things which would please her. She
also hated anyone to pay her compliments at the wrong moment, so one had
to be very careful even in paying her compliments.

This "spreading cloud" pavilion was a beautiful Palace. It had an open
space in front of the building, just like one of the courtyards, with
pink and white oleanders all over the place. There was a porcelain table
and several porcelain stools. Her Majesty sat on her own yellow satin
stool and was drinking her tea in silence. It was very windy that day,
although the sky was blue with warm sunshine. Her Majesty sat there
just for a few minutes, and then said it was too windy and went into the
building. I was more than glad to go in, too, and whispered to the Young
Empress that I thought the wind might blow off my headdress. The eunuchs
brought the luncheon and placed everything upon the table. The Young
Empress made a sign for us to follow her, which we did. When we came to
the back veranda we sat down on the window seats. I will explain about
these seats. All the windows were built low at the Palace, and on the
veranda there was something like a bench built along the window, about
a foot wide. There were no chairs to be seen excepting Her Majesty's
thrones. The Young Empress asked me whether I had noticed that Her
Majesty had something on her mind. I told her that perhaps she was
thinking about the private audience which Prince Ching had mentioned
that morning. She said that I had guessed right, and asked: "Do you know
anything about this audience? When will it take place?" I said that Her
Majesty had not yet given her answer.

By this time Her Majesty had finished eating and was walking up and down
the room, watching us eating. She came over to my mother and said: "I am
just wondering why Mrs. Conger asks for a private audience. Perhaps she
has something to say to me. I would like to know just what it is so I
can prepare an answer." My mother said that probably Mrs. Conger had
someone visiting her who wished to be presented to Her Majesty. "No,
it can't be that, because they must give the list of names of those who
wish to come to the Palace. I don't mind the formal audiences, but I
don't think that I should have private ones at all. I don't like to be
questioned, as you all know. The foreigners are, of course, very nice
and polite, according to their own way, but they cannot compare with us,
so far as etiquette is concerned. I may be conservative in saying that