Page 95 - 《孟子》（二）中·英对照版

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the brave officer never forgets that he may lose his
head.’ What was it in the forester that Confucius
thus approved? He approved his not going to the
duke, when summoned by the article which was
not appropriate to him. If one go to see the princes
without waiting to be invited, what can be thought
of him? Moreover, that sentence, ‘By bending only
one cubit, you make eight cubits straight,’ is spoken
with reference to the gain that may be got. If gain
be the object, then, if it can be got by bending eight
cubits to make one cubit straight, may we likewise
do that? Formerly, the officer Zhao Jian made
Wang Liang act as charioteer for his favourite Xi,
when, in the course of a whole day, they did not get
a single bird. The favourite Xi reported this result,
saying, ‘He is the poorest charioteer in the world.’
Some one told this to Wang Liang, who said, ‘I beg
leave to try again.’ By dint of pressing, this was
accorded to him, when in one morning they got ten

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