stone-paved road, and we all followed him. I could
see that Her Majesty's chair was still going straight on, and we took a
nearer route to reach Wan Shou Si (The long life temple), to await Her
Majesty's arrival. We alighted from our chairs and started at once to
prepare Her Majesty's tea and her little dishes. I went to help her to
alight, and supported her right arm to mount the steps. Her Majesty
sat on Her Throne, and we placed a table in front of her and my sister
brought her tea. (The custom was, that if she went anywhere, or during
the festivals, we must bring to her everything, instead of the eunuchs.)
We placed all the dainties in front of her, and then we went to rest.
Her Majesty always stopped at this temple on the way from the Summer
Palace to the Forbidden City.

CHAPTER TEN--THE YOUNG EMPRESS

I THOUGHT of so many things while I was riding in my chair. It was a
glorious day. I felt sorry for Her Majesty, for she was very quiet
that day. Generally she was happy, and made everyone laugh with her. I
thought about the branches of willow, too, but could not understand the
meaning. I came out of the hall while Her Majesty was dining with the
Emperor, and found the Young Empress sitting in a small room on the left
side of the courtyard, with several Court ladies. When they saw me they
made signs for me to go there. I found them all drinking tea, and the
Young Empress said to me, "I am sure you must be tired and hungry.
Come and sit near me and have a cup of tea." I thanked her and sat down
beside her and we talked of what we saw on the roads and how we had
enjoyed our long ride. She said: "We have still an hour's ride before
we reach the Forbidden City." She also talked about the ceremony we
had performed that morning and said that we must all pray earnestly for
rain. I could not wait any longer, so I asked her what those branches of
willow meant. She smiled and told me that willow could bring water, as
the Buddhist religion believes, and that it was an old custom of the
Court wearing willow leaves, when praying for rain. She also told me
that we must perform the same ceremony every morning until the rain
came.

We heard Her Majesty talking in the courtyard, and knew that she had
finished her luncheon, so we went in with the Young Empress, and ate
what was left, as usual. I found the food very nice indeed, although it
seemed rather funny without having meat. We came out into the courtyard
and saw that He