impressive and well-extended procession. Even
while I looked, the helmets of other official watchers appeared in the
distance, as immature junks upon the storm-tossed Whang-Hai, apparently
striving fruitlessly to reach us.

As I was by no means sure what attitude was expected of me, I smiled
with an all-embracing approval, and signified to the one at my side, by
way of passing the time pleasurably together, that the likelihood of his
nimble-witted friends reaching us with unruffled garments was remote in
the extreme.

"Don't you let that worry you, Li Hung Chang," he said, in a tone that
had the appearance of being outside itself around a deeper and more
bitter significance; "if we get out again with any garments at all it
won't be your fault. Why, you--well, YOU ought to have been put on the
Black List long ago, by rights."

This, exalted one, although I have not yet been able to learn the exact
dignity of it from any of the books of civil honours, is undoubtedly
a mark of signal attainment, conferred upon the few for distinguishing
themselves by some particular capacity; as our Double Dragon, for
instance. Anxious to learn something of the privileges of the rank from
one who evidently was not without influence in the bestowal, and not
unwilling to show him that I was by no means of low-caste descent, I
said to the official, "In his own country one of this person's ancestors
wore the Decoration of the Yellow Scabbard, which entitled him to be
carried in his chair up to the gate of the Forbidden Palace before
descending to touch the ground. Is this Order of the Black List of a
like purport?"

"You're right," he said, "it is. In this country it entitles you to be
carried right inside the door at Bow Street without ever touching the
ground. Look out! Now we shall not--"

At that moment what this person at first assumed to be a floral tribute,
until he saw that not only the entire plant, but the earthenware jar
also were attached, struck the official upon the helmet, whereupon,
drawing a concealed club, he ceased speaking.

How the entertainment was conducted to such a development this person is
totally inadequate to express; but in an incredibly short space of time
the scene became one of most entrancing variety. From every visible
point around the air became filled with commodities which--though
doubtless without set intention--fittingly represented the arts,
manufactures, and natural history of this resourceful