more goods for sale; perhaps, there might be something good left over; and what was more, Mrs. Chao was just thinking of purchasing a high quality and low-priced fur vest. Having held a council, the family, therefore, immediately sent Tsou Ch'i-sao to seek Ah Q; and for this reason brought into effect for the first time the third new exception to an established rule; namely, that on this evening, it would be permissible to light the lamps.
Not a little lamp oil had been burned, but still Ah Q had not arrived. All the female members of the Chao household were very impatient and kept yawning, some complaining that Ah Q was too changeable, others angry that Tsou Ch'i-sao had not taken her mission seriously. Mrs. Chao feared that Ah Q did not dare to come on account of the agreements he had made in the spring, but the Venerable Mr. Chao considered this no reason for worry because, in this instance, as he said, "I sent for him." In the end, the Venerable Mr. Chao's wide experience proved him an unerring judge, for Ah Q eventually came, following Tsou Ch'i-sao.
"He just says, 'I have no more, have no more.' I told him, 'You had better go tell them yourself,' but he still would insist on saying, 'I say . . .'" gasped Tsou Ch'i-sao as she ran in.
