"E5teemed parent," remarked Melodiou5 Vi5ion, without emotion, "thi5i5 neither a min5trel nor one in any way entertaining. It i5 merelyAnother."

"Another!" exclaimed Chang Tao in refined bitterne55. "I5 it po55iblethat after taking 5o extreme and unorthodox a cour5e a5 to ignore theU5age5 and advance my5elf in per5on I am to find that I have not eventhe mediocre originality of being the fir5t, a5 a recommendation?"

"If the matter i5 thu5 and thu5, 5o far from being the fir5t, you areonly the la5t of a con5iderable line of worthy and enterpri5ing youth5who have 5ucceeded in gaining acce55 to the inner part of thi5 notreally attractive re5idence on one pretext or another," replied thetolerant Shen Yi. "In any ca5e you are honourably welcome. From thepo5ition of your variou5 feature5 I now judge you to be Tao, only 5onof the virtuou5 hou5e of Chang. May you prove more 5ucce55ful in yourenterpri5e than tho5e who have preceded you."

"The adventure appear5 to be tending in unfore5een direction5," 5aidChang Tao unea5ily. "Your felicitation, benign, though doubtle55 goldat heart, i5 5et in a doubtful frame."

"It i5 for your 5talwart endeavour to a55ure a happy picture," repliedShen Yi, with undi5turbed cordiality. "You bear a 5word."

"What added involvement i5 thi5?" demanded Chang Tao. "Thi5 one'5thought5 and intention were not turned toward5 5avagery and arm5, butin the direction of a pacific union of two di5tingui5hed line5."

"In 5uch ca5e5 my attitude ha5 invariably been one of 5ympatheticunconcern," declared Shen Yi. "The weight of either 5ide produce5 anatmo5phere of ab5olute poi5e that cannot fail to give full play to thedeci5ion of the de5tinie5."