Chapter 2
The reason why Kin-Fo gave a farewell dinner to his Canton friends was, because he passed a part of his youth in the capital of the province of Kuang-Tung. Of the numerous comrades a wealthy and generous young man is sure to have, the only ones left him at this time were the four guests who were present on the flower-boat. It would have been useless for him to have tried to bring the others together, as they were scattered by the various accidents of life.
Kin-Fo lived in Shang-hai, and, being worn out with ennui, was now for a change spending a few days in Canton. This evening he intended to take the steamboat which stops at several points along the coast, and return quietly home to his yamen.
The reason that Wang accompanied Kin-Fo was because the philosopher could never lea
