which an unscrupulous one, who was plainly
desirous of sharing in the benefit of the requested sacrifice, without
suffering the exertion of inscribing a warning after the amiable manner
of Li-Kao, had added the words, "and that of Huan Sin."

Halting at a convenient distance from one side of the rock which,
without being carved by any person's hand, naturally resembled the
symmetrical countenance of a recumbent dragon (which he therefore
conjectured to be the chief point of the entire mass), Yin built
his fire and began an unremitting course of sacrifice and respectful
ceremony. This manner of conduct he observed conscientiously for
the space of seven days. Towards the end of that period a feeling of
unendurable dejection began to possess him, for his stores of all kinds
were beginning to fail, and he could not entirely put behind him the
memory of the various well-intentioned warnings which he had received,
or the sight of the fleshless ones who had lined his path. On the eighth
day, being weak with hunger and, by reason of an intolerable thirst,
unable to restrain his body any longer in the spot where he had hitherto
continuously prostrated himself nine-and-ninety times each hour without
ceasing, he rose to his feet and retraced his steps to the boat in order
that he might fill his water-skins and procure a further supply of food.

With a complicated emotion, in which was present every abandoned and
disagreeable thought to which a person becomes a prey in moments of
exceptional mental and bodily anguish, he perceived as soon as
he reached the edge of the water that the boat, upon which he was
confidently relying to carry him back when all else failed, had
disappeared as entirely as the smoke from an extinguished opium pipe.
At this sight Yin clearly understood the meaning of Li-Kao's unregarded
warning, and recognized that nothing could now save him from adding his
incorruptible parts to those of the unfortunate ones whose unhappy
fate had, seven days ago, engaged his refined pity. Unaccountably
strengthened in body by the indignation which possessed him, and
inspired with a virtuous repulsion at the treacherous manner of behaving
on the part of those who guided his destinies, he hastened back to
his place of obeisance, and perceiving that the habitually placid and
introspective expression on the dragon face had imperceptibly changed
into one of offensive cunning and unconcealed contempt, he snatched up
his spear an