Tsz-lu went and informed his Master of all this. He was deeply touched,
and said, "One cannot herd on equal terms with beasts and birds: if I am
not to live among these human folk, then with whom else should I live?
Only when the empire is well ordered shall I cease to take part in the
work of reformation."
Tsz-lu was following the Master, but had dropped behind on the way, when
he encountered an old man with a weed-basket slung on a staff over his
shoulder. Tsz-lu inquired of him, "Have you seen my Master, sir?" Said
the old man, "Who is your master?--you who never employ your four limbs
in laborious work; you who do not know one from another of the five
sorts of grain!" And he stuck his staff in the ground, and began his
weeding.
Tsz-lu brought his hands together on his breast and stood still.
The old man kept Tsz-lu and lodged him for the night, killed a fowl and
prepared some millet, entertained him, and brought his two sons out to
see him.
On the morrow Tsz-lu went on his way, and told all this to the Master,
who said, "He is a recluse," and sent Tsz-lu back to see him again. But
by the time he got there he was gone.
Tsz-lu remarked upon this, "It is not right he should evade official
duties. If he cannot allow any neglect of the terms on which elders and
juniors should live together, how is it that he neglects to conform to
what is proper as between prince and public servant? He wishes for
himself personally a pure life, yet creates disorder in that more
important relationship.
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