thing of his expenses as to passage money, etc., to Lord
Ripon, which left him very much out of pocket. He wrote himself on the
subject: "All this Private Secretaryship and its consequent expenses
are all due to my not acting on my _own_ instinct. However, for the
future I will be wiser.... It was a living crucifixion.... I nearly
burst with the trammels.... A L100,000 a year would not have kept me
there. I resigned on 2 June, and never unpacked my official dress."

The immediate consequence referred to was as follows: In the drawer of
Mr J. D. Campbell, at the office at Storey's Gate of the Chinese
Imperial Customs, had been lying for some little time the
following telegram for Colonel Gordon from Sir Robert Hart, the
Inspector-General of the Department in China:--

"I am directed to invite you here (Peking). Please come and see
for yourself. The opportunity of doing really useful work on a
large scale ought not to be lost. Work, position, conditions, can
all be arranged with yourself here to your satisfaction. Do take
six months' leave and come."

As Mr Campbell was aware of Gordon's absence in India, he had thought
it useless to forward the message, and it was not until the
resignation was announced that he did so. In dealing with this
intricate matter, which was complicated by extraneous considerations,
it is necessary to clear up point by point. When Gordon received the
message he at once concluded that the invitation came from his old
colleague Li Hung Chang, and accepted it on that assumption, which in
the end proved erroneous. It is desirable to state that since Gordon's
departure from China in 1865 at least one communication had passed
between these former associates in a great enterprise. The following
characteristic letter, dated Tientsin, 22nd March 1879, reached Gordon
while he was at Khartoum:--

"DEAR SIR,--I am instructed by His Excellency the Grand
Secretary, Li, to answer your esteemed favour, dated the 27th
October 1878, from Khartoum, which was duly received. I am right
glad to hear from you. It is now over fourteen years since we
parted from each other. Although I have not written to you, but I
often speak of you, and remember you with very great interest.
The benefit you have conferred on China does not disappear with
your person, but is felt throughout the regions in which you
played so important and active a part. All those