decision to the Mikado's
minister, when he again presented himself before me.

His manner was deeply agitated. It was evident that he came to make a
communication of the highest importance.

Instead of taking the chair I offered him, he stood regarding me with
an expression that seemed one of awe.

"Monsieur V----," he said at length, "your conditions are accepted by
his imperial majesty."

"What conditions?" I asked, bewildered for the moment.

"Last night you informed me that an American citizen occupied the
same rank as royalty."

"Well?"

"The Mikado offers to make you a member of the imperial family by
adoption, and one of his majesty's cousins has consented to make you
his son!"

CHAPTER XIII

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS

In these days, when princes resign their rank to marry commoners, and
queens elope with tutors, it is probable that most Western minds will
see nothing out of the way in the condescension of the Japanese ruler
in admitting a diplomatic agent to the honor of the imperial
cousinship.

But the dynasty of Japan is the most illustrious in the world,
excepting only that of Great Britain. Like Edward VII., the Mikado
traces his lineage back to pagan gods. From the days of the famous
Empress Jimmu, an unbroken line of sacred sovereigns has filled the
throne of the Realm of the Rising Sun during more than two thousand
years.

Mr. Katahashi was evidently pleased to see that I appreciated to the
full the tremendous honor accorded to me.

"An imperial carriage is waiting to convey you to the Palace," he
said. "But it will not be becoming for you to wear that uniform. I
have brought you a Japanese dress."

An attendant came into the room bearing a gorgeous robe of green silk
embroidered with golden chrysanthemums.

I put it on like one in a dream. The Privy Councillor with his own
hands girt around my waist the two weapons, sacred from time
immemorial to the use of the Japanese noble, the sword with which to
behead his friend, and the dagger with which to disembowel himself.

Needless to say, I had no expectation that I should ever have
occasion to regard these magnificently embellished weapons in any
other light than as ornamental badges of rank.

As we rode to the Palace, I could not forbear contrasting this
splendid treatment with that which I had been accustomed to receive
from some of the European sovereigns to whom I had rendered important
services.

Even the German Kaiser,