Mencius - Book 2, Part 2, Chapter 10A

Mencius gave up his office, and made arrangements for returning to his native State.

The king came to visit him, and said, 'Formerly, I wished to see you, but in vain. Then, I got the opportunity of being by your side, and all my court joyed exceedingly along with me. Now again you abandon me, and are returning home. I do not know if hereafter I may expect to have another opportunity of seeing you.' Mencius replied, 'I dare not request permission to visit you at any particular time, but, indeed, it is what I desire.'

Another day, the king said to the officer Shih, 'I wish to give Mencius a house, somewhere in the middle of the kingdom, and to support his disciples with an allowance of chung, that all the officers and the people may have such an example to reverence and imitate. Had you not better tell him this for me?'

Shih took advantage to convey this message by means of the disciple Ch'an, who reported his words to Mencius.
~ James Legge translation via nothingistic.org ~

Go here to read the introductory post to this serialized version of the Works of Mencius.