ncarnated, by
all these people, before we had even breathed the air of freedom. It
was for this that we had been rescued by the main body of the troops:
merely because had we been all killed and all recent Peking history
made an utter blank, there would have been a terrible gulf which no
protocols could bridge. It would have meant an end, an absolute end,
such as governments and their distinguished servants do not really
love. We were mere puppets, whose rescue would set everything merrily
dancing again--marionettes made the sport of mad events. We had merely
saved diplomacy from an impossible situation....

As I stood there in the night, thinking of these things, and trying to
escape from people with theories, a faint cheering arose, a hurrahing
which somehow had but little vigour. I knew what it meant; the ground
was being noisily cleared right up to the Palace walls, to make sure
that none of the enemy were lurking in the ruins, and that the play
could begin merrily on the morrow. After that cheering came a few dull
explosions, the blowing-up of a few unnecessary walls, and then all
was dead quiet again, excepting for the faint stirring of the soldiery
encamped around us, which never ceased. There was not a volley, not a
shot. It was all over, this siege, everything was finished.

With a growing blackness and distress in my heart, which I could not
explain, and sought in vain to disguise, I wandered about. I wanted
some more movement--some fresh distraction to tear my attention away
from gloomy thoughts.

Near the battered Hotel de Pekin officers who had strayed from their
commands and who were hungry had already gathered, and were paying in
gold for anything they could buy. Luckily, there were a few cases of
champagne left and a few tins of potted things, which could now be
tranquilly sold. I found some French uniforms. Some officers had at
last come in from the French commander, saying that at daylight the
French columns would march in. At present they were too exhausted to
move.

All these men, seated at the tables, were noisily discussing the
relief. I learned how it had been effected and the moves of the few
preceding days. They said that the Russians had attempted to steal a
march on the Japanese on the night of the 13th, in order to force the
Eastern gates, and reach the Imperial city and the Empress Dowager
before any one else. That had upset the whole plan of attack, and
there had then simply been a mad