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."
"And what does she do?" I asked. "How does she employ herself?"
"Studying, reading, painting, and embroidery. When young Li
refused to allow her to attend his father's funeral her sense of
self-respect was outraged and she cut off her hair and threatened
to commit suicide. She often fasts for a week, and has tried on
several occasions to take her own life."
I asked them if they did not fear that she might succeed finally
in this attempt to kill herself.
"Yes, we have constant apprehensions. But then, what if she did?
It would only emphasize her virtue."
It was some months after the young ladies told me what I have
just related that they called, for they had taken up the study of
English and I had agreed to help them a bit.
"How is your sister?" I inquired, for the sad fate of this young
girl weighed like a burden on my heart.
"She fasted more than usual during the early summer, but she
bathed daily and changed her clothes, dressing herself in her
most beautiful garments. She had not been sleeping well for some
time, and one day she ordered her women to leave her and not
return until they were called. They remained away until a married
sister and a sister-in-law-a niece of Li Hung-chang--called and
wanted to see her. We went to her room but found it locked. We
knocked but received no answer. We finally punched a hole through
the paper window and saw her sitting on her brick bed, her head
bolstered up with cushions and her eyes closed
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