such; he is a native of such and such a place." The fact is that I do not know the surname of Ah Q. At one time it appeared to have been Chao, but by the following day it had become a matter of uncertainty. This was at the time when the gong-beating messengers brought news that the son of His Honor Chao had passed his examination. Ah Q had just drunk two cups of wine and was feeling effusive. He announced excitedly that it was a great honor for him because he and His Honor Chao were kinsmen and that he, Ah Q, was, come to think of it, three generations higher than the new licentiate in the family tree. This made a great impression on some of the bystanders. But the next day the village constable summoned Ah Q to His Honor's house. At the sight of Ah Q, His Honor turned red with fury and thundered:
"Ah Q, you knave! Did you say that I am a kinsman of yours?"
Ah Q was silent.
This infuriated His Honor still more; he advanced a few steps, saying, "How dare you blab such nonsense. How could I have a kinsman like you? Is your surname Chao?"
Ah Q did not open his mouth; he considered a retreat. His Honor jumped up to him and slapped him in the face. "How could your name be Chao? You!"
Ah Q did not try to argue that his name was really Chao; he simply backed out with the constable, nursing his left cheek. Outside, the constable gave him a lecture and accepted two hundred cash from him for wine money. All those who heard about this incident agreed that Ah Q had invited the thrashing by his own impudence, that his surname was probably not Chao, and that even if it had been, he should not have been so presumptuous as to talk the way he did.
