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Lesson 96 The ?dead re?turn A ?Festival for the ?Dead /is ?held /?once a year /in Ja?pan. ?This ?festival /is a ?cheerful oc?casion, for /on ?this ?day, the ?dead /are ?said to re?turn to their ?homes /and ?they are ?welcomed /by the ?living. ?As they are ?expected to be ?hungry/ ?after their ?long ?journey, ?food /is ?laid ?out for them. ?Specially-made ?lanterns/ are ?hung ?outside ?each ?house/ to ?help the ?dead /to ?find their ?way. ?All ?night ?long, people ?dance/ and ?sing. In the ?early ?morning, the ?food /that had been ?laid ?out/ for the ?dead/ is ?thrown into a ?river /or into the ?sea /as it is con?sidered un?lucky/ for ?anyone ?living /to ?eat it. In ?towns /that are ?near the ?sea, the ?tiny ?lanterns /which had been ?hung in the ?streets /the ?night be?fore, are ?placed/ into the ?water /when the ?festival is ?over. ?Thousands of ?lanterns/ slowly ?drift out to ?sea /?guiding the ?dead /on their re?turn ?journey /to the ?other ?world. This is a ?moving s?pectacle, for ?crowds of ?people /?stand on the ?shore /?watching the ?lanterns /?drifting away /until ?they can be ?seen/ ?no ?more. Lesson 95 A ‘fantasy? When the Am’bassador /of Esca’lopia /returned ‘home /for ‘lunch, his ‘wife /got a ‘shock. He looked ‘pale /and his ‘clothes /were in a ‘frightful ‘state.’What has ‘happened? she ‘asked. ’How did your ‘clothes /get into such a ‘mess?A ‘fire ex’tinguisher, my ‘dear, ‘answered /the Am’bassador /drily. .University ‘students/set the ‘Embassy /on ‘fire/ this ‘morning.Good ‘heavens! exclaimed his ‘wife. And where ‘were you /at the ‘time?I was in my ‘office /as ‘usual, ‘answered/ the Am’bassador. The ‘fire /‘broke ‘out/ in the ‘basement. I ‘went ‘down /im’mediately, of ‘course, and that ‘fool, ‘Horst, ‘aimed /a ‘fire ex’tinguisher /at me. He ‘thought /I was on ‘fire. I must ‘definitely /’get that fellow ‘posted.The Ambassadors ‘wife/ ‘went ‘on /asking ‘questions, when she ‘suddenly noticed /a big ‘hole/ in her ‘husbands ‘hat.And ‘how can you ex’