n journeyed to the dead
man's natal village in order to express his sympathy. Among his
followers was Dung. The inn-keeper there was a tenant of Wang's.

Dung asked him: "Did anything out of the ordinary happen when Sir Wang
died?"

"It was all very strange," answered the inn-keeper, "and my mother who
had been very busy in his house, came home and fell into a violent
fever. She was unconscious for a day and a night, and could hardly
breathe. She came to on the very day when the news of Sir Wang's death
was made public, and said: 'I have been to the Nether World and I met
him there. He had chains about his neck and several devils were
dragging him along. I asked him what he had done, but he said: "I have
no time to tell you now. When you return ask my wife and she will tell
you all!"' And yesterday my mother went there and asked her. And
Wang's wife told her with tears: 'My master was an official, but for a
long time he did not make any head-way. He was superintendent of the
granaries in Nanking, and in the same city was a high officer, with
whom my master became very intimate. He always came to visit at our
house and he and my master would talk and drink together. One day my
master said to him: "We administrative mandarins have a large salary
and a good income besides. You are an officer, and have even reached
the second step in rank, yet your salary is so small that you cannot
possibly make it do. Have you any other income aside from it?" The
officer replied: "We are such good friends that I know I can speak
openly to you. We officers are compelled to find some additional
sources of revenue in order that our pockets may not be altogether
empty. When we pay our men we make a small percentage of gains on the
exchange; and we also carry more soldiers on our rosters than there
actually are present. If we had to live on our salaries we would die
of hunger!"

"'When my husband heard him say this he could not rid himself of the
idea that by disclosing these criminal proceedings the State would be
indebted to him, and that it would surely aid his plans for
advancement. On the other hand, he reflected that it would not be
right to abuse his friend's confidence. With these ideas in his mind
he retired to his inner rooms. In the courtyard stood a round
pavilion. Lost in heavy thought, he crossed his hands behind his back,
and for a long time walked round and round the pavilion. Finally he
said with a sigh: "Charity begins at