ve, the greater the
lord'; and it is, therefore, not unlikely that this majestic concourse
will reward the despicable efforts of their servant by handfuls of coins
till the air appears as though filled with swarms of locusts in the
season of much heat. In particular, there is among this august crowd
of Mandarins one Wang Yu, who has departed on three previous occasions
without bestowing the reward of a single cash. If the feeble and
covetous-minded Wang Yu will place within this very ordinary bowl the
price of one of his exceedingly ill-made pipes, this unworthy person
will proceed."

"Vast chasms can be filled, but the heart of man never," quoted the
pipe-maker in retort. "Oh, most incapable of story-tellers, have you
not on two separate occasions slept beneath my utterly inadequate roof
without payment?"

But he, nevertheless, deposited three cash in the bowl, and drew nearer
among the front row of the listeners.

"It was during the reign of the enlightened Emperor Tsing Nung," began
Kai Lung, without further introduction, "that there lived at a village
near Honan a wealthy and avaricious maker of idols, named Ti Hung. So
skilful had he become in the making of clay idols that his fame had
spread for many li round, and idol-sellers from all the neighbouring
villages, and even from the towns, came to him for their stock. No other
idol-maker between Honan and Nanking employed so many clay-gatherers or
so many modellers; yet, with all his riches, his avarice increased till
at length he employed men whom he called 'agents' and 'travellers,' who
went from house to house selling his idols and extolling his virtues in
verses composed by the most illustrious poets of the day. He did this
in order that he might turn into his own pocket the full price of the
idols, grudging those who would otherwise have sold them the few cash
which they would make. Owing to this he had many enemies, and his army
of travellers made him still more; for they were more rapacious than
the scorpion, and more obstinate than the ox. Indeed, there is still the
proverb, 'With honey it is possible to soften the heart of the he-goat;
but a blow from an iron cleaver is taken as a mark of welcome by an
agent of Ti Hung.' So that people barred the doors at their approach,
and even hung out signs of death and mourning.

"Now, among all his travellers there was none more successful, more
abandoned, and more valuable to Ti Hung than Li Ting. So depraved was