The lateness of the hour, however, and the obvious excitement under which the eunuch was labouring, as hho Kept repeating that it was the [Emperor's urgent orders, pointed 10 there being something seriously wrong: perhaps even, an accident had happened to the Emperor himself. Thinking that he had better risk it and. go and sce what was the matter, En buttoned up his jacket, put on his official hat, and picking up his sword Perpared to follow the eunuch inside the Palace grounds, where they had to pass through a number of inner gates to get to the Emperor's apartments. Arrived there the eunuch beckoned him to wait outside on the steps while went inside to report En's arrival, An Unuswat See A minute or two later his guide came out again and signalled him to go inside, "As En entered the room with beating heart, the frst sight that mot his astonished exes was thal of the mighty Emperor, His Imperial Majesty Tao Kuang, dressed in every' day clothes kneeling on the floor in front of the Empress, just as ie it had been a scene ina play at the theatre. AL Ens entry the Emperor scrambled hastily to his feet and went and sat fon the kang. where he remained entirely passive during the rest the scene, with hunting, head, staring, fon the ground, as if he was ashamed Of the feeble role he was plas ing.
En went down on his knees before hhign and remained in this posture awaiting further orders. Seated on the kang was also the Empress, in her nightdress with a short fur jacket, and her hair hanging loose over het shoulders. In loud and angry tones she was berating the Emperor, just a if he was a naughty schoolboy.
front of her knelt weeping une of the Palace serving-maids, her neck scratched and bleeding. "Now. then!" the Empress was screaming at her husband, "Confess that you've boon carrying on with these Palace slwve-Birls! Pretending to be busy with Affairs of state, while you are carrying fon these amorous intrigues behind my back. What have you got to say?"
The Empress continued to overachelm him with sarcasm and abuse, until she had worked herself up into such a rage that she was beating tattoo on the kang with hands and feet. In spite of his surroundings En could scarcely keep from laughing at this extraordinary scene: to see the Emperor of China allow him= self to be henpecked in this manner.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.