r, "every father still speaks of 'my son.'
When my own son Li died, and the coffin for him had no shell to it, I
know I did not go on foot to get him one; but that was because I was,
though retired, in the wake of the ministers, and could not therefore
well do so."

On the death of Yen Yuen the Master exclaimed, "Ah me! Heaven is
ruining me, Heaven is ruining me!"

On the same occasion, his wailing for that disciple becoming excessive,
those who were about him said, "Sir, this is too much!"--"Too much?"
said he; "if I am not to do so for him, then--for whom else?"

The disciples then wished for the deceased a grand funeral. The Master
could not on his part consent to this. They nevertheless gave him one.
Upon this he remarked, "He used to look upon me as if I were his
father. I could never, however, look on him as a son. 'Twas not my
mistake, but yours, my children."

Tsz-lu propounded a question about ministering to the spirits of the
departed. The Master replied, "Where there is scarcely the ability to
minister to living men, how shall there be ability to minister to the
spirits?" On his venturing to put a question concerning death, he
answered, "Where there is scarcely any knowledge about life, how shall
there be any about death?"

The disciple Min was by his side, looking affable and bland; Tsz-lu
also, looking careless and intrepid; and Yen Yu and Tsz-kung, firm and
precise. The Master was cheery. "One like Tsz-lu there," said he,
"does not come to a natural end."

Some persons in Lu were taking measures in regard to the Long Treasury
House. Min Tsz-k[']ien observed, "How if it were repaired on the old
lines?" The Master upon this remarked, "This fellow is not a talker,
but when he does speak he is bound to hit the mark!"

"There is Yu's harpsichord," exclaimed the Master--"what is it doing
at my door?" On seeing, however, some disrespect shown to him by the
other disciples, he added, "Yu has got as far as the top of the hall;
only he has not yet entered the house."

Tsz-kung asked which was the worthier of the two--Tsz-chang or
Tsz-hia. "The former," answered the Master, "goes beyond the mark; the
latter falls short of it."

"So then Tsz-chang is the better of the two, is he?" said he.

"To go too far," he replied, "is about the same as to fall short."

The Chief of the Ki family was a wealthier man than the Duke of Chow
had been, and yet Yen Yu gathered and hoarded for him, increasing his
wealth mor