ook her out on the veranda as
the eunuch was preparing the table for Her Majesty's dinner in the room
we were then occupying. The Young Empress kept Miss Carl busy talking, I
acting as interpreter. Soon one of the eunuchs came and informed us that
Her Majesty had finished dinner, and would we please come and take ours.
On entering the room I was very much surprised to see that chairs had
been placed there, as this had never been done previously, everybody,
with the exception of Her Majesty, taking their meals standing. The
Young Empress was also very much surprised and asked me whether I knew
anything about it. I said that perhaps it was on account of Miss Carl
being there. The Young Empress told me to go over and ask Her Majesty,
as she was afraid to sit down without receiving orders to do so.
Her Majesty whispered to me: "I don't want Miss Carl to think we are
barbarians, and treat the Young Empress and the Court ladies in that
manner. Of course, she does not understand our Court etiquette and might
form a wrong impression, so you can all sit down without coming over to
thank me, but be natural, as though you were accustomed to sitting down
to dinner every day."

After Her Majesty had washed her hands she came over to our table. Of
course we all stood up. Her Majesty told me to ask Miss Carl whether she
liked the food, and was pleased when Miss Carl answered that she liked
the food better than her own kind. That relieved Her Majesty.

After dinner was over I told Miss Carl to say good-bye to Her Majesty.
We courtesied to her, also to the Young Empress, and said good night to
the Court ladies. We then took Miss Carl to the Palace of Prince Chung.
It took us about ten minutes' ride in the carts. We showed Miss Carl her
bedroom, and were pleased to leave her and get to our own rooms, for a
good night's rest.

The next morning we took Miss Carl to the Palace, and arrived there
during the morning audience. Of course Miss Carl, being a foreigner,
could not enter the Throne Room, so we sat down on the back veranda
of the Audience Hall and waited until it was over. This, of course,
prevented my being in attendance each morning, as usual, and was a great
disappointment to me, as I was unable to keep in touch with what was
taking place. Moreover, during the time I had been at Court, my one
object had been to endeavor to interest Her Majesty in Western customs
and civilization. I believed that to a great extent Her Majesty was