Becoming convinced of the justice of Ling's cause, they turned upon Li
Keen, insisting that he should at once attempt to carry out the ill-
judged threats against Ling, of which they were consistent witnesses,
and announcing that, if he failed to do so, they would certainly bear
him themselves to a not far distant well of stagnant water, and there
gain the approbation of the good spirits by freeing the land of so
unnatural a monster.
Seeing only a dishonourable death on either side, Li Keen drew his
sword, and made use of every artifice of which he had knowledge in
order to disarm Ling or to take him at a disadvantage. In this he was
unsuccessful, for Ling, who was by nature a very expert sword-user,
struck him repeatedly, until he at length fell in an expiring
condition, remarking with his last words that he had indeed been a
narrow-minded and extortionate person during his life, and that his
death was an enlightened act of celestial accuracy.
Directing Wang and his four hired persons, who had in the meantime
arrived, to give the body of the Mandarin an honourable burial in the
deep of the wood, Ling rewarded and dismissed the chairbearers, and
without delay proceeded to Si-chow, where he charitably distributed
the goods and possessions of Li Keen among the poor of the town.
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