“Yes,” I said, “and who is likely to think me immoral?” “Oh, everybody,” he answered impressively. “And they will publish it in the papers--all the Japanese papers in the city, and in the island,” he emphasized, “that you are immoral. And, anyhow, you must do in Rome as the Romans do,” he added triumphantly, evidently thinking he had convicted me out of the mouth of one of the sages of my own Western world. Ever afterwards this: “Do in Rome as the Romans do” was a favourite phrase of his when he tried to insist upon my regulating my life in every detail upon the model of that of a Japanese woman. [Illustration: AUTHOR IN RICKSHA IN THE CITY OF TAIHOKU.] [Illustration: USUAL FORM OF _TORO_ (PUSH-CAR). (_Author has vacated seat by the side of Japanese policeman, in order to take “snapshot.”_)] I am afraid I did not conceal my amusement on this occasion as well as I should have done. Japanese officials take themselves, and like to be taken, very seriously. I did not wish the Director to know that I saw through his ruse--and that of certain other of the Japanese officials--a ruse directed towards keeping me from coming into personal contact with the aborigines of the island and with the more intelligent Chinese-Formosans, except when under the immediate surveillance of the Japanese. The Director said that it would be “all right” if he accompanied me on my excursions into the mountains. Now the Director happened to be a married man; his wife happened to be a Japanese lady who “of course did not walk.” I tried to explain that if he really thought there was danger of a scandal, the companionship of a married man on these excursions, one whose wife was left at home, would not tend to lessen this danger. “I am afraid I must continue to go my wicked way without the protection of your companionship,” I said; “and if ‘they’--whoever ‘they’ may be--annoy you with questions as to the object of my excursions into the mountains, or if they are inquisitive as to whether I go there for the purpose of a romance, legitimate or otherwise, tell them that I am one of those who like to ‘eat of all the fruit of the trees of the garden of the world----’” “Huh?” roared the Director. Both hands were at his head now. “Tell them ‘Yes’ to anything they ask about me,” I said, “if that will set their minds at rest and prevent their annoying you with impertinent questions, as you say they annoy you.”