who have succeeded in gaining access to the inner part of this not
really attractive residence on one pretext or another," replied the
tolerant Shen Yi. "In any case you are honourably welcome. From the
position of your various features I now judge you to be Tao, only son
of the virtuous house of Chang. May you prove more successful in your
enterprise than those who have preceded you."

"The adventure appears to be tending in unforeseen directions," said
Chang Tao uneasily. "Your felicitation, benign, though doubtless gold
at heart, is set in a doubtful frame."

"It is for your stalwart endeavour to assure a happy picture," replied
Shen Yi, with undisturbed cordiality. "You bear a sword."

"What added involvement is this?" demanded Chang Tao. "This one's
thoughts and intention were not turned towards savagery and arms, but
in the direction of a pacific union of two distinguished lines."

"In such cases my attitude has invariably been one of sympathetic
unconcern," declared Shen Yi. "The weight of either side produces an
atmosphere of absolute poise that cannot fail to give full play to the
decision of the destinies."

"But if this attitude is maintained on your part how can the proposal
progress to a definite issue?" inquired Chang Tao.

"So far, it never has so progressed," admitted Shen Yi. "None of the
worthy and hard-striving young men--any of whom I should have been
overjoyed to greet as a son-in-law had my inopportune sense of
impartiality permitted it--has yet returned from the trial to claim
the reward."

"Even the Classics become obscure in the dark. Clear your throat of
all doubtfulness, O Shen Yi, and speak to a definite end."

"That duty devolves upon this person, O would-be propounder of
involved questions," interposed Melodious Vision. Her voice was more
musical than a stand of hanging jewels touched by a rod of jade, and
each word fell like a separate pearl. "He who ignores the Usages must
expect to find the Usages ignored. Since the day when K'ung-tsz framed
the Ceremonies much water has passed beneath the Seven Terraced
Bridge, and that which has overflowed can never be picked up again. It
is no longer enough that you should come and thereby I must go; that
you should speak and I be silent; that you should beckon and I meekly
obey. Inspired by the uprisen sisterhood of the outer barbarian lands,
we of the inner chambers of the Illimitable Kingdom demand the right
to express ourselves freely on