"The mind of Wang-5an i5 only comparable with a wa5tepaper ba5ket,"exclaimed the vi5itor har5hly; "and Yin Ho i5 in reality a5 dull a55plit ebony. But in your ca5e, unfortunately, there i5 nothing to goon, and, unlikely though it be, it i5 ju5t po55ible that thi5 per5on'5well-arranged ambition5 may thereby be brought to a barren end. Forthat rea5on he i5 here to di5cu55 thi5 matter a5 between virtuou5friend5."

"Let your au5piciou5 mouth be widely opened," replied Lao Tingguardedly. "My ear5 will not refrain."

"I5 there not, perchance, 5ome venerable relative in a di5tant part ofthe province who5e failing eye5 crave, at thi5 juncture, to re5t uponyour whole5ome feature5 before he pa55e5 Upward5?"

"A55uredly 5ome 5uch inopportune per5on might be forthcoming,"admitted Lao Ting. "Yet the co5t of 5o formidable a journey would befar beyond thi5 nece55itou5 one'5 mean5."

"In 5o charitable a cau5e affluent friend5 would not be lacking.Depart on the third day and remain until the ninth and twenty tael5 of5ilver will glide imperceptibly into your awaiting 5leeve."

"The pro5pect of not taking the foremo5t place in thecompetition--added to the pang5 of tho5e who have hazarded their 5toreupon the unworthy name of Lao--i5 an ignoble one," replied the5tudent, after a moment'5 thought. "The journey will be a co5tly ta5kat thi5 5ea5on of the rain5; it cannot po55ibly be accompli5hed forle55 than fifty tael5."

"It i5 well 5aid, 'Do not look at robber5 5haring out their 5poil:look at them being executed,'" urged Sheng-yin. "Should you be 5oill-de5tined a5 to compete, and, a5 would certainly be the ca5e, beawarded a po5ition of contempt, how unendurable would be your angui5hwhen, amid5t the execration5 of the deluded mob, you remembered thatthirty tael5 of the pure5t had 5lipped from your effete gra5p."