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restorersent in five guinea bottles to any address on receipt of four
penny stampsas he appeared in his celebrated impersonation of the
human…faced Swan at Doll and Edgar's。 Come on； oh； Ho！〃
〃Assuredly；〃 I replied； striving to follow him； 〃yet with the wary
greeting； 'Slowly； slowly； walk slowly；' engraved upon my mind； for
the barrier of these convoluted stairs〃 but at this word a band of
maidens passed out hastily； and in the tumult I reached the dais and
began Weng Chi's immortal verses； entitled 〃The Meandering Flight；〃
which had occupied me three complete days and nights in the detail of
rendering the allusions into well…balanced similitudes and at the same
time preserving the skilful evasion of all conventional rules which
raises the original to so sublime a height。
The voice of one singing at the dawn；
The seven harmonious colours in the sky；
The meeting by the fountain；
The exchange of gifts； and the sound of the processional drum；
The emotion of satisfaction in each created being；
This is the all…prominent indication of the Spring。
The general disinclination to engage in laborious tasks；
The general readiness to consume voluminous potions on any
pretext。
The deserted appearance of the city and the absence of the
come…in motion at every door；
The sportiveness of maidens； and even those of maturer age；
ethereally clad； upon the shore。
The avowed willingness of merchants to dispose of their wares
for half the original sum。
This undoubtedly is the Summer。
The yellow tea leaf circling as it falls；
The futile wheeling of the storm…tossed swan；
The note of the marble lute at evening by the pool；
The immobile cypress seen against the sun。
The unnecessarily difficult examination paper。
All these things are suggestive of the Autumn。
The growing attraction of a well…lined couch。
The obsequious demeanour of message…bearers； charioteers； and
the club…armed keepers of peace。
The explosion of innumerable fire…crackers round the convivial
shines；
The gathering together of relations who at all other times
shun each other markedly。
The obtrusive recollection of a great many things contrary to
a spoken vow； and the inflexible purpose to be more
resolute in future。
These in turn invariably attend each Winter。
It certainly had not presented itself to me before that the words
〃invariably attend〃 are ill…chosen； but as I would have uttered them
their inelegance became plain； and this person made eight
conscientious attempts to soften down their harsh modulation by
various interchanges。 He was still persevering hopefully when he of
chief authority approached and requested that the one who was thus
employed and that same other would leave the hall tranquilly； as the
all…water entertainment was at an end； and an attending slave was in
readiness to extinguish the lanterns。
〃Yet；〃 I protested unassumingly； 〃that which has so far been expressed
is only in the semblance of an introductory ode。 There follow〃
〃You must not argue with the Chair；〃 exclaimed another interposing his
voice。 〃Whatever the Chair rules must be accepted。〃
〃The innuendo is flat…witted；〃 I replied with imperturbable dignity；
but still retaining my hold upon the rail。 〃When this person so far
loses his sense of proportion as to contend with an irrational object；
devoid of faculties； let the barb be cast。 After that introduction
dealing with the four seasons； the twelve gong…strokes of the day are
reviewed in a like fashion。 These in turn give place to the days of
the month； then the moons of the year； and finally the years of the
cycle。〃
〃That's fair；〃 exclaimed the perverse though well…meaning youth； whom
I was beginning to recognise as the cause of some misunderstanding
among us。 〃If you don't want any more of his poemand I don't blame
youmy pal Ho； who is one of the popular Flip…Flap Troupe； offers to
do some trick cycle…riding on his ears。 What more can you expect？〃
〃We expect a policeman very soon；〃 replied another severely。 〃He has
already been sent for。〃
〃In that case；〃 said the one who had so persistently claimed me as an
ally； 〃perhaps I can do you a service by directing him here〃； and
leaving this person to extricate himself by means of a reassuring
silence and some of the larger silver pieces of the Island； he
vanished hastily。
With some doubt whether or not this deviation into the society of the
professedly virtuous； ending as it admittedly does in an involvement；
may not be deemed ill…starred； yet hopeful。
KONG HO。
THE THREE GIFTS
Related by Kong Ho on the occasion of the all…water
disportment； under the circumstances previously set forth。
BEYOND the limits of the township of Yang…chow there dwelt a rich
astrologer named Wei。 Reading by his skilful interpretation of the
planets that he would shortly Pass Above； he called his sons Chu；
Shan； and Hing to his side and distributed his wealth impartially
among them。 To Chu he gave his house containing a gold couch； to Shan
a river with a boat； to Hing a field in which grew a prolific
orange…tree。 〃Thus provided for；〃 he continued； 〃you will be able to
live together in comfort； the resources of each supplying the wants of
the others in addition to his own requirements。 Therefore when I have
departed let it be your first care to sacrifice everything else I
leave； so that I also； in the Upper Air； may not be left destitute。〃
Now in addition to these three sons Wei also had another； the
youngest； but one of so docile； respectful； and self…effacing a
disposition that he was frequently overlooked to the advantage of his
subtle； ambitious； and ingratiating brothers。 This youth； Kao；
thinking that the occasion certainly called for a momentary relaxation
of his usual diffidence； now approached his father modestly； and
begged that he also might be included to some trivial degree in his
bounty。
This reasonable petition involved Wei in an embarrassing perplexity。
Although he had forgotten Kao completely in the division； he had now
definitely concluded the arrangement； nor； to his failing powers； did
it appear possible to make a just allotment on any other lines。 〃How
can a person profitably cut up an orange…tree； a boat； an inlaid
couch； or a house？〃 he demanded。 〃Who can divide a flowing river； or
what but unending strife can arise from regarding an open field in
anything but its entirety？ Assuredly six cohesive objects cannot be
apportioned between four persons。〃 Yet he could not evade the justice
of Kao's implied rebuke； so drawing to his side a jade cabinet he
opened it； and from among the contents he selected an ebony staff； a
paper umbrella； and a fan inscribed with a mystical sentence。 These
three objects he placed in Kao's hands； and with his last breath
signified that he should use them discreetly as the necessity arose。
When the funeral ceremonies were over； Chu； Shan； and Hing came
together； and soon moulded their covetous thoughts into an agreed
conspiracy。 〃Of what avail would be a boat or a river if this person
sacrificed the nets and appliances by which the fish are ensnared？〃
asked Shan。 〃How little profit would lie in an orange…tree and a field
without cattle and the implements of husbandry！〃 cried Hing。 〃One
cannot occupy a gold couch in an empty house both by day and night；〃
remarked Chu stubbornly。 〃How inadequate； therefore； would such a
provision be for three。〃
When Kao understood that his three brothers had resolved to act in
this outrageous manner he did not hesitate to reproach them； but not
being able to contend against him honourably； they met him with
ridicule。 〃Do not attempt to rule us with your wooden staff；〃 they
cried contemptuously。 〃Sacrifice IT if your inside is really sincere。
And； in the meanwhile； go and sit under your paper umbrella and wield
your inscribed fan； while we attend to our couch； our boat； and our
orange…tree。〃
〃Truly；〃 thought Kao to himself when they had departed； 〃their words
were irrationally offensive； but among them there m