peace-beacons flared, while day and night Chong Mong-ju's messengers
killed horses on all the roads of Cho-Sen. It was my luck to see his
messenger arrive at Keijo. At twilight, as I rode out through the great
gate of the capital, I saw the jaded horse fall and the exhausted rider
stagger in on foot; and I little dreamed that that man carried my destiny
with him into Keijo.

His message sprang the palace revolution. I was not due to return until
midnight, and by midnight all was over. At nine in the evening the
conspirators secured possession of the Emperor in his own apartments.
They compelled him to order the immediate attendance of the heads of all
departments, and as they presented themselves, one by one, before his
eyes, they were cut down. Meantime the Tiger Hunters were up and out of
hand. Yunsan and Hendrik Hamel were badly beaten with the flats of
swords and made prisoners. The seven other cunies escaped from the
palace along with the Lady Om. They were enabled to do this by Kim, who
held the way, sword in hand, against his own Tiger Hunters. They cut him
down and trod over him. Unfortunately he did not die of his wounds.

Like a flaw of wind on a summer night the revolution, a palace revolution
of course, blew and was past. Chong Mong-ju was in the saddle. The
Emperor ratified whatever Chong Mong-ju willed. Beyond gasping at the
sacrilege of the king's tombs and applauding Chong Mong-ju, Cho-Sen was
unperturbed. Heads of officials fell everywhere, being replaced by Chong
Mong-ju's appointees; but there were no risings against the dynasty.

And now to what befell us. Johannes Maartens and his three cunies, after
being exhibited to be spat upon by the rabble of half the villages and
walled cities of Cho-Sen, were buried to their necks in the ground of the
open space before the palace gate. Water was given them that they might
live longer to yearn for the food, steaming hot and savoury and changed
hourly, that was place temptingly before them. They say old Johannes
Maartens lived longest, not giving up the ghost for a full fifteen days.

Kim was slowly crushed to death, bone by bone and joint by joint, by the
torturers, and was a long time in dying. Hamel, whom Chong Mong-ju
divined as my brains, was executed by the paddle--in short, was promptly
and expeditiously beaten to death to the delighted shouts of the Keijo
populace. Yunsan was given a brave death. He was playing a game of
chess wi