THE TRIADS AT SHANGHAI 13 deference not shown to me;but he estimated his purchased honours at their true value,and was not led into thinking that they represented more than money bags. The next day I spent with Yang Talaoyeh (such the CHAPTER III. address due to him from his rank)in the inner office of the I AM LAUNCHED AT SHANGHAI. Taki Bank.He was in his office soon after sunrise,and it did not seem to close much before midnight.There were of N the dusk of that winter evening of the Rain-water course,certain fixed hours for paying out money,and certain season I walked,with Cockeye carrying my luggage,to more elastic hours for receiving it;but,for sixteen hours,the the Taki Bank,situated in the Yungan-Kiai,the Street clerks were there,working in a leisurely way,moving of Eternal Rest,in the busy riverside suburb outside the languidly,stopping now for a few whiffs of tobacco,again for East Gate of the city of Shanghai.Yang Tzetang gave me a few sips of tea,eating their meals there,getting through a a hearty welcome,and a supper for which I was quite ready deal of work by reason of the fux of time,but never seeming after my long row down from Tungli. to get through with the day's work.Even then I could not "And how did you leave your honoured father,"he asked, help feeling that more might be done in fewer hours of “my old friend Minsien？Does he eat his rice well？And is greater energy,and,later on,when I had seen the foreign he still as strong on physical exercise?" merchants strenuously at work,I was sure of it. "The home father is fortunately pretty well,and asked me The next day he sent a clerk with me to call on Mr.Bates, to present his respects to his honoured friend.He is still an American missionary,who lived in a small house outside keen on physical training,and has brought my humble self the North Gate,between it and the Yangkingpang,a small up on those lines..” creek separating the French and the English residential "Yes,so Yaolin wrote,and I am to see that you have time quarters.It stood in the open country,with a few hovels in to keep it up,though it seems very strange for a young sight near the North Gate,and nearer to the river the scholar to do any work,except with his head.And how is French consulate and one other foreign house occupied by a my old friend Yaolien too?" dealer in watches.Mr.Bates was a tall,thin,dark man, "He also was pretty well,and bade me ask after your rest." speaking with a languid drawl.He spoke,badly,an Tzetang was of middle age,rather over fifty,very genial, inelegant Chinese,and that in the Shanghai dialect,further obviously of great intelligence,and with a face calculated to removed than even our Soochow tongue from the mandarin inspire confidence and respect.In that first evening I began language. to feel for him a liking which,in time,was to develop into The clerk explained our visit."This is the young friend deep respect and veneration.He fattered me by treating to-whom Yang Talaoyeh thought you might.be willing to me as if I were a man,and not merely a young scholar;and, teach English." in fact,as I discovered later on,he entertained a genuine "What is your honoured name,Sir ?he asked,turning to feeling of respect for me,because my rank,with its gilt me button,though very low,had been won by examination,and "Myunworthy name is Ting Meisun,"I replied.Tzetang at the first trial.He had rank much higher than mine;by had advised me to pass by that name entirely while in successive steps he had attained by purchase to the fourth Shanghai,as it would not be seemly to allow foreigners.to grade,and when he paid a visit in his official robes,his hat address me by my proper name." crowned with its opaque blue button,and his pusa blazoned "What is your honoured rank?"he then asked. with a wild goose,he was received by the officials with a "By examination I am a Siutsai,"I replied,"and there- 12