"False Foreigner," all of them wearing malignant expressions and staring at him with angry eyes, he realized that the person before him was some one of consequence. Naturally, ever so naturally, and immediately, his knee joints loosened and he knelt down.
"Stand up and talk; you don't have to kneel!" cried the men in long coats.
Although Ah Q seemed to understand, still, in the end he perceived that he was unable to stand, and his body bent down of its own accord; so, taking advantage of his position, he continued to kneel.
"Base slave!" sneered the men in long coats, but they did not command him to rise.
Looking steadily at Ah Q's face, the tonsured old man spoke in quiet, clear tones "You had better confess the truth in order to avoid the pain of punishment. I knew all the facts of this case long ago. Confess and you will be given your freedom."
"Confess," the men wearing long coats cried in chorus.
"I wanted to — come join —" muttered Ah Q unintelligibly as, in his bewilderment, he labored under a load of thought. After that he spoke with intermittent breaks.
"Then, why didn't you come?" asked the old man gently.