignore and scorn my desperate love,

you'll hurt me—yet what will it profit you? 340

Let's pledge our troth with something—once that's done,

I'll plan our wedding through a go between.

Should Heaven disappoint my fondest hopes,*

I'll throw away a life in vernal bloom.

If to a lover's plea you shut your heart, 345

I'll have pursued you all in vain, for naught!"

All hushed, she drank in words whose music lulled¬—

love stirred the autumn calm of her fair eyes.

She said: "Although our friendship's still quite new,

how can my heart resist your heart's behest? 350

To your kind bosom you have taken me—¬

I'll etch your word, our troth, in stone and bronze."

Her words untied a knot within his breast—¬

to her he passed gold bracelets and red scarf.

"Henceforth I'm bound to you for life," he said. 355

"Call these small gifts a token of my love."

In hand she had a sunflower figured fan

she traded it that instant for her pin.

They had just sworn an oath to seal their pact

when from the backyard voices came, abuzz. 350

Both fled—in flurries leaves and flowers fell,