room, stood the "False Foreigner," clothed from head to foot in what were probably black foreign clothes. On him hung a silver peach, while his hand held the object with which Ah Q had already made acquaintance, namely, his cane. His disheveled hair, the foot or so of queue, which had grown back again, had been let loose and fell about his shoulders, looking like the locks of a Liu-hai deity. Sitting or standing before him were Chao Pai-yen and three outsiders, all listening with the utmost deference.
Ah Q tiptoed over and stood behind Chao Pai-yen. His wish was to greet the speaker, but he did not know the proper manner in which to address him; it would not do to call him "False Foreigner," nor "Foreigner," nor even the Revolutionary party. Perhaps, it would do to call him "Mr. Foreigner," and let it go at that.
"Mr. Foreigner" did not notice him at all, for he had lifted his eyes high as he continued with animation: "I am a person of little patience, so when we met, I said, 'Brother Hung, we had better get into action!' but always he would reply, 'No!' This is a foreign word which you do not understand — otherwise we should have won our cause long ago. This proves that he was overcareful in his doings. Thrice, yea, four
