The lateness of the hour, however, and the obvious excitement under which the eunuch was labouring, as he kept repeating that it was the Emperor's urgent orders, pointed to there being something seriously wrong: perhaps even, an accident had happened to he Emperor himself. Thinking that he had better risk it and go and see what was the matter, En buttoned up his jacket, put on his official hat, and picking up his sword prepared to follow the eunuch inside the Palace grounds, where they had to pass through a number of inner gates Xo get to the Emperor's apartments. Arrived there the eunuch beckoned him to wait outside on the steps while he went inside to report En's arri
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.