CONTINUES
XIX THE FIRST REAL NEWS
XX THE THIRD PHASE CONTINUES
XXI MORE DIPLOMACY
XXII THE WORLD BEYOND OUR BRICKS
XXIII TRIFLES
XXIV DIPLOMATIC CONFIDENCES
XXV THE PLOT AGAIN THICKENS
XXVI MORE MESSENGERS
XXVII THE ATTACKS RESUMED
XXVIII THE THIRTEENTH
XXIX THE NIGHT OF THE THIRTEENTH
XXX HOW I SAW THE RELIEF

PART III-THE SACK

I THE PALACE
II THE SACK
III THE SACK CONTINUES
IV CHAOS
V SETTLING DOWN
VI THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT
VII THE FEW REMAINS
VIII THE PALSY REMAINS
IX DRIFTING
X PICKING UP THREADS
XI THE IMPOSSIBLE
XII SUSPENSE
XIII STILL DRIFTING
XIV PUNITIVE EXPEDITIONS
XV THE CLIMAX
XVI THE END

FOREWORD

The publication of these letters, dealing with the startling events
which took place in Peking during the summer and autumn of 1900, at this
late date may be justified on a number of counts. In the first place,
there can be but little doubt that an exact narrative from the pen of an
eye-witness who saw everything, and knew exactly what was going on from
day to day, and even from hour to hour, in the diplomatic world of the
Chinese capital during the deplorable times when the dread Boxer
movement overcast everything so much that even in England the South
African War was temporarily forgotten, is of intense human interest,
showing most clearly as it does, perhaps for the first time in realistic
fashion, the extraordinary _bouleversement_ which overcame everyone; the
unpreparedness and the panic when there was really ample warning; the
rivalry of the warring Legations even when they were almost _in
extremis_, and the curious course of the whole seige itself owing to the
division of counsels among the Chinese--this last a state of affairs
which alone saved everyone from a shameful death. In the second place,
this account may dispel many false ideas which still obtain in Europe
and America regarding the position of various Powers in China--ideas
based on data which have long been declared of no value by those
competent to judge. In the third place, the vivid and terrible
description of the sack of Peking by the soldiery of Europe, showing the
demoralisation into which all troops fall as soon as the iron hand of
discipline is relaxed, may set finally at rest the mutual recriminations
which have since been levelled publicly and privately. Everybody was
tarred with the same brush. Those arm-chair critics who ha