at is that this European war had its origin in the Orient.
Supremacy in the Orient, control of the Far East--that is the underlying
cause of the struggle which is rending Europe in twain. The world does
not go to war for little stakes, for trifles. It fights for colossal
stakes, worth gambling for.

XII

WALKING ON THE WALL

Don't think that even in all this excitement our taste for shopping has
become quiescent. Far from it! Shopping freshens one up, relaxes one's
mind, makes one more keen for the next bit of rumor that comes along. We
know where all the antique-shops are situated, those along Ha-ta-Men
Street, out on Morrison Street, in the Tartar City, all those without
the Wall, and those in the Chinese City, as well as the pawnshops down
the lower part of Chi'en Men Street, the Thieves' Market, and all the
various bazaars. And we know the days on which the temple fairs are
held. We know all about them and get bargains every day, sometimes real
finds, and sometimes stone lions of the purest Ming, such as I described
a few days ago. And in the intervals, when we are not out questing on
our own, the dealers and runners from the various shops appear at our
door, bow themselves in with such ingratiating compliments that we can't
resist, and then stoop over and undo wonderful blue cotton bundles and
exhibit such treasures that there's no withstanding them. The most
irresistible of all these dealers is "Tiffany" (his Chinese name has
given way to this nickname, which is solemnly printed on his card),
dealer in jewels and jade, a giant Chinese about six feet tall, weighing
some three hundred pounds, with the smiling, innocent face of a
three-foot child! When Tiffany enters the room and squats down over his
big blue bundle, his knees spread out, he looks like a wide blue
elephant, and there is no refusing his bland, smiling, upturned face,
his gentle, "No buy. Just look-see." Then from the bundle come strings
of pearls, translucent jade of "number-one" quality, snuff-bottles fit
for a museum. The only way of getting rid of him is to tell him that a
new American lady has just arrived on the floor below, whereupon he
gathers up his treasures and goes in search of her! His method of
gaining admittance to our room is ingenious. A gentle knock, and we open
to find the doorway suffused by Tiffany.

"No want things to-day, Mr. Tiffany. No can buy."

To which comes the pleasant reply: "No want Missy buy. Come bring Mis