go; and wherever they happened to be, as in times past, they would give him five or six knocks and leave, feeling fully satisfied at heart that they had gained a victory. They were sure that Ah Q had met his Waterloo this time; but it was not ten minutes before Ah Q would walk off, feeling fully satisfied in his heart that he had gained the victory. He felt that he was the "foremost self-belittler"; and if the words, "self-belittler," were taken away from the phrase, the remaining "foremost" applied to him. Was not the candidate who receives the highest honor in the government examinations also first, "foremost," like himself? "And what kind of creature may you be considered?" he would think to himself.
After Ah Q had used these supreme strategies to conquer his enemy, he would run with added elation to the wine shop and gulp down a few bowls of wine, all the while joking with the others present, or exchanging verbal jabs, and after another victory there, would return happy to T'uku Temple, where he let his head sink into slumber.
If he happened to have money, he would be off to play dominoes. The whole crowd would be stooping on the ground, Ah Q, with perspiration
