The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24
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was at hand. Instantly Cossack trum-
peter on the balcony of the Russian Le-
cation blew his clear signal, and when
the echoes of the bugle had died away
in the ravines OF the mountains the fu-
neral cortege was in motion.
Believe me, / saw all that 1 have de-
scribed. Believe me, also, there was
not a moment in which l was not
thinking of Dulcine. 1t is also quite as
true that in this crisis my mind wan
dered back over the past week and re-
called its strange experiences to prove
to myself / was awake and not dream
ing. Again saw Wun Chow and heard
the chanting in the temple of Ching
ling, and again the tragedy of the sub
terranean vault was enacted. Now l
was running madly down Lynx Island
in the dark: now shouting to a tele-
graph instrument in delirium; now |
was walking on from fallen horse
through a valley from which the tide
had just gone. and bargaining for
loaf of bread from an unknown friend.
Once more l tried TO tell the King on his
throne that Ii and Ling were lost and
that the Queens body was still ON Lynx
Island. / talked with Dulcine before
cophagus; 1 watched the King draw on
the great golden cover. If 1 needed
more proof, my anxious heart could
have given testimony, for / had been
subjected to surprises-and no sleeper
is surprised in his dreaming.
No. this was not a dream.
Before the great bell struck the hour
of midnight / had taken my station at
the door of the Kings wing. Within
the Kings apartment confusion had
refgned during the last hour before the
pageant started. But without, behind
the legation. where the pageant was
forming, confusion was worse confused.
The rendezvous of any circus parade is
a trivial affair compared with what was
enacted there. For blocks in each di-
rection spread the outlandish parapher-
nalia-banners, carriages, carts, en-
signs. flags, shields, lanterns, horses.
troops-the most illustrious collection OF
horribles human eye ever viewed; atten-
dants fighting for precedence; coolies
struggling to maintain position against
newcomers; men with bannerless poles
and men with poleless banners, fight
ing for that which each lacked; horses
frenzied with fear; mules richly capar-
isoned, braying for water, and super
Visors of the pageant. at their wits end,
charging about reckless of life and
limb.
From this pandemonium of heathen-
dom, passed by the guards at the door
and entered the throne room. All was
quiet here. In the dim light 1 saw the
imperial watch. standing motionless by
the catafalque. Though 1 kneV they
were Cossacks. went no nearer. for
there was nothing l could do, however
much l longed-t to make my presence
known. And so /, too, stood watch
over her
AS the night wore on, became calm
and resolute. The trying scene in this
room, following Immediately upon the
receipt of Dulcine's note, had played
havoc with my weakened nerves. The
cold air and the exercise had strength
ened them.
AT the first boom of the great bell
went out into the plaza and mounted
my horse. One company in my COM
mand which fianked the four sides of
the plaza was to surround the bier and
guard it. At the head Of this COM
pany took my place, as the glittering
line of the imperial cortege rounded the
farther wing of the legation and came
slowly by.
Two Quelpartien dukes on great white
horses led it. Twisted ropes sur
rounded their waists and hats. Men at
their sides bore silken banners, some in
plain and some in mixed colors, flying
on long poles raised high up in air.
ALI kept wide of the little trail of
earth in the center of the road. Even
the horses seemed to know it meant
death to step there.
Then came host Of yellow lanterns
imperial yellow-borne by coolies for
whom it was the event of lifetime, a
memory to be handed down to chill
dren's children. Behind the lantern
came prominent Quelpartien generals.
Immense red plumes fell back from
their glittering helmets. They wore no
sackcloth. Behind them rode a squad
of cavalry officers in their flowing scar
let sleeves. The sleeves of their uni
forms are OF this color, so that, when
charging, sword in hand. the squirting
blood of the enemy will not disfgure
their apparel to sicken the brain. Then
came the royal eunuchs of the palace
in heaviest sackcloth. The splendid
horses of the cavalry officers were not
better than those ridden by these rmpe-
rial household officials.
All these went wide of the earthen
trail.
The great guilds of the land were rep
resented In the pageant of rnonstrous
banners thirty and forty feet in length,
borne on veritable masts under which
the most powerful men staggered pain
fully but proudly. The banners con-
tanned tributes to her Majesty.
Streamers fastened to the top tended
to steady them and ease the labors Of
the bearers.
The coming Of the King was heralded
by a swarm of yellow banners carried
by foottnen. Behind them a body of
Cossacks surrounded his Majesty. who
was riding a white horse with charac-
teristic grace and jauntiness. The
white stallion walked fairly in the CEN
ter of the narrow trail of hallowed
earth, and proudly, as though conscious
that before his own dainty foot none
other had touched it. WhangSu