A cycle of Cathay, or, China, south and north . mselves. Chunghau was eventually released in response toa personal appeal made by the Queen of England to the Em-press Dowager, but the captive emerged shorn of his plumes,and from that day he never held any office of emolument orhonor. Even his ancestors to the third generation had beenmade to share in his degradation. Coming to see me someyears later, he told me with evident gratification that theirhonors had been restored to the deceased worthies at the re-quest of his nephew,whose ancestors theywere also, the nephewhaving risen to thegovernor
A cycle of Cathay, or, China, south and north . mselves. Chunghau was eventually released in response toa personal appeal made by the Queen of England to the Em-press Dowager, but the captive emerged shorn of his plumes,and from that day he never held any office of emolument orhonor. Even his ancestors to the third generation had beenmade to share in his degradation. Coming to see me someyears later, he told me with evident gratification that theirhonors had been restored to the deceased worthies at the re-quest of his nephew,whose ancestors theywere also, the nephewhaving risen to thegovernorship of aprovince. Shortlybefore Chunghausappointment theMarquis Tseng in-formed me that hehad been promisedthe next diplomaticmission. Coming tomy house a few dayslater, he learned ofthe nomination ofChunghau. He feltmortified and com-plained of bad faith on tne part Ot the the marquis tseng in winter dress. ministry; but I con-gratulated him on having escaped a peril and consoled himwith the assurance that Russian grapes were sour. It would,. 386 A CYCLE OF CATHAY I said, be extremely difficult to compel the Russian bear todisgorge, and I ventured to predict that he would get insteada mission to England or to the United States. The predictionwas fulfilled, but it required no inspiration to make it, as themarquis spoke English, besides having a family connectionwith Kuo Sungtao, the first minister to London. He wasaccredited to France as well as to England, and after the fallof Chunghau he was sent on a special mission to Russia. InEngland he succeeded in improving relations that were alreadyexcellent. In France he upheld the dignity of his country intrying circumstances, but was compelled to withdraw by theoutbreak of war. In Russia, profiting by the mistakes of hispredecessor, he came off with flying colors. He was notpleased to be reminded how narrowly he had escaped thefate of Chunghau. After an absence of nine years he re-turned to Peking to be loaded with honors as the m
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