attained his prosperity. So it came about that in the wine shop, in the tea shop, and in the temples, there were stealthy and eager ears which gradually gathered the news. The result was that Ah Q attained a new status of respect and admiration.
According to his own accounts, he had been employed in the household of Chü-jen Lao-yeh, which part of the narrative filled his listeners with awe. This Lao-yeh's surname was originally Pai, but, due to the fact that the whole city contained only one Chü-jen, it accordingly came about that his surname was not added to his title. Whenever Chü-jen Lao-yeh was mentioned, he alone was the person referred to. It was not as if this condition held true merely for a place the size of Weichuang, but it held good for a region within a radius of one hundred li, where the people almost believed that his name actually was Chü-jen Lao-yeh. Now a person in the employ of such a household ought to inspire respect, but according to Ah Q's further accounts, he no longer deigned to hold this position because this Chü-jen Lao-yeh was really too hateful. This part of the tale caused his hearers to sigh with sympathy, but secretly made them feel glad because Ah Q was unfitted to help in the household of Chü-jen Lao-yeh; but the fact that Ah Q did not help his employer was to be pitied.
