صفحة 223 من 266

[Ch'en Hao's explanation: "If I manage to seize a favourable

position, but the enemy does not appear on the scene, the

advantage thus obtained cannot be turned to any practical

account. He who intends therefore, to occupy a position of

importance to the enemy, must begin by making an artful

appointment, so to speak, with his antagonist, and cajole him

into going there as well." Mei Yao-ch'en explains that this

"artful appointment" is to be made through the medium of the

enemy's own spies, who will carry back just the amount of

information that we choose to give them. Then, having cunningly

disclosed our intentions, "we must manage, though starting after

the enemy, to arrive before him (VII. § 4). We must start after

him in order to ensure his marching thither; we must arrive

before him in order to capture the place without trouble. Taken

thus, the present passage lends some support to Mei Yao-ch'en's

interpretation of § 47.]

67. Walk in the path defined by rule,