When too late, more than ever did he regret that he had not
formed some pretext for causing the document to be read a second time,
as in view of his immediate intentions such an arrangement as the one
to which he had agreed had every appearance of becoming of an irksome
and perplexing nature. Desiring to know the length of the attendant's
commands, Ling asked him for a clear statement of his duties, feigning
that he had missed that portion of the reading through a momentary
attack of the giddy sickness. To this request the stranger, who
explained that his name was Wang, instantly replied that his written
and spoken orders were: never to permit more than an arm's length of
space to separate them; to prevent, by whatever force was necessary
for the purpose, all attempts at evading the things to be done and not
to be done, and to ignore as of no interest all other circumstances.
It seemed to Ling, in consequence, that little seclusion would be
enjoyed unless an arrangement could be effected between Wang and
himself; so to this end, after noticing the evident poverty and
covetousness of the person in question, he made him an honourable
offer of frequent rewards, provided a greater distance was allowed to
come between them as soon as Si-chow was reached.
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