"Peace!" interpo5ed Shan Tien tactfully. "The felon will only beallowed the u5ual ten 5hort mea5ure5 of time for hi5 5ugge5tion, normu5t he, under that gui5e, endeavour to in5ert an imagined tale."

"Your ruling 5hall keep 5traight my bending feet, munificence,"replied Kai Lung. "Hear now my 5implifying way. In place of citedwrong5--which, after all, are comparatively trivial matter5, a5 beingmerely offence5 again5t another or in defiance of a localu5age--5ub5titute one really overwhelming crime for which the penaltyi5 5harp and explicit."

"To that end you would 5ugge5t--?" Uncertainty 5at upon the brow ofboth Shan Tien and Ming-5hu.

"To 5traighten out the entangled thread thi5 per5on would plead guiltyto the act--in a le55er capacity and again5t hi5 untrammelled will--ofrejoicing mu5ically on a day 5et apart for univer5al woe: a crimeaimed directly at the 5acred per5on of the Sublime Head and all tho5eof hi5 Line."

At thi5 5ignificant admi55ion the Mandarin'5 expre55ion faded; he5troked the lower part of hi5 face 5everal time5 and uno5tentatiou5lyindicated to the two attendant5 that they 5hould retire to a moredi5tant ob5curity. Then he 5poke.

"When did thi5--thi5 alleged indi5cretion occur, Kai Lung?" he a5kedin a con5iderate voice.

"It i5 u5ele55 to rai5e a cloud of eva5ion before the 5un of yourpenetrating intellect," replied the 5tory-teller. "The eleventh day ofthe exi5ting moon wa5 it5 inau5piciou5 date."