Liu Hai. Around him were Chao the white-eyed and three idlers listening reverently and attentively to his discourse.
Ah Q tiptoed in and stood behind Chao the white-eyed. He wanted to greet the speaker, but did not know what form of address to use. "Fake foreigner" certainly would not do; "foreigner" was none too appropriate; "revolutionary" did not seem appropriate either; perhaps he should address him "Mr. Foreigner."
Mr. Foreigner did not notice the newcomer, being in the midst of an exciting chapter of the revolution.
"I have always been hot-tempered, you know. So when we met I always said to him, 'Brother Hung,'[1] let us strike now!' But he always said, 'No!'—which of course you will not understand as it is in the foreign language. Otherwise we would have succeeded long ago. But from this you will see how cautious and careful he is. He has asked me to go to Hupeh several times, but I have not yet consented. Of course I would not think of accepting a post in a little district city like ours . . . "
"Hem, er," Ah Q tried to begin during this pause, forget ting to address him as Mr. Foreigner.
The four listeners turned around and looked at him in astonishment; Mr. Foreigner also noticed him.
"What do you want?"
"I . . . "
"Get out!"
"I want to join . . . "
"Get out!" Mr. Foreigner raised his funeral stick.
Chao the white-eyed and the other listeners shouted, "The gentleman tells you to get out. Can't you hear?"
Instinctively Ah Q raised his hands to protect his head as
- ↑ Li Yuan-hung, commander of the revolutionary forces.
