emained
silent, and that silence was like a sermon straight from Heaven, both
for them and for me. I saw dimly for a few seconds many things, and
understood that it was useless saying more. But as they were
wretchedly poor, I gave them silver from the rich men's houses, which
seemed very Biblical--each man as much as he could carry--and told
them that they could always come for more. I asked them also to tell
all the people I had known to come, too; I would do as much as I could
for all of them. So all to-day they have been coming, and I have
showered largesse. A few households have thus some relief, but the
last man who came told me that a Hanlin scholar, who was his
neighbour--a learned man, who in the times of peace was courted by
all--is now selling wretched little cakes down the side alleys so as
to save himself and his few remaining relations from slow starvation.
Such things are the dregs. It is too much....

X

PICKING UP THREADS

September, 1900.

* * * * *

I suppose in some subtle way the conviction is being gradually forced
home that something must really be done to try and ameliorate the
general situation. It could obviously not go on forever in this way,
with the commanders of the rival columns almost fighting among
themselves, and with everybody quietly looting, and our Ministers, who
have lost so much, just twiddling their thumbs and delaying their
departure because they are afraid of worse things happening. So
somebody has been getting into communication with whoever represents
the last vestiges of Chinese authority in this ruined capital, and
diligent search has discovered that there are actually a few high
officials left and a great number of smaller ones. These have all
shown a trembling haste to oblige; and after some _pourparlers_, there
is now a faint possibility of a _modus vivendi_ being arranged during
the next few weeks.

For it soon transpired, after the confidence of these remaining
officials had been gained, that Prince Ching had been discreetly
dropped by the fleeing Court only about fifty miles to the southwest
of Peking--dropped just behind the first mountain barriers, so that he
was at once safe and yet within easy call. He had been in waiting
there for weeks, it appears. Sage old man! Those conciliatory
despatches, coming from the officers of the defunct Tsung-li Yamen,
have made of this old Manchu prince the natural person to bridge over