'Oh, most treacherous and excessively unpopular Ti Hung,' exclaimed
Li Ting, in a terrible voice, 'this is the return you make for all my
entrancing efforts in your services, then? It is in this way that you
reward my exceedingly unconscientious recommendations of your very
inferior and unendurable clay idols, with their goggle eyes and concave
stomachs! Before I go, however, I request to be inspired to make the
following remark--that I confidently predict your ruin. And now this
low and undignified person will finally shake the elegant dust of your
distinguished house from his thoroughly inadequate feet, and proceed to
offer his incapable services to the rival establishment over the way.'

"'The machinations of such an evilly-disposed person as Li Ting will
certainly be exceedingly subtle,' said Ti Hung to his son-in-law when
the traveller had departed. 'I must counteract his omens. Herewith I
wish to prophecy that henceforth I shall enjoy an unbroken run of good
fortune. I have spoken, and assuredly I shall not eat my words.'

"As the time went on, it seemed as though Ti Hung had indeed spoken
truly. The ease and celerity with which he transacted his business
brought him customers and dealers from more remote regions than ever,
for they could spend days on the journey and still save time. The
army of clay-gatherers and modellers grew larger and larger, and the
work-sheds stretched almost down to the river's edge. Only one thing
troubled Ti Hung, and that was the uncongenial disposition of his
son-in-law, for Yung took no further interest in the industry to which
his discovery had given so great an impetus, but resolutely set to work
again to pass his examination for the second degree.

"'It is an exceedingly distinguished and honourable thing to have failed
thirty-five times, and still to be undiscouraged,' admitted Ti Hung;
'but I cannot cleanse my throat from bitterness when I consider that
my noble and lucrative business must pass into the hands of strangers,
perhaps even into the possession of the unendurable Li Ting.'

"But it had been appointed that this degrading thing should not happen,
however, and it was indeed fortunate that Yung did not abandon his
literary pursuits; for after some time it became very apparent to Ti
Hung that there was something radically wrong with his business. It was
not that his custom was falling off in any way; indeed, it had lately
increased in a manner that was phenomenal, and wh