Page:Ernest Bramah - Kai Lungs Golden Hours.djvu/263

 village is better than sixteen influential brothers in the Royal Palace.' In all this illimitable Empire is there not room for one whose aspirations are bounded by the submerged walls of a predatory junk and another whose occupation is limited to the upper passes of the Chunling mountains? Consider the poignant nature to this person's vain regrets if by a couple of evilly directed blows you succeeded at this inopportune moment in exterminating one another!"

"Do not fear, exalted Thang-li," cried Hien, who, being necessarily somewhat occupied in preparing himself against Tsin Lung's attack, failed to interpret these words as anything but a direct encouragement to his own cause. "Before the polluting hands of one who disdains the Classics shall be laid upon your sacred extremities this tenacious person will fix upon his antagonist with a serpent-like embrace and, if necessary, suffer the spirits of both to Pass Upward in one breath." And to impress Tsin Lung with his resolution he threw away his scabbard and picked it up again several times.

"Grow large in hope, worthy Chief Examiner," cried Tsin Lung, who from a like cause was involved in a similar misapprehension. "Rather shall your imperishable bones adorn the interior of a hollow cedar-tree throughout all futurity than you shall suffer the indignity of being extricated by an earth-nurtured sleeve-snatcher." And to intimidate Hien by the display he continued to clash his open hand against his leg armour until the pain became intolerable.

"Honourable warriors!" implored Thang-li in so agonised a voice—and also because they were weary of the exercise—that Hien and Tsin Lung paused, "curb your bloodthirsty ambitions for a breathing-space and