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39 The Importanc e of an Official's Le g Madam Qu was tercified when she heard that her husband had broken a leg. How is that he's broken his leg in a fall? When did it happen?' she asked. The attendant reported , 'Thi s morning after th e master had seen you off, h e went to the bureau. But he was most listless today. With his head bowed, he seemed full of worcies. He returned home without his lunch, and as soon as he entered, he wanted to relieve himself. 1 happened to pass by and saw that the spot where th e urinary jar was placed wa s all wet. By the sid e was a coin o n th e floo r droppe d there by some unknown person. When the master saw it, he bent down to pick it up. Accidentally, he slipped — I don't know how — and fell! It was but of minor importance that he had urine all over him, but with a loud cry, he said his leg was broken in the fall.' 'You scoundrel! Why didn' t you pick up the coin for him but expect him t o pick it up himself!' Madam Qu exclaimed . The attendant said in self-defence, ' I did not see the coin. I only knew whe n the master mentioned it. ' 'How bad is the injury? Has he seen a physician?' Madam Qu asked. 'The master kept on moaning after the fall. He is a big person, and I could not move him by myself. So with the help of the cook and the sedan chair-bearers, we half-carried an d half-dragged hi m into the bedroom to lie down. Coincidentally , Master Hu who can speak the foreign language came to call. When he heard tha t Master ha d broke n hi s le g i n a fall, h e sai d i n agitation , "Thos e o f us who ar e officials ar e completely dependent on our two legs in doing our work. We have to kowtow, we have to make obeisance, and we have to walk. Now that it's broken, is The Importance of an Officials Leg 383 it not tantamount to destroying his tools of trade?" Master Hu was most solicitous. He went i n to take a look at our master, and immediatel y went ou t to engage a foreign doctor to come and see him.' Madam Q u wa s shocked, sh e said , 'Wh y no t ge t a bonesetter? I s a foreig n doctor meant for the like of us?' 'The master was of the same view,' the attendant replied, 'so when he hear d that Maste r H u was about t o engag e a foreign doctor , he was badly shaken. H e said, "Even if I was to give him all I have got, it still won't be enough. I'd rather be a cripple!" But Master Hu simply took it upon himself to invite the foreign doctor here. Our master refused t o be attended to, but Master Hu caught him by his leg, and insisted that he should be examined. The foreign doctor examined him for a while an d said , "Thoug h h e ca n b e cured , when h e recovers , he'll wal k with a limp." Master Hu cried, "Very good! So long as he can kowtow, make obeisanc e and walk, it matters not even if he is a cripple." The foreign doctor assured him, "I can even give you a guarantee if all you want is to kowtow and make obeisance." Then Maste r Hu wanted him to guarantee a cure and he demanded te n taels of silver.' 'What did Master say?' Madam Qu asked . The attendan t answered , 'Th e maste r wa s most alarmed . He surreptitiousl y tugged a t Master H u severa l time s an d wave d his hand, sayin g that h e di d no t require a guaranteed treatment. Master Hu had no way out, so he said something in the foreign languag e and the two men left together. ' It was only then tha t Mada m Qu stoppe d worrying. Then sh e asked, 'Has a bonesetter been asked to look at him?' A n itineran t physician has been to see him, but he wants fifteen dollar s and...

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