“Let us consider well,” said one of their number, “for it may be that succour would not be withheld did we but know the precise manner in which to invoke it.”

“Your words are light, O Tan-yung, and your eyes too bright in looking at things which present no encouragement whatever,” replied another.  “We who remain are old, infirm, or in some way deficient, or we would ere this have sold ourselves into slavery or left this accursed desert in search of a more prolific land.  Therefore our existence is of no value to the State, so that they will not take any pains to preserve it.  Furthermore, now being beyond the grasp of the most covetous extortion, the district officials have no reason for maintaining an interest in our lives.  Assuredly there is no escape except by the White Door of which each one himself holds the key.”

“Yet,” objected a third, “the aged Ning has often recounted how in the latter years of the reign of the charitable Emperor Kwong, when a similar infliction lay upon the land, a bullock-load of rice was sent daily into the villages of the valley and freely distributed by the headman.  Now that same munificent Kwong was a direct ancestor to the third degree of our own Kwo Kam.”

“Alas!” remarked a person who had lost many of his features during a raid of brigands, “since the days of the commendable Kwong, while the feet of our lesser ones have been growing smaller the hands of our greater ones have been growing larger.  Yet even nowadays, by the protection of the deities, the bullock might reach us.”

“The wheel-grease of the cart would alone make the day memorable,” murmured another.

“O brothers,” interposed one who had not yet spoken, “do not cause our throats to twitch convulsively; nor is it in any way useful to leave the date of solid reflection in pursuit of the stone of light and versatile fancy.  Is it thought to be expedient that we should send an emissary to those in authority, pleading our straits?”

“Have not two already journeyed to Kuing-yi in our cause, and to what end?” replied the second one who had raised his voice.

“They did but seek the city mandarin and failed to reach his ear, being empty-handed,” urged Tan-yung.  “The distance to the Capital is admittedly great, yet it is no more than a persevering and resolute-minded man could certainly achieve.  There prostrating himself before the Sublime One and invoking the memory of the imperishable Kwong he could so outline our necessity and despair that the one wagon-load referred to would be increased by nine and the unwieldy oxen give place to relays of swift horses.”

“The Emperor!” exclaimed the one who had last spoken, in tones of undisguised contempt towards Tan-yung.  “Is the eye of the Unapproachable Sovereign less than that of a city mandarin, that having failed to come near the one we should now strive to reach the other; or are we, peradventure, to fill the sleeves of our messenger with gold and his inner scrip with sapphires!” Nevertheless the greater part of those who stood around zealously supported Tan-yung, crying aloud:  “The Emperor!  The suggestion is inspired!  Undoubtedly the beneficent Kwo Kam will uphold our cause and our troubles may now be considered as almost at an end.”