express frequent and bitter doubts as to
whether his manner of life had been really well arranged; for, in spite
of his great wealth, he had grown to adopt a most inexpensive habit
on all occasions, having no desire to spend; and an ever-increasing
apprehension began to possess him that after he had passed beyond, his
sons would be very disinclined to sacrifice and burn money sufficient to
keep him in an affluent condition in the Upper Air. In such a state of
mind was Ah-Ping when Quen-Ki-Tong appeared before him, for it had just
been revealed to him that his eldest and favourite son had, by flattery
and by openly praising the dexterity with which he used his brush
and ink, entrapped him into inscribing his entire name upon certain
unwritten sheets of parchment, which the one in question immediately
sold to such as were heavily indebted to Ah-Ping.

"'If a person can be guilty of this really unfilial behaviour during the
lifetime of his father,' exclaimed Ah-Ping, in a tone of unrestrained
vexation, 'can it be prudently relied upon that he will carry out his
wishes after death, when they involve the remitting to him of several
thousand taels each year? O estimable Quen-Ki-Tong, how immeasurably
superior is the celestial outlook upon which you may safely rely as your
portion! When you are enjoying every variety of sumptuous profusion,
as the reward of your untiring charitable exertions here on earth, the
spirit of this short-sighted person will be engaged in doing menial
servitude for the inferior deities, and perhaps scarcely able, even by
those means, to clothe himself according to the changing nature of the
seasons.'

"'Yet,' replied Quen, 'the necessity for so laborious and unremunerative
an existence may even now be averted by taking efficient precautions
before you pass to the Upper Air.'

"'In what way?' demanded Ah-Ping, with an awakening hope that the matter
might not be entirely destitute of cheerfulness, yet at the same time
preparing to examine with even unbecoming intrusiveness any expedient
which Quen might lay before him. 'Is it not explicitly stated that
sacrifices and acts of a like nature, when performed at the end of one's
existence by a person who to that time has professed no sort of interest
in such matters, shall in no degree be entered as to his good, but
rather regarded as examples of deliberate presumptuousness, and made the
excuse for subjecting him to more severe tortures and acts of penance