something which he had not dared to tell any one--not even his
secretaries.

From this little list, it was soon clear that the British, French,
Russian, American, Italian, and Japanese detachments had arrived. The
Germans and the Austrians were missing, but we concluded that they
would arrive by another train within very few hours. The important
point was that men had been allowed to come through--that the Chinese
Government, in spite of its enormous capacity for mischief, could not
yet have made up its mind how to act. That consoled us.

After this, a faint-hearted attempt was made to continue our talk. But
it was no good. We soon discovered that each one of us had been
simulating a false interest in our never-ending discussion. We really
wished to see with our own eyes these Legation Guards who might still
save the situation.

Strolling out in the warm night, just as we were, we first came on
them in the French Legation. The French detachment were merely sailors
belonging to what they call their _Compagnies de debarquement_, and
they were all brushing each other down and cursing the _sacree
poussiere_. Such a leading _motif_ has this Peking dust become that
the very sailors notice it. Also we found two priests from Monseigneur
F----'s Cathedral, sitting in the garden and patiently waiting for the
Minister's return. I heard afterwards that they would not move until
P---- decided that twenty-five sailors should march the next day to
the Cathedral--in fact at daylight.

In all the Legations I found it was much the same thing--the men of
the various detachments were brushing each other down and exchanging