some eunuchs came and brought
our dinner, which they placed on a table in the center of the hall. They
told us the food had been sent by Her Majesty and that she had ordered
them to tell us to make ourselves comfortable. We were so tired that we
could not eat very much and were about to retire for the night when this
eunuch Li came again and told us that we must be up at five o'clock, not
later, so I told my eunuch to knock on my window at five. Immediately
after this we went to bed, but did not sleep immediately, as we wanted
to talk over the events of the day, which had been many and strange.
After we did finally get to bed, it seemed as if we had just fallen
asleep when I heard someone knocking on my window. I woke up with a
start and asked what the matter was and a eunuch told me it was five
o'clock and time to get up.

I immediately got up and opened my window and looked out. The day was
just dawning and the sky was a beautiful deep red which was reflected
in the lake, which was perfectly calm. The scenery was lovely and in the
distance I could see Her Majesty's peony mountain, which was literally
covered with these beautiful flowers. I dressed at once and went to Her
Majesty's Palace and there met the Young Empress sitting on the veranda.
I courtesied to her as a good morning salute. The Emperor's Secondary
wife was there also, but we had been ordered not to courtesy to her,
as she was considered not to have any standing there. There was also a
number of young Court ladies, many of whom I had never seen before. The
Young Empress introduced me to them, saying that they were also Court
ladies. They were daughters of high Manchu officials and some were very
pretty and bright. The Young Empress told me that these ten (there were
just ten there) were never allowed to go near Her Majesty, as they were
just learning the court etiquette. They were all dressed very nicely in
pretty Manchu gowns, the same design as that worn by the Young Empress.

After I had been introduced to these young ladies and talked with them
a while, I went inside with the Young Empress and there met Sze Gurgur,
fourth daughter of Prince Ching and a young widow twenty-four years
of age, Yuen Da Nai Nai, widow of Her Majesty's nephew. Both were busy
getting things ready for Her Majesty. The Young Empress told us that
we must go at once to Her Majesty's bedroom and assist Her Majesty to
dress, so we went at once and courtesied to her and said: "Lao