An official in Sung, one Hwan Tuy, held the roads against him, accusing him of “a proud air and many desires; an insinuating habit and a wild will.”  From this time on he was subject to persecution.  The “insinuating habit” reminds one of an old parrot-cry one has heard:  “She hypnotizes them.”  He turned westward from this opposition, and visited one state, and then another; in neither was there any disposition to use him.  He had found no more likely material than Duke Ling of Wei, who at least was always glad to see and talk with him:—­might not be jade to carve, but was the wood least rotten at hand.  But at Wei, as usual, there was nothing but disappointment in store.

Pih Hsih, a rebel, was holding a town in Tsin, modern Shansi, against the king of that state; and now sent messengers inviting Confucius to visit him.  Tse Lu protested:  had he not always preached obedience to the Powers that Were, and that the True Gentleman did not associate with rebels?—­“Am I a bitter gourd,” said Confucius, “to be hung up out of the way of being eaten?” He was always big enough to be inconsistent.  He had come to see that the Powers that Were were hopeless, and was for catching at any straw.  But something delayed his setting out; and when he reached the Yellow River, news came of the execution of Tsin of two men whom he admired.  “How beautiful they were!” said he; “how beautiful they were!  This river is not more majestic!  And I was not there to save them!”

The truth seems to be that he would set out for any place where the smallest opening presented itself; and while that opening existed, would not be turned aside from his purpose; but if it vanished, or if something better came in sight, he would turn and follow that.  Thus he did not go on into Tsin when he heard of these executions; but one, when he was on the road to Wei and a band of roughs waylaid him and made him promise never to go there again, he simply gave the promise and went straight on.

At Wei now Duke Ling was really inclined to use him;—­but as his military adviser.  It was the last straw; he left, and would not return in Ling’s lifetime.  He was in Ch’in for awhile; and then for three years at Ts’ae, a new state built of the rebellion of certain subjects or vassals of the great sourthern kingdom of Ts’u.  On hearing of his arrival, the Duke of Ts’ae had the idea to send for Tse Lu, who had a broad reputation of his own as a brave and practical man, and to inquire of him what kind of man the master really was.  But Tse Lu, as we have seen, was rigid as to rebels, and vouchsafed no answer.—­“You might have told him,” said Confucius, “that I am simply one who forgets his food in the pursuit of wisdom, and his sorrows in the joys of attaining it, and who does not perceive old age coming on.”