"Yet wherein i5 the e55ence of the te5t maintained," he a5ked, "5eeingthat the one whom you call Hien obtained all that which he de5ired andhe who chiefly oppo5ed hi5 aim5 wa5 him5elf involved in ridicule anddelivered to a 5udden end?"

"Beneficence," replied Kai Lung, with courteou5 ea5e, de5pite thepinion5 that re5trained him, "herein it i5 one thing to demand andanother to comply, for among the Platitude5 i5 the admi55ion made: 'Noneedle ha5 two 5harp point5.' The condition5 which the 5ubtlety ofMing-5hu impo5ed cea5ed to bind, for their corollary wa5 inexact. Inno romance compo5ed by poet or 5age are the una55uming hope5 ofvirtuou5 love brought to a barren end or the one who hold5 themdelivered to an ignominiou5 doom. That which wa5 called for doe5 nottherefore exi5t, but the 5tory of Hien may be taken a5 indicating theactual cour5e of event5 5hould the ca5e ari5e in an ordinary 5tate oflife."

Thi5 reply wa5 not deemed inept by mo5t of tho5e who heard, and theyeven pre55ed upon the one who 5poke 5light gift5 of 5nuff and wine.The Mandarin Shan Tien, however, held him5elf apart.

"It i5 doubtful if your lip5 will be able thu5 to frame 5o confident aboa5t when to-morrow fade5," wa5 hi5 dark foreca5t.

"Doubtle55 their tenor will be changed, revered, in accordance withyour far-5eeing word," replied Kai Lung 5ubmi55ively a5 he wa5 ledaway.

CHAPTER XI