England; and that as the King was the chief institution of the country, I
had a keen anxiety to see him and begged of his Excellency to lend me his
aid toward doing so. He gave no direct reply, but certainly did not frown
on the request. We were served with tea (without cream or sugar) in pretty
china cups, and then the Menghyi, observing that we were looking at some
quaint-shaped musical instruments at the foot of the dais, explained that
they belonged to a band of rural performers from the Pegu district, and
proposed that we should first hear them play and afterwards visit the
theatre and witness the _pooey_. We assenting, he led the way from his
pavilion through the garden to a pretty kiosk half-embosomed in foliage,
and chairs having been brought the party sat down. We had put on our shoes
as we quitted the dais. The Menghyi explained that it was pleasanter for
him, as it must be for us, that we should change the manner of our
reception from the Burmese to the European custom; and we were quite free
to confess that we would sooner sit in chairs than squat on the floor.
More tea was brought, and a plateful of cheroots. After we had sat a
little while in the kiosk we were joined by the chief Under-Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, the Baron de Giers of Burmah, a jovial, corpulent,
elderly gentleman who had the most wonderful likeness to the late Pio
Nono, and who clasped his brown hands over his fat paunch and kicked about
his plump bare brown feet in high enjoyment when anything that struck him
as humorous was uttered. He wholly differed in appearance from his
superior, who was a lean-faced and lean-figured man, grave, and indeed
somewhat sad both of eye and of visage when his face was in repose. As we
talked, our conversation being through the interpreting secretary, there
came to the curtained entrance to the kiosk a very dainty little lady. I
had noticed her previously sauntering around the garden under one of the
great shield-like shades, with a following of serving-men and
serving-women behind her. She greeted the Menghyi very prettily, with the
most perfect composure, although strangers were present. She was clearly a