Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-11
CHAPTER II.
The Heather Chinee.

ArU How was nothing if not heather. He
was that first OF all
His iutellec, was like dry Ice. Though
often secretly engaged in making The
Guess on the whole, he despised all re-
lgious-;he faiths of the west the super
sttions of the east he despised them all
alike lie was fun OF light, but without a
hint OF warmth; and so lacked the religious
emotion.
It is not likely that ordinary ethical con-
siderations would much influence the aims
Of such a man. lie was like an avalanche,
as cold. and as resistless.
What was Dr. Yen How's aim? Simply
told. It was to possess one white woman,
ultimately and after all. He had also tho
subsidiary aim of doing an III turn to all
the other white women, and men, In the
world
If the earth had opened and swallowed
him, then he would have renowned his
hope; but for no lesser reason. He went
coolly and patiently 10 work to secure hts
desire.
But no man. surely ever employed means
so huge to an end 50 small A European,
perhaps any other man. having once col
cetved the means, would quickly have for
gotten the end I'm the tremendous interest OF
the means themselves. But IN all that Yen
did the face Of Ada Seward was always
consciously before his eyes" The nature
of this man was as simple as the elemental
rock
His career I'm The east. from the first hour
Of his return. was meteorlc. lie rose like a
rocket The order OF the day In China,
and especially in Japan, was western mod
ernity; and here was man who simply
breathCd western mOdeTntty, and who yet
was eastern of the easterns. Ills skin was
more yellow than the yellow mans and
his brain was more white than the white
mans. When the English inspector gem
eral of roads and bridges at Toxic asserted
that the imperial tax I'm Britain on railway
passenger traffic was. he believed, GS per
cent. Yen How's face wrinkled into a chaos
OF smiles. "No-two." he said quickly
and no one doubted which was right. Yen
introduced a new method OF protecting
bridges during the daily earthquakes of
Japan, by means of articuated joists and
seepers. When tho naval director at
Picking introduced a specification FOR a new
battleship TO be mounted with two Hilton
quoted trom memory that the tendency OF
the most modern shipbuildlng was rather
in the direction Of Quick-firng guns than of
heavy ornaments. The Hilton became A.
ton, He was soon invaluable.
At this time the people of Japan were
strongly excited against the freebooting of
Russia and Germany IN China, and strongly
animated I'm favor of England. England
was, In fact. the beau-ideal. the great pat
tern, of Japan. 1t required no great force
of imagination FOR her TO call herself the
occurred, OF itself. 20 every one: and. of
course. the copyist sympathized with her
original rather than with others. With
England predominant in China, moreover,
there would be an assurance of free trade
and Japan was trader. So strong was the
enthusiasm in favor of England that the
nation was even willing 10 put It's fleet at
the disposal OF It's big model in case OF
need
The Interior purposes OF Japan, OF course,
remained In doubt. She was even then
building In various parts of the world an
additional fleet. which, when finished, would
make her a sea power far In advance OF
any nation in the whole earth, with the eX-
ceptiOn OF England herself. What In the
hour OF her manhood. when she had cast
her leading strings, she would do with this
vast force was a disturbing question to
many: but, meanwhile. 1t was clearly her
intention 10 use England as an ally-til the
years ripened.
Under the Marquis Ttos ministry Yen
How was offered n post OF under secretary,
but he refused IT, He suggested that he
should become secretary to the minister as
his private servant; and this was arranged.
He knew that high public rank in Japan
would exclude him from high public rank
IN China, II his double personality should
become known-and China was the chief
field OF his labors. Meanwhile. he was
drawing large revenues as q mandarin. and
lived. for his own purposes, in style near
ly prineely.