should have at once raised her to the rank of first wife. Her destiny is
adequately expressed by the lines:

Through but one single, casual look
Soon an exalted place she took.

The fact is that after Yue-ts'un had been presented with the money by
Shih-yin, he promptly started on the 16th day for the capital, and at
the triennial great tripos, his wishes were gratified to the full.
Having successfully carried off his degree of graduate of the third
rank, his name was put by selection on the list for provincial
appointments. By this time, he had been raised to the rank of Magistrate
in this district; but, in spite of the excellence and sufficiency of his
accomplishments and abilities, he could not escape being ambitious and
overbearing. He failed besides, confident as he was in his own merits,
in respect toward his superiors, with the result that these officials
looked upon him scornfully with the corner of the eye.

A year had hardly elapsed, when he was readily denounced in a memorial
to the Throne by the High Provincial authorities, who represented that
he was of a haughty disposition, that he had taken upon himself to
introduce innovations in the rites and ceremonies, that overtly, while
he endeavoured to enjoy the reputation of probity and uprightness, he,
secretly, combined the nature of the tiger and wolf; with the
consequence that he had been the cause of much trouble in the district,
and that he had made life intolerable for the people, &c. &c.

The Dragon countenance of the Emperor was considerably incensed. His
Majesty lost no time in issuing commands, in reply to the Memorial, that
he should be deprived of his official status.