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sometimes lacks excitement. But I wish to tell you something that you will learn for yourself when you are older." She walked to the paper door of the room and slid it open.
    "Come stand here with me, Jade," she said. They stood together and looked out over the Inner Court. It was quiet now. Lanterns hung at the corners of the buildings, and the rooms beyond glowed golden behind their paper doors. Jade could hear voices and occasionally laughter.

    "At the end of the day, when I am so tired from the laundry and preparing the food and caring for all the people in our household, sometimes I stand here like this. Everyone has eaten well and has clean clothes. Soon everyone will go to sleep in neat, orderly rooms. I have helped with all that. It is partly because of my work that the house of Han is at peace."
    She looked down at Jade and stroked her hair. "It is a very satisfying feeling, Jade. And someday you too will feel it. This is what I wish for you."
    In the touch of the gentle hand on her hair, Jade felt forgiveness. But part of her was still uneasy. She turned her head and looked up into her mother's face.
    "Mother," she whispered.
    "Yes?"
    "This feeling that you speak of. Is it enough for your happiness?"
    Jade thought her mother looked sad for just a moment, but then her face was smooth again. "Yes, Jade," she answered. "I have learned to make it enough."

Chapter Eleven
    Different Rules
    There was an eerie tension among the adults the next day. Jade noticed it at once. Her mother was stern and tightlipped at the morning meal, the aunts quiet and fearful. At first Jade thought it was because of her escape, but gradually she realized that it must be something more.
    Her father and uncles did not speak as Jade tiptoed among them serving their food, but that in itself was not unusual. It was considered bad manners to speak while eating. It was the heaviness of their silence that worried Jade, and the way her uncles kept stealing furtive glances at her father.
    The news of her escape could not have been the cause. It would have been equally poor manners for any of the men to show disapproval, for her punishment had been dealt with by her mother. It was not their business to concern themselves about her misdeed.
    Later that morning she met Tiger in the garden. Jade had so many questions for him that she hardly knew where to begin. The atmosphere that lay over the house made her whisper.
    "Brother, yesterday I saw some strange men being taken to the palace. They had broken the law, someone said." Jade swallowed nervously. "Who are these men? What did they do? Does it have something to do with our father?"
    Tiger Heart looked almost terrified. "Sister, these are truly not matters of your concern. You must not ask such questions."
    Jade was astonished. "Brother, I know it was wrong of me to leave the Inner Court. But surely you can tell me something about what I saw."
    Tiger looked around the garden as if someone might be listening. "Our father has told me a little of these matters, but I do not really understand. I know only that those men come from a land far, far from here. Their ship crashed into Cheju Island during a storm several months ago, and now they have been brought here for the King to decide their fate.
    "The sailors say that they were headed for Japan, but who knows if they are telling the truth. Perhaps they intended to come here all along. No such strangers have been allowed in Korea for nearly a hundred years. There are many in our King's court who are angry. They believe all such strangers should be killed.
    "But our father thinks it would be far better not to show fear of these men. He tells me that they might bring new ideas to Korea, and that perhaps we could learn from them.
    "Our father does not want such men to be killed. The King's court is in great disagreement now. No one knows what the King will decide."
    Jade shook her head in worry and bemusement. She was about to ask more questions when Tiger