rought another two cups, and there were several
Court ladies talking with us. This eunuch did not give them any. I
noticed at the other end of this long veranda there were another two
boxes, exactly the same as these, and a big tall eunuch made tea and
brought it to the Young Empress in a yellow porcelain cup, with a silver
saucer and a silver top cover. He did not give any to the others.

I was puzzled when one of the Court ladies sitting next to me said:
"Would you mind telling Wang (our head eunuch) to give me a cup of your
tea, just to save me the trouble to go and get it from the small room at
the end of this long veranda?" I gave her such a surprised look, for I
did not know that this was our tea, but I thought I'd just tell Wang to
bring her a cup, and find out afterwards the reason, for I would give
anything in the world rather than appear ignorant before those people.
While we were talking Her Majesty came out. Before she reached the
veranda I got up and told the Young Empress that Her Majesty was coming.
I saw her first because I sat facing her back hall. Her Majesty said to
us all: "It is almost three o'clock now, and I am going to rest a while.
Let us leave here." We all stood in a line for her to enter her chair,
and then we went to ours. It was quite a fast ride and we got out of
our chairs before arriving at the courtyard of her own Palace. We walked
ahead of her chair and formed into another line for her to alight. She
walked to her bedroom and we all followed. A eunuch brought her a cup of
hot water and another brought a bowl of sugar. She took her golden spoon
and took two teaspoonfuls of sugar and put it into her cup of hot water,
and drank it very slowly. She said: "You know before one goes to sleep
or ever lies down, sugar water will quiet one's nerves. I always take
it, and find it very good indeed." She took the flowers off from her
headdress and I fixed them back in their boxes at once, and placed them
in the jewel-room. When I came out of this jewel-room she was in bed
already, and said to us: "You all go and rest a while. I don't need you
now."

CHAPTER EIGHT--THE COURT LADIES

WE retired from her room, but I noticed that two of the Court ladies did
not come out with us. One of them said to me: "I am glad that I can rest
a bit to-day, for I have been sitting three afternoons in succession."
At first I did not know what she meant. Then she said: "Oh, your turn
has not come yet. We don't kn