emotion whatever. He simply said, "I'll do everything you say."
This was entirely unexpected. One burden fell from the hearts of those present, but at the same time a new and heavier burden seemed to take its place, for Lien-shu's acquiescence appeared too fantastic to be true and might really mean something else. The curious villagers were very much disappointed. "How strange it is," they said. "He says that he'll do everything they want. Let us go and see." He would do everything they wanted him to meant that everything would be done in the usual and customary way, which in turn meant there was nothing much to be seen. But the villagers wanted to be there just the same, and so after twilight they all foregathered in the funeral hall with eager anticipation.
I was among those who went to see the ceremony, sending beforehand incense and candles as an offering to the deceased. When I arrived at the house of mourning, I found Lien-shu already engaged in enshrouding the dead. He was a short man of lean, sharp features, with loose hair and a thick dark beard; his eyebrows occupied a good portion of his face, which was dominated by two bright and burning eyes. He did his job of enshrouding well; he did it in an orderly and methodical manner, as if he were an expert at it, and he impressed the spectators favorably in spite of themselves. According to the well-established tradition of Cold Stone Mountain, the representatives of the family of the deceased were bound to offer criticisms no matter how well things were proceeding. Lien-shu was never ruffled by these criticisms, but quietly and obligingly made whatever changes that were demanded. A white-haired old lady standing before me could not help emitting a sigh of appreciation.
