otectors about
three inches long and on the left hand two finger nail protectors made
of jade and about the same length. Her shoes were trimmed with small
tassels made of pearls and embroidered with tiny pieces of different
colored jade.

Her Majesty stood up when she saw us and shook hands with us. She had
a most fascinating smile and was very much surprised that we knew
the Court etiquette so well. After she had greeted us, she said to my
mother: "Yu tai tai (Lady Yu), you are a wonder the way you have brought
your daughters up. They speak Chinese just as well as I do, although I
know they have been abroad for so many years, and how is it that they
have such beautiful manners?" "Their father was always very strict with
them," my mother replied; "he made them study their own language first
and they had to study very hard." "I am pleased to hear their father
has been so careful with them," Her Majesty said, "and given them such
a fine education." She took my hands and looked into my face and smiled
and kissed me on both cheeks and said to my mother: "I wish to have your
daughters and hope they will stay with me." We were very much pleased
at this and thanked her for her kindness. Her Majesty asked all sorts of
questions about our Paris gowns and said we must wear them all the
time, as she had very little chance to see them at the Court. She was
particularly in love with our Louis XV high heel shoes. While we were
talking to her we saw a gentleman standing at a little distance and
after a while she said, "Let me introduce you to the Emperor Kwang Hsu,
but you must call him Wan Sway Yeh (Master of 10,000 years) and call me
Lao Tsu Tsung (the Great Ancestor)." His Majesty shyly shook hands with
us. He was a man about five feet, seven inches in height, very thin,
but with very strong features; high nose and forehead, large, brilliant
black eyes, strong mouth, very white, even teeth; altogether good
looking. I noticed he had a very sad look, although he was smiling all
the time we were there. At this juncture the head eunuch came, knelt
down on the marble floor and announced that Her Majesty's chair was
ready and she asked us to go with her to the Audience Hall, distant
about two minutes' walk, where she was going to receive the heads of the
different Boards. It was a beautiful day and her open chair was waiting.
This chair is carried by eight eunuchs all dressed in official robes,
a most unusual sight. The head eunuch walke