never let her pass without hurling an insult at her, even when he was quite himself. Now all the resentment that he had felt for his recent defeats and indignities turned against the hapless nun.
"I have been wondering why I have been so unlucky all day, so it's because of you!" he thought.
He went up to her and spat in disgust. The nun walked on without paying the slightest attention to him. Ah Q approached her, thrust out his hand and stroked her clean-shaven head, saying with an idiotic grin, "Baldhead! Hurry home. The monk is waiting for you."
"What has possessed you that you dare to touch me!" the nun said hurrying on, her face flushed.
People in the tavern laughed. Encouraged by the general appreciation, Ah Q pinched her cheek, saying, "Since the monk can touch you, why not I?"
The tavern laughed again. Ah Q became more pleased with himself and gave the nun another pinch for the benefit of the onlookers.
This encounter drove out the memory of Wang the Beard and of the fake foreigner, and avenged all his adversities of the day. He felt more lighthearted than the whack-whack had made him, so lighthearted that he positively floated on air.
"May Ah Q never have any offspring," sounded the pitiful voice of the nun as she hurried off.
"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Ah Q triumphantly.
"Ha! ha! ha!" echoed the tavern.
It is said that some conquerors must have foes like tigers and eagles in order to derive any satisfaction from their vic-
