the affairs
of State, but gave all into the hand of the Second, now the Principal
Bonze. And the laws ceased to be observed, and rebellions broke out in the
provinces, and enemies invaded the country, and there was famine in the
land.

And now the Emperor was well-nigh ten years nearer to the gates of death
than when the Sleeping Beauty had been brought to his court. The love of
beauty was nearly quenched in him, but the longing for life grew more
intense. He became angry with the sleeper, that she awakened not, and with
his little remaining strength smote her fiercely on the cheeks, but she
gave no sign of reviving. Remembering that if he gained the potion of
immortality he would himself be plunged into a trance, he made all
preparations for the interregnum. He decreed that he was to be seated erect
on his throne, with all his imperial insignia, and it was to be death to
any one who should presume to remove any of them. His slumbering figure was
to preside at all councils, and to be consulted in every act of state, and
all ministers and officers were to do homage daily. The revived Sleeping
Beauty was to partake of the draught anew, at the same time and in the same
manner as himself, that she might awake with him, and that he might find
her charms unimpaired. All the ministers swore solemnly to observe these
regulations; firmly purposing to burn the sleeper, if sleep he ever did, at
the very first opportunity, and scatter his ashes to the winds. Then they
would fight for the Empire among themselves; each, meanwhile, was mainly
occupied in striving to gain the rebels over to his interest, insomuch that
the people grew more miserable day by day.

And as the aged Emperor waxed more and more feeble, he began to see
visions. Legions of little black imps surrounded him crying, "We are thy
sins, and would be punished--would'st thou by living for ever deprive us
of our due?" And fair female forms came veiled with drooping heads, and
murmured, "We are thy virtues, and would be rewarded--would'st thou cheat
us?" And other figures came, dark but lovely, and whispered, "We are thy
dead friends who have long waited for thee--would'st thou take to thyself
new friends, and forget us?" And others said, "We are thy memories--wilt
thou live on till we are all withered in thy heart?" And others said, "We
are thy strength and thy beauty, thy memory and thy wit--canst thou live,
knowing thou wilt never see us more?" And at last came two