suite of his Majesty wore huge ear-gems as a distinguishing mark. The
aides had these in blazing diamonds, and were good enough to take out the
ornaments and hand them round. The civil ministers wore no ornaments and
their dress was studiously plain. We were during dinner entertained by
music, instrumental and vocal, sedulously modulated to prevent
conversation from being drowned. The meal lasted quite two hours, and when
it was finished the Menghyi led the way to coffee in one of the kiosks of
the garden. I should have said that no wine was on the table at dinner.
The Burmese by religion are total abstainers, and their guests were
willing to follow their example for the time and to fall in with their
prejudices. After coffee we were ushered into the drawing-room, and
listened to a concert. The only solo-vocalist was the prima donna _par
excellence,_ Mdlle. Yeendun Male. The burden of her songs was love, but I
could not succeed in having the specific terms translated. Then she sang
an ode in praise of the Resident, and gracefully accepted his pecuniary
appreciation of her performance. Pio Nono then beckoned to her to flatter
me at close quarters; but, mistaking the index, she addressed herself to
the Residency chaplain in strains of hyperbolical encomium. The mistake
having been set right, much to the reverend gentleman's relief, the
songstress overpowered my sensitive modesty by impassioned requests in
verse that I should delay my departure; that, if I could not do so, I
should take her away with me; and that, if this were beyond my power, I
should at least remember her when I was far away. The which was an
allegory and cost me twenty rupees.

When the good-nights were being said, the Menghyi gratified me by the
information that the King had given his consent to my presentation, and
that I was to have the opportunity next morning of "Reverencing the Golden
Feet."