“That he was a loyal man,” said the Master.

“But was he a man of fellow-feeling?” said the disciple.

“Of that I am not sure,” he answered; “how am I to get at that?”

The disciple went on to say:—­“After the assassination of the prince of Ts’i by the officer Ts’ui, the latter’s fellow-official Ch’in Wan, who had half a score teams of horses, gave up all, and turned his back upon him.  On coming to another State, he observed, ’There are here characters somewhat like that of our minister Ts’ui,’ and he turned his back upon them.  Proceeding to a certain other State, he had occasion to make the same remark, and left.  What say you of him?”

“That he was a pure-minded man,” answered the Master.

“But was he a man of fellow-feeling?” urged the disciple.

“Of that I am not sure,” he replied; “how am I to get at that?”

Ki Wan was one who thought three times over a thing before he acted.  The Master hearing this of him, observed, “Twice would have been enough.”

Of Ning Wu, the Master said that when matters went well in the State he used to have his wits about him:  but when they went wrong, he lost them.  His intelligence might be equalled, but not his witlessness!

Once, when the Master lived in the State of Ch’in, he exclaimed, “Let me get home again!  Let me get home!  My school-children [13] are wild and impetuous!  Though they are somewhat accomplished, and perfect in one sense in their attainments, yet they know not how to make nice discriminations.”

Of Peh-I and Shuh Ts’i he said, “By the fact of their not remembering old grievances, they gradually did away with resentment.”

Of Wei-shang Kau he said, “Who calls him straightforward?  A person once begged some vinegar of him, and he begged it from a neighbor, and then presented him with it!”

“Fine speech,” said he, “and studied mien, and superfluous show of deference—­of such things Tso-k’iu Ming was ashamed, I too am ashamed of such things.  Also of hiding resentment felt towards an opponent and treating him as a friend—­of this kind of thing he was ashamed, and so too am I.”

Attended once by the two disciples Yen Yuen and Tsz-lu, he said, “Come now, why not tell me, each of you, what in your hearts you are really after?”

“I should like,” said Tsz-lu, “for myself and my friends and associates, carriages and horses, and to be clad in light furs! nor would I mind much if they should become the worse for wear.”

“And I should like,” said Yen Yuen, “to live without boasting of my abilities, and without display of meritorious deeds.”

Tsz-lu then said, “I should like, sir, to hear what your heart is set upon.”

The Master replied, “It is this:—­in regard to old people, to give them quiet and comfort; in regard to friends and associates, to be faithful to them; in regard to the young, to treat them with fostering affection and kindness.”