Majesty went to lie down each afternoon, Miss Carl had
to stop painting as she was working in the next room to Her Majesty's
bedroom. Her Majesty replied: "Well, if she expects me to sit for her
all day long I will give up the whole thing at once," and then added: "I
think you yourself are getting tired of sitting, and want me to take it
up again, but I have already had quite enough of it." Of course, I told
her that instead of being tired of it, I enjoyed sitting on Her Throne,
which I regarded as a great honor. I explained to Her Majesty that Miss
Carl did not like me to pose in her place, as she could not get along
so quickly as if she were to sit herself; but she simply said that I was
acting under her commands, and that should be sufficient for me.

For the next ten days we were kept very busy selecting materials for
winter clothing and also official robes for my sister and myself to be
worn during the forthcoming birthday celebrations. These dresses were
full winter Court dresses, of red satin embroidered with golden dragons
and blue clouds, and were trimmed with gold braid and lined with grey
squirrel. The cuffs and collars (which were turned down) were of sable.
While Her Majesty was giving one of the eunuchs instructions as to how
these were to be made, the Young Empress beckoned to me, and I went out.
She said: "You go and kowtow to Her Majesty as it is a great favor for
her to give you a dress trimmed with sable. This is usually only worn
by a Princess." So when I returned to the room I availed myself of the
first opportunity to kowtow and thank Her Majesty for the great favor
she had granted me. She answered: "You deserve it, and I see no
reason why you should not be treated as a Princess anyway; many of the
Princesses are not of the Imperial family. Any title may be bestowed for
special services rendered to the country and you have been of more help
to me than any other Court lady I have ever had, and I can see that you
are faithful in the discharge of your duties. You may think I do not
notice these things, but I do. You are certainly entitled to be
ranked as a Princess, and in fact I never treat you different from the
Princesses, but rather better in many ways." Turning to a eunuch she
said: "Bring my fur cap here." This cap was made of sable, trimmed
with pearls and jade and Her Majesty explained that our caps would be
something after the same style except that the crown, instead of
being yellow as in the