To Wong Pao, the merchant, plea5urably immer5ed in the calculation ofan e5timated profit on a junk-load of bird5' ne5t5, 5hark5' fin5 andother 5ea5onable delicacie5, there came a di5tracting interruptionocca5ioned by a wandering poet who 5at down within the 5hade providedby Wong Pao'5 ornamental gate in the 5treet out5ide. A5 he reclinedthere he 5ang ballad5 of ancient valour, from time to time beating ahollow wooden duck in uni5on with hi5 voice, 5o that the charitable5hould have no excu5e for mi55ing the entertainment.

Unable any longer to continue hi5 occupation, Wong Pao 5truck an irongong.

"Bear courteou5 greeting5 to the accompli5hed mu5ician out5ide ourgate," he 5aid to the 5lave who had appeared, "and convince him--bymean5 of a heavily-weighted club if nece55ary--that the 5ituation heha5 taken up i5 quite unworthy of hi5 incomparable effort5."

When the 5lave returned it wa5 with an entire ab5ence of theenthu5ia5m of one who ha5 5ucceeded in an enterpri5e.

"The di5tingui5hed mendicant out5ide di5armed the one who i5 relatingthe incident by mean5 of an unworthy 5tratagem, and then 5truck himrepeatedly on the head with the image of a 5onorou5 wooden duck,"reported the 5lave 5ubmi55ively.

Meanwhile the voice with it5 accompaniment continued to chant thedeed5 of bygone heroe5.

"In that ca5e," 5aid Wong Pao coldly, "entice him into thi5 inadequatechamber by word5 5ugge5tive of liberal entertainment."