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inventor and sole user of the justly far…famed G。 R。 Ko…Ho hair restorer
sent in five guinea bottles to any address on receipt of four penny stamps
as he appeared in his celebrated impersonation of the human…faced Swan
at Doll and Edgar's。 Come on； oh； Ho！〃
〃Assuredly；〃 I replied； striving to follow him； 〃yet with the wary
greeting； 'Slowly； slowly； walk slowly；' engraved upon my mind； for the
barrier of these convoluted stairs〃 but at this word a band of maidens
passed out hastily； and in the tumult I reached the dais and began Weng
Chi's immortal verses； entitled 〃The Meandering Flight；〃 which had
occupied me three complete days and nights in the detail of rendering the
allusions into well…balanced similitudes and at the same time preserving
the skilful evasion of all conventional rules which raises the original to so
sublime a height。
The voice of one singing at the dawn； The seven harmonious colours
in the sky； The meeting by the fountain； The exchange of gifts； and the
sound of the processional drum； The emotion of satisfaction in each
created being； This is the all…prominent indication of the Spring。
The general disinclination to engage in laborious tasks； The general
readiness to consume voluminous potions on any pretext。 The deserted
appearance of the city and the absence of the come…in motion at every
door； The sportiveness of maidens； and even those of maturer age；
ethereally clad； upon the shore。 The avowed willingness of merchants to
dispose of their wares for half the original sum。 This undoubtedly is the
Summer。
The yellow tea leaf circling as it falls； The futile wheeling of the
storm…tossed swan； The note of the marble lute at evening by the pool； The
immobile cypress seen against the sun。 The unnecessarily difficult
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examination paper。 All these things are suggestive of the Autumn。
The growing attraction of a well…lined couch。 The obsequious
demeanour of message…bearers； charioteers； and the club…armed keepers of
peace。 The explosion of innumerable fire…crackers round the convivial
shines； The gathering together of relations who at all other times shun
each other markedly。 The obtrusive recollection of a great many things
contrary to a spoken vow； and the inflexible purpose to be more resolute in
future。 These in turn invariably attend each Winter。
It certainly had not presented itself to me before that the words
〃invariably attend〃 are ill…chosen； but as I would have uttered them their
inelegance became plain； and this person made eight conscientious
attempts to soften down their harsh modulation by various interchanges。
He was still persevering hopefully when he of chief authority approached
and requested that the one who was thus employed and that same other
would leave the hall tranquilly； as the all…water entertainment was at an
end； and an attending slave was in readiness to extinguish the lanterns。
〃Yet；〃 I protested unassumingly； 〃that which has so far been expressed
is only in the semblance of an introductory ode。 There follow〃
〃You must not argue with the Chair；〃 exclaimed another interposing
his voice。 〃Whatever the Chair rules must be accepted。〃
〃The innuendo is flat…witted；〃 I replied with imperturbable dignity； but
still retaining my hold upon the rail。 〃When this person so far loses his
sense of proportion as to contend with an irrational object； devoid of
faculties； let the barb be cast。 After that introduction dealing with the four
seasons； the twelve gong…strokes of the day are reviewed in a like fashion。
These in turn give place to the days of the month； then the moons of the
year； and finally the years of the cycle。〃
〃That's fair；〃 exclaimed the perverse though well…meaning youth；
whom I was beginning to recognise as the cause of some
misunderstanding among us。 〃If you don't want any more of his poem
and I don't blame youmy pal Ho； who is one of the popular Flip…Flap
Troupe； offers to do some trick cycle…riding on his ears。 What more can
you expect？〃
〃We expect a policeman very soon；〃 replied another severely。 〃He has
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already been sent for。〃
〃In that case；〃 said the one who had so persistently claimed me as an
ally； 〃perhaps I can do you a service by directing him here〃； and leaving
this person to extricate himself by means of a reassuring silence and some
of the larger silver pieces of the Island； he vanished hastily。
With some doubt whether or not this deviation into the society of the
professedly virtuous； ending as it admittedly does in an involvement； may
not be deemed ill…starred； yet hopeful。 KONG HO。
THE THREE GIFTS
Related by Kong Ho on the occasion of the all…water disportment；
under the circumstances previously set forth。
BEYOND the limits of the township of Yang…chow there dwelt a rich
astrologer named Wei。 Reading by his skilful interpretation of the planets
that he would shortly Pass Above； he called his sons Chu； Shan； and Hing
to his side and distributed his wealth impartially among them。 To Chu he
gave his house containing a gold couch； to Shan a river with a boat； to
Hing a field in which grew a prolific orange…tree。 〃Thus provided for；〃 he
continued； 〃you will be able to live together in comfort； the resources of
each supplying the wants of the others in addition to his own requirements。
Therefore when I have departed let it be your first care to sacrifice
everything else I leave； so that I also； in the Upper Air； may not be left
destitute。〃
Now in addition to these three sons Wei also had another； the youngest；
but one of so docile； respectful； and self…effacing a disposition that he was
frequently overlooked to the advantage of his subtle； ambitious； and
ingratiating brothers。 This youth； Kao； thinking that the occasion certainly
called for a momentary relaxation of his usual diffidence； now approached
his father modestly； and