far as worldly affairs go, he is so versatile and glib of tongue, that
he has recently taken up his quarters with his uncle Mr. Cheng, to whom
he gives a helping hand in the management of domestic matters. Who would
have thought it, however, ever since his marriage with his worthy wife,
not a single person, whether high or low, has there been who has not
looked up to her with regard: with the result that Mr. Lien himself has,
in fact, had to take a back seat (_lit_. withdrew 35 li). In looks,
she is also so extremely beautiful, in speech so extremely quick and
fluent, in ingenuity so deep and astute, that even a man could, in no
way, come up to her mark."

After hearing these remarks Yue-ts'un smiled. "You now perceive," he
said, "that my argument is no fallacy, and that the several persons
about whom you and I have just been talking are, we may presume, human
beings, who, one and all, have been generated by the spirit of right,
and the spirit of evil, and come to life by the same royal road; but of
course there's no saying."

"Enough," cried Tzu-hsing, "of right and enough of evil; we've been
doing nothing but settling other people's accounts; come now, have
another glass, and you'll be the better for it!"

"While bent upon talking," Yue-ts'un explained, "I've had more glasses
than is good for me."

"Speaking of irrelevant matters about other people," Tzu-hsing rejoined
complacently, "is quite the thing to help us swallow our wine; so come
now; what harm will happen, if we do have a few glasses more."

Yue-ts'un thereupon looked out of the window.