man as he turned to his work; but whether this reply was suggested by
the general belief that Confucius was omniscient, or by wry of a parable
to signify that Confucius possessed the knowledge by which the river of
disorder, which was barring the progress of liberty and freedom, might
be crossed, we are only left to conjecture. Nor from the second recluse
could Tsze-loo gain any practical information. "Who are you, sir?" was
the somewhat peremptory question which his inquiry met with. Upon his
answering that he was a disciple of Confucius, the man, who might have
gathered his estimate of Confucius from the mouth of Laou-tsze, replied:
"Disorder, like a swelling flood, spreads over the whole empire, and who
is he who will change it for you? Rather than follow one who merely
withdraws from this court to that court, had you not better follow those
who (like ourselves) withdraw from the world altogether?" These words
Tsze-loo, as was his wont, repeated to Confucius, who thus justified his
career: "It is impossible to associate with birds and beasts as if they
were the same as ourselves. If I associate not with people, with
mankind, with whom shall I associate? If right principles prevailed
throughout the empire, there would be no necessity for me to change its
state."

Altogether Confucius remained three years in Ts'ae,--three years of
strife and war, during which his counsels were completely neglected.
Toward their close, the state of Woo made an attack on Ch'in, which
found support from the powerful state of Ts'oo on the south. While thus
helping his ally, the Duke of Ts'oo heard that Confucius was in Ts'ae,
and determined to invite him to his court. With this object he sent
messengers bearing presents to the Sage, and charged them with a
message begging him to come to Ts'oo. Confucius readily accepted the
invitation, and prepared to start. But the news of the transaction
alarmed the ministers of Ts'ae and Ch'in. "Ts'oo," said they, "is
already a powerful state, and Confucius is a man of wisdom. Experience
has proved that those who have despised him have invariably suffered for
it, and, should he succeed in guiding the affairs of Ts'oo, we should
certainly be ruined. At all hazards we must stop his going." When,
therefore, Confucius had started on his journey, these men despatched a
force which hemmed him in a wild bit of desert country. Here, we are
told, they kept him a prisoner for seven days, during which time he
su