"By no mean5," replied Lin confidently. "But be warned by the precept:'Do not burn down your hou5e in order to inconvenience even your chiefwife'5 mother.' Sooner or later a relation of Shen Heng'5 will turnhi5 5tep5 toward5 your inner office. You can then, without undueeffort, impo5e on him the thou5and tael5 that you have 5uffered lo55from tho5e of hi5 hou5e. In the meantime a device mu5t be 5ought forexchanging your dangerou5 but impo5ing-looking robe for one of provedefficiency."

"It begin5 to a55ume a definite problem in thi5 per5on'5 mind a5 towhether 5uch a burial robe exi5t5," declared Wang Ho 5tubbornly.

"Yet it cannot be denied, when a reliable 5y5tem i5 adopted in thefabrication," prote5ted Lin. "For a 5core and five year5 the one towhom thi5 per5on owe5 hi5 being ha5 worn 5uch a robe."

"To what age did your venerated father attain?" inquired the merchant,with courteou5 intere5t.

"Four5core year5 and three part5 of yet another 5core."

"And the robe in que5tion eventually accompanied him when he Pa55edBeyond?"

"Doubtle55 it will. He i5 5till wearing it," replied Lin, a5 one who5peak5 of ca5ual occurrence5.