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TIMES WERE URGENT. THE VICEROYS REPORTED INCURSIONS OF BARBARIANS BY LAND AND OF JAPAN-

ESE DWARFS BY WAR-JUNKS.

Vermilion of her lips might stain the ivory cup she
drank from. Her eyebrows suggested a “line of beauty”
drawn by the hand of a skilled artist, and the shape of
her face was as a pearl of price. This loveliness was sup-
ported on feet resembling those of a day-old infant, so
that she swayed in moving as a willow bough sways in
the wind. Yet all this beauty was still virgin, the
Dowager Empress having suddenly become a guest on
high on the marriage day of Her Majesty.

On her right hand stood the three secondary wives,
known as the Fu-jins, second in beauty only to the Em-
press, and a world’s wonder, each one. Their robes
were worked with kingfisher feathers in five shades of
color. On her left stood the Pins, the seven chief con-
cubines, every one a reward for a monarch, and each
appearing in a robe of yellow silk. On either side of
these most honored ladies were grouped the thirty-seven
Chi-fus, the concubines of the next grade, robed in silken
robes of the green of the summer apple, with rose silk
fringes dangling at either ear; and behind all, and gar-
mented in black with embroideries of golden bamboos,
were the eighty Yen-tsis, the lower concubines, chosen
from among the loveliest maidens presented yearly for
service in the Golden Palace. But of all these ladies the
Empress was the eye of the peacock. The ungraded con-
cubines were not in attendance.

So sat the Empress, her throne supported on the Four
Supernatural Creatures—the Unicorn, the Phoenix,
the Tortoise and the Dragon—and draped with green
and blue silk, and the eunuchs, kowtowing, attended into
her sacred presence the venerable Prince of Lu.

Even he did not lift his eyes to the divine countenance,
but, being privileged on account of age and rank, he did
not kowtow face downward upon the floor of white jade,

142

BUT NONE DARED DISTURB THE MEDITATIONS OF THE SON OF‘ HEAVEN

but performed the lesser abasement and knelt upor. 7 ~
lowest step of the Seat of Heavenly Grace.

In the low voice suited to female excellence, the Flo". —‘
Empress demanded his business with her, and 7”." :1
humility he replied: “Most glorious Empress, the mat",-'
is one of urgency and secrecy. Be pleased therefore ‘
hear me in private.”

The Flower Lady moved her fan with a graceful
ture like the tendrils of a creeper in a gentle breeze. ;' .
in dignified silence the Blossoms of the Palace, headei '
the three Fu-jins, departed from the Hall of the Dis :‘_‘—,~~-~’
Feminine Virtues and thus quenched the flame of :
lected beauty that might dry up the eloquence of -2‘:-
wisest, leaving the Empress seated, with two I’I1E'.TZT.,
kneeling out of earshot at the end of the Hall.

“Most illustrious Queen,” began the Prince, “not  1-
out reason have I ventured to disturb the august _:*'-
priety of your seclusion. The Son of Heaven has mo:;r 1 
for his celestial parent, who in felicity ascended or. i:~~
Dragon, with all the piety that the Book of Rites 3: ":1-
mands. Three years of mourning is the time appoi ‘
for the Superior Man. Twenty and seven months 1. ' " 
custom. But His Majesty has mourned without 
mission for four years, the faces of his subjects grow
with anxiety and gall rises in their throats because -»
Middle Kingdom, without hand to guide it, staggers 1,; ~-
a blind man on the highway. Nor dare we approac: '
Brother of the Sun and Moon with remonstrance~t '
though the Dragon has lately swallowed the Sur. _'—.f';
restored him miraculously to the world. An evil pot‘. e : 1
and much to be feared!”

“And what can a mere woman accomplish?” inc;;;.“-.~:.
the Empress, gently shifting her jade girdle-pendants

There was a pause, while the Prince of Lu collects‘ "