620 LOOT OK THE IMPERIAL SITMMER PALACE AT PKKIN. 



ei^ht long, looking a good deal like our thermometers; these bear 

 engraved characters, the chiseled lines being tilled with gold. Eti- 

 quette requires you not to speak to the sovereign, not to even lift 

 your eyes to his sacred person. If, however, he should ask *•' What 

 time is itT' how can you reply without speaking or looking at him? 

 With bowed head one of the silver tablets on which is inscribed the 

 particular passing minute is presented to him; he glances at it and 

 learns what he needs to know. It is verj'^ ingenious, but for my part 

 I should prefer a good watch. 



I shall not attempt to portray the wonder and admiration of the 

 "barbarians" who penetrated into thes(> pnu-incts. Invohnitarily we 

 spoke in low tones, and began to walk on tiptoe on seeing before us 

 such a profusion of riches for the possession of which mortals light and 

 die, and which their owner had al)andoned in his flight as inditlci-ently 

 as a citizen closes the door of his house, leaving his niahogan}- bureau 

 ex])osod to the chances of war. All was so natural, so familiar, so 

 conunonplace to him that h«> did not even try to save these treasiu'es. 



Behind the throne room, stretched over an immense space, in the 

 midst of gardens, are the j)rivate apartnuMits, likewise crowded with 

 objects of luxury and l)eauty. but on the whole less extraordinary, for 

 between the sleeping room of an emperor and that of a private person 

 there is less ditl'erence than ])etween a throne room and a ])arlor. 



In the rooms of the P^mpress, the walls of the clos(>ts of the secre- 

 taries are furnished from top to bottom with i)igeonholes, in which, 

 o!ie a))()ve another, like files of lawyers' briefs, arc r(>(l l)oxes of old lac- 

 quer of Pekin, wonderfully engraved in intaglio, containing ornaments, 

 necklaces, and bracelets in pearls, in jade, in precious stones, tiny rings 

 for fiMuininc lingers, and huge ones of jade, worn ))y men when they 

 draw the strings of their bows. 



Boxes not holding ornaments already mounted, are crowded with 

 artistic objects, with materials to })e transformed into jewels, with 

 unique specimens of transparent jade, of rock crj'stal, of milky jade, 

 of moss agates, of uncut diamonds, of precious stones still in their 

 natural state; tea services, cups, saucers, a regular bazaar — not one 

 where ever3'thing is quoted at 19 cent« — but rather a l)azaar where 

 ever3^thing is worth 19,000 francs. On opening one of these boxes, 

 it appeared to send out sparks and sheaves of light. 



Beyond, great wardrobes of old lacquer set into the walls of tlie 

 room contain the garments of the Empress, both those for daily 

 use and for ceremonious occasions. There was enough to dress, from 

 head to foot, 10,000 princesses from the "Arabian Nights," so that it 

 would be impossible for the Caliph of Bagdad, a judge in such matters, 

 to find occasion for changing the position of a single pin or to alter 

 their arrangement. All is of silk, satin, damask, fur, with embroid- 

 eries sometimes as delicate as spiders' webs, sometimes as heavy as 



