170
THE PASSING OF KOREA
latter, on his arrival at home, tore off the coat and ordered the women of the house to tear it up for mop-rags, as he would never wear a coat that had been on a robber's back. In about half an hour, as he was seated with his long pipe in his mouth and his favourite book before him on the floor, he heard a most unaccountable disturbance in the women's quarters, and in they rushed upon him screaming that the coat was bewitched with a million imps. The little fat god of wealth that is seated on each of the Japanese bank notes had been too much for their nerves. Fortunately the gentleman had seen Japanese money, and, as he gently disengaged the crisp notes, he murmured to himself the sanctimonious aphorism, " Virtue is its own reward."
