our Legation Guards arrived, and we esteemed ourselves so secure. Two
and a half weeks ago! It seems at least two and a half months; but
that is merely the direct fault of having to live nearly twice the
proper number of hours in twenty-four.




XIII

A FEW CRUMBS


18th June, 1900.

* * * * *

It has just transpired that Hsu Tung, an infamous Manchu high
official, who has been the Emperor's tutor, and whose house is
actually on Legation Street some fifty yards inside the lines of the
Italian Legation, has been allowed to pass out of our barricaded
quarter, going quite openly in his blue and red official chair. This
is a terrible mistake which we may pay for dearly.

Hsu Tung is a scoundrel who is at least thorough in his convictions as
far as we are concerned. It is he who has long been boasting--and all
Peking has been repeating his boast--that in the near future he is
going to line his sedan chair with the hides of foreign devils and
fill his harem with their women; and it is he, above all other men,
who should have been seized by us, held as hostage, and shot out of