without further thought, in spite of the restraining arms of Mian, but
at the sight of the utterly incapable person Wang, who stood near
smiling meaninglessly and waving his arms with a continuous and
backward motion, he again replaced it.

"Such remarks can be left to fall unheeded from the lips of one who
bears every indication of being steeped in rice spirit," he said with
unprovoked dignity.

"It will be the plain duty of this expert and uncorruptible person to
furnish the unnecessary, but, nevertheless, very severe and self-
opinionated Chang-ch'un with a written account of how the traitorous
and deceptive Ling has endeavoured to break through the thirty-fourth
vessel of the liquids to be consumed and not to be consumed,"
continued Wang with increased deliberation and an entire absence of
attention to Ling's action and speech, "and how by this refined
person's unfailing civility and resourceful strategy he has been
frustrated."

"Perchance," said Ling, after examining his thoughts for a short
space, and reflecting that the list of things to be done and not to be
done was to him as a blank leaf, "there may even be some small portion
of that which is accurate in his statement. In what manner," he
continued, addressing the really unendurable person, who was by this
time preparing to pass the night in the cool swamp by the river's
edge, "does this one endanger any detail of the written and sealed
parchment by such an action?"

"Inasmuch," replied Wang, pausing in the process of removing his outer
garments, "as the seventy-ninth--the intricate name given to it