at length he expressed his willingness to act after the manner of
those who had gone before him.

This decision was received by Yat Huang with an equal intermingling of
the feelings of delight and concern, for although he would have by no
means pleasurably contemplated Yin breaking through a venerable and
esteemed custom, he was unable to put entirely from him the thought of
the degrading fate which had overtaken the fifth in line who made the
venture. It was, indeed, to guard Yin as much as possible against the
dangers to which he would become exposed, if he determined on the
expedition, that the entire course of his training had been selected.
In order that no precaution of a propitious nature should be
neglected, Yat Huang at once despatched written words of welcome to
all with whom he was acquainted, bidding them partake of a great
banquet which he was preparing to mark the occasion of his son's
leave-taking. Every variety of sacrifice was offered up to the
controlling deities, both good and bad; the ten ancestors were
continuously exhorted to take Yin under their special protection, and
sets of verses recording his virtues and ambitions were freely
distributed among the necessitous and low-caste who could not be
received at the feast.

The dinner itself exceeded in magnificence any similar event that had
ever taken place in Ching-toi. So great was the polished ceremony
observed on the occasion, that each guest had half a score of cups of
the finest apricot-tea successively placed before him and taken away
untasted, while Yat Huang went to each in turn protesting vehemently
that the honour of covering such pure-minded and distinguished persons
was more than his badly designed roof could reasonably bear, and
wittingly giving an entrancing air of reality to the spoken compliment