When Chang-Ch'un had made the various facts clear to this extent,
those who were assembled expressed their feelings as favourably turned
towards the project, provided the tests to which Ling was to be put
should prove encouraging, and a secure and intelligent understanding
of things to be done and not to be done could be arrived at between
them. To this end Ling was brought into the chamber, and fixing his
thoughts steadfastly upon Mian, he permitted portions to be cut from
various parts of his body without betraying any signs of ignoble
agitation. No sooner had the pieces been separated and the virtue of
Ling's existence passed from them than they changed colour and
hardened, nor could the most delicate and searching trials to which
they were exposed by a skilful worker in metals, who was obtained for
the purpose, disclose any particular, however minute, in which they
differed from the finest gold. The hair, the nails, and the teeth were
similarly affected, and even Ling's blood dried into a fine gold
powder. This detail of the trial being successfully completed, Ling
subjected himself to intricate questioning on all matters connected
with his religion and manner of conducting himself, both in public and
privately, the history and behaviour of his ancestors, the various
omens and remarkable sayings which had reference to his life and
destiny, and the intentions which he then possessed regarding his
future movements and habits of living. All the wise sayings and
written and printed leaves which made any allusion to the existence of
and possibility of discovery of the wonderful gold fluid were closely
examined, and found to be in agreement, whereupon those present made
no further delay in admitting that the facts were indeed as they had
been described, and indulged in a dignified stroking of each other's
faces as an expression of pleasure and in proof of their satisfaction
at taking part in so entrancing and remunerative an affair. At Chang's