Chinese Literature

looked at things in more or less the Same way, wouldn’t your life be very monotonous? Tell me now, wouldn’t it? ... Besides current events there are a lot of things I can talk about with old Mr. Changpoetry, carvings of seals, calligraphy and painting. . . .”

But in the last few days Mr. Li had been able to see for himself that there wasn’t much left to talk about with his drinking companion. Old Mr. Chang kept boasting about his private collections. He had a seal carved and given him by Wu Chang-shih, well-known as a painter and seal-carver. He also had a landscape by Ni Yun-lin of the Yuan Dynasty that had calligraphy by Chang Ting-chi of the Ching Dynasty on it. Always this sort of remarks.

“He is only bragging,” thought Mr. Li. “T’ve been to his house several times. Why didn’t he show these things to me then?”

Mr. Li made no reply. Bending his head to his cup, he sipped some wine. This suddenly reminded him of his young daughter and he heaved a deep sigh. <

Old Mr. Chang obviously felt he had to say something to cheer his companion up. Perhaps he wanted to compensate Mr. Li for the many entertainments he had had at the other’s expense, and at the same time fulfil his duty as a drinking companion. So he began to talk about the school and to impart its secrets with the most confidential air.

The people in the accounting office were experts in making money on the side. They always deducted the income tax from the salary and gave stamps instead of cash for the small change. In this way, they were lining their own pockets. .. .

“Let me tell you, Mr. Li.” He moved so close that his bad breath nearly suffocated Mr. Li. “Next time you go to get your salary, have the amount for income tax ready and give it to them. Then you will get around sum. That’s what I always do. I don’t want their stamps.”

He paused and thought for a while. Then he drew even closer. Mr. Li had to lean back just to be a little farther away from this old man’s face.

“Principal Pan used to have great confidence in me. But recently he has surrounded himself with a group of scoundrels. Mr. Chen is one of them. Do you know him? Mr. Li, let me warn you. You must be. careful. He is a reactionary, that Mr. Chen.”

He closed his mouth tightly and nodded significantly, repeating:

“Re-ac-tion-a-ry.”

Mr. Li considered all these so-called secrets as involving other people’s personal affairs and never mentioned them to anyone else.

“Oh, how monotonous it all is!” he complained. Why did he have so few friends? Why must he seek this old man’s company as he had sought Old Pan’s before? Why always the same dish?

His drinking with old Mr. Chang for companion grew into an unavoidable obligation to himself which he had to fulfil.

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