ion upon us; and the picture of those horrible
persecutions which at different times have afflicted the christendoms of
China, seized upon our imagination; but we soon recovered our spirits in
the reflection that we were alone, and isolated as we were in the midst
of Thibet, could not compromise any one. This thought gave us courage.
"Samdadchiemba," we said to our young neophyte, "now must we show that we
are brave men, that we are Christians. This affair will perhaps proceed
to great lengths; but let us never lose sight of eternity. If we are
treated well, we shall thank God for it; if we are maltreated, we shall
thank him nevertheless, for we shall have the happiness of suffering for
the faith. If we are killed, the martyrdom will be a splendid crowning
of all our labours. To arrive, after a journey of only eighteen months,
in heaven, were not that a good journey? were not that happiness? What
do you say, Samdadchiemba?" "I have never been in fear of death; if I am
asked whether I am a Christian, you will see if I tremble."

This excellent frame of mind in Samdadchiemba filled our hearts with joy,
and completely dissipated the unpleasant impressions which this
misadventure had occasioned. We thought for a moment of considering the
questions that would probably be put to us, and the answers we should
give; but we rejected this counsel of mere human prudence, reflecting
that the moment had come for us to keep strictly to the injunction which
our Saviour addressed to his disciples, that "when they were brought
before the synagogues, governors, and kings, they should take no thought
how or what they should speak;" only it was agreed that we should salute
the Mandarin in the French way, and that we should not kneel before him.
We thought that, having the honour to be Christians, missionaries, and
Frenchmen, we might very fairly insist on standing erect before any
Chinese whatsoever.

After waiting a few moments, a young Chinese, elegantly dressed, and of
very graceful manners, came to inform us that Ki-Chan, grand ambassador
of the grand Emperor of China, wished to examine us. We followed our
amiable apparitor, and were ushered into a saloon decorated in the
Chinese style, where Ki-Chan was seated upon a sort of throne, about
three feet high, and covered with red cloth. Before him was a small
table of black laque, upon which were an inkstand, some pens, some sheets
of paper, and a silver vase filled with snuff.