ly noble and gracious and he was
dressed in a yellow robe lined with marten-fur. His hair, which was
thickly splashed with gray, was confined upon the top of his head by
three golden combs, and a large diamond was suspended from his left
ear. A pearl-embroidered black cap, surmounted by the red coral ball
denoting the mandarin's rank, lay upon a second smaller cushion
beside him.

Leaning back against the wall, I stared at his personage with a
dreadful fixity, for I counted him the figment of a disarranged mind.
But palpably he remained before me, fanning himself complacently, and
watching me with every mark of kindly interest. Evidently perceiving
that I was fully alive to my surroundings, the Chinaman addressed a
remark to me in a tongue quite unfamiliar.

I shook my head dazedly.

"Ah," he commented in French, "you do not speak my language."

"I do not," I answered, also in French, "but since it seems we have
one common tongue, what is the meaning of the outrage to which I have
been subjected, and who are you?"

As I spoke the words I rose to my feet, but was immediately attacked
by vertigo, which compelled me to resume my seat upon the bench.

"Compose yourself," said the Chinaman, taking a pinch of snuff from a
silver vase which stood convenient to his hand. "I have been compelled
to adopt certain measures in order to bring about this interview. In
China, such measures are not unusual, but I recognize that they are
out of accordance with your English ideas."

"Emphatically they are!" I replied.

The placid manner of this singularly imposing old man rendered proper
resentment difficult. A sense of futility, and of unreality, claimed
me; I felt that this was a dream-world, governed by dream-laws.

"You have good reason," he continued, calmly raising the pinch of
snuff to his nostrils, "good reason to distrust all that is Chinese.
Therefore, when I despatched my servants to your abode (knowing you
to be alone) I instructed them to observe every law of courtesy,
compatible with the Sure Invitation. Hence, I pray you, absolve me,
for I intended no offense."

Words failed me altogether; wonder succeeded wonder! What was coming?
What did it all mean?

"I have selected you, rather than Mr. Commissioner Nayland Smith,"
continued the mandarin, "as the recipient of those secrets which I am
about to impart, for the reason that your friend might possibly be
acquainted with my appearance. I will confess there was a