weight and value
of the ingot, returned to his tent with a good provision of sapeks and
bank notes.

In the evening the principal of the establishment received the usual
report from each clerk of the business done in the course of the day.
"I," said one of them with a triumphant air, "bought a youen-pao of
silver, and made two ounces by it." He produced the ingot, which the
chief received with a smile, soon changing into a frown. "What have you
got here?" cried he. "This is not silver!" The ingot was handed round,
and all the clerks saw that indeed it was base bullion. "I know the
Tartar," said the clerk who had purchased it, "and will have him up
before the Mandarin."

The satellites of justice were forthwith dispatched after the roguish
Tartar, whose offence, proved against him, was matter of capital
punishment. It was obvious that the ingot was base bullion, and on the
face of the affair there was clear proof that the Tartar had sold it.
The Tartar, however, stoutly repudiated the imputation. "The humblest of
the humble," said he, "craves that he may be allowed to put forth a word
in his defence." "Speak," said the Mandarin, "but beware how you say
aught other than the exact truth." "It is true," proceeded the Tartar,
"that I sold a youen-pao at this person's shop, but it was all pure
silver. I am a Tartar, a poor, simple man, and these people, seeking to
take advantage of me, have substituted a false for my genuine ingot. I
cannot command many words, but I pray our father and mother, (_i.e._ the
Mandarin), to have this false youen-pao weighed." The ingot was weighed,
and was found to contain fifty-two ounces. The Tartar now drew from one
of his boots a small parcel, containing, wrapped in rags, a piece of
paper, which he held up to the Mandarin. "Here is a certificate" cried
he, "which I received at the shop, and which attests the value and weight
of the youen-pao that I sold." The Mandarin looked over the paper with a
roguish smile, and then said: "According to the testimony of the clerk
himself who wrote this certificate, this Mongol sold to him a youen-pao
weighing fifty ounces; this youen-pao of base bullion weighs fifty-two
ounces; this, therefore, cannot be the Mongol's youen-pao; but now comes
the question, whose is it? Who are really the persons that have false
bullion in their possession?" Every body present, the Mandarin included,
knew perfectly well how the case stood; but the Chinese ma