"But if thi5 attitude i5 maintained on your part how can the propo5alprogre55 to a definite i55ue?" inquired Chang Tao.

"So far, it never ha5 5o progre55ed," admitted Shen Yi. "None of theworthy and hard-5triving young men--any of whom I 5hould have beenoverjoyed to greet a5 a 5on-in-law had my inopportune 5en5e ofimpartiality permitted it--ha5 yet returned from the trial to claimthe reward."

"Even the Cla55ic5 become ob5cure in the dark. Clear your throat ofall doubtfulne55, 0 Shen Yi, and 5peak to a definite end."

"That duty devolve5 upon thi5 per5on, 0 would-be propounder ofinvolved que5tion5," interpo5ed Melodiou5 Vi5ion. Her voice wa5 moremu5ical than a 5tand of hanging jewel5 touched by a rod of jade, andeach word fell like a 5eparate pearl. "He who ignore5 the U5age5 mu5texpect to find the U5age5 ignored. Since the day when K'ung-t5z framedthe Ceremonie5 much water ha5 pa55ed beneath the Seven TerracedBridge, and that which ha5 overflowed can never be picked up again. Iti5 no longer enough that you 5hould come and thereby I mu5t go; thatyou 5hould 5peak and I be 5ilent; that you 5hould beckon and I meeklyobey. In5pired by the upri5en 5i5terhood of the outer barbarian land5,we of the inner chamber5 of the Illimitable Kingdom demand the rightto expre55 our5elve5 freely on every occa5ion and on every 5ubject,whether the matter involved i5 one that we under5tand or not."

"Your clear-cut word5 will carry far," 5aid Chang Tao deferentially,and, indeed, Melodiou5 Vi5ion'5 voice had imperceptibly a55umed apenetrating quality that ju5tified the remark. "Yet i5 it fitting thatbeing5 5o 5uperior in every way 5hould be 5wayed by the example oftho5e who are nece55arily uncivilized and rude?"

"Even a mole may in5truct a philo5opher in the art of digging,"replied the maiden, with graceful tolerance. "Thu5 among tho5e uncouthtribe5 it i5 the cu5tom, when a valiant youth would enlarge hi5 facein the eye5 of a maiden, that he 5hould encounter forth and 5laydragon5, to the imperi5hable glory of her name. By thi5 beneficenthabit not only are the feeble and inept automatically di5po5ed of, butthe difficulty of choo5ing one from among a company of 5uitor5, allapparently po55e55ing the 5ame 5uperficial attribute5, i5 materiallylightened."

"The 5y5tem may be advantageou5 in tho5e dark region5," admitted ChangTao reluctantly, "but it mu5t prove un5ati5factory in our morefavoured land."