90
Sketches of China.
FEB.
the blood, wearing their circular badges, it became evident that this was the moment of an imperial audience; and that the embassador and commissioners had been inveigled by the most unworthy artifices, and the most in- decent haste, to be carried before the emperor in their present unprepared state. They were presently informed that his majesty had changed the day of audience from to-morrow to this day, and that duke Ho was waiting to conduct them at once into his presence!
“The embassador pleaded that, without his credentials, and the letter he was charged with from his sovereign, this was impossible; requesting at the same time that it might be stated he was ill from the effects of the journey, and required some rest. Duke Ho presently appeared in person, and urged his lordship to proceed direct to the emperor, who was waiting to give him audience. It was in vain that every argument was repeated; the duke's carnestness only seemed to increase with opposition, until he at length forgot himself so far as to gripe his lordship's arm violently, while one of the lads of Moukden stepped up at the same time. The embassador immediately shook them off, and behaved with great dignity and composure at this trying moment; telling the officer of the guard, who, like Gregory in the play, seemed inclined to remember his swashing blow,' that no swords must be drawn. The highest indignation was naturally expressed, and a fixed deterinination to proceed to no audience in such a manner.
The party at length retired, with the appearance of an understanding that the audience should take place on the morrow, as before agreed upon. The emperor's physician was soon after dispatched to see his excellency.
“The crowd of mandarins had in the meanwhile displayed a very indif ferent specimen of their court breeding, by crowding upon the English party, and examining their persons and dress with the most unceremonious curi- osity; and another strange scene took place as the embassador was quitting the room, for, when the crowd of idlers, spurred on by their inquisitiveness, pressed on in such a manner as to impede the doorway, duke Ho snatched a whip, with which he belabored them handsomely on all sides. The courtly appanage (some of them with yellow girdles) dispersed like a flock of sheep. When his excellency reached our intended dwelling, they crowded in like Inanner into the large room, and peeped through the windows of his private apartinent, making holes with their fingers in the colored paper windows; but when the embassador intreated some of our party to clear the place of these intruders, they fled out at the entrance the moment they perceived in what a summary mode the writ of ejectment was about to be served on them. "On first returning to us at Haitien, his excellency told us that he had successfully resisted the violent conduct of the Chinese, but it was impossi- ble to say what they night do next. Shortly afterwards, it was intimated to us by Cháng, that the emperor was in a towering passion, and that we were to go back directly to Tungchau. This certainly was a barbarous, not to say brutal, measure, considering that we had only just arrived from a most fatigung might journey; but I was not altogether sorry to hear the announce-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.