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beneath the intolerable weight of wooden collars-who, according to the Chinese system, were here exposed whilst undergoing detention for some of the lighter crimes. The yamun itself, in its zigzag courts and ranges of low offices, was as ruinous as such buildings usually are in China, where each occupant comes in for an uncertain period, unwilling to expend money, save perhaps for patching up a leaky roof, and only too ready to appropriate to his private purse the pittance periodically allowed by the Government for repairs. The magistrate's reception-room, however, was a cosy place enough, walled only on three sides, and looking out on the fourth through a lattice screen upon a little paved yard with rockwork and flowering shrubs, over which the branches thrown out from a magnificent banyan-tree in an adjoining court cast an almost impenetrable shade. In this cool apartment an ebony table was spread with the preliminary trifles which usher in a Chinese feast, and the magistrate, with his two chief associates and my companion Tse, was awaiting our arrival. Chinese dinners have been so frequently described of late years that it would be superfluous here to enlarge upon the successive courses, the savoury stews of shark-fin, fish with vermicelli, ducks stuffed with chestnuts, and all the host of spiced and minced, sweet and gelatinous dishes which follow each other in endless profusion, but still in artfully-contrived gradations.

A passing protest must, however, be indulged in against that jocular habit of misrepresentation which, from the days of Von Braam to that of some of our latest travellers, has introduced apocryphal dogs and kittens at the tables of Chinese magnates. Without going the length of Mr. Cooke, who almost gives the Chinese cuisine a place beside that of Paris, it may be said not only that in no country are all available sources more ransacked than in China for every attainable delicacy, but that the diversity of viands, and the scrupulous care as to cookery, which prevail in a well-ordered repast, suffice amply to provide the most fastidious stranger with palatable and easily-digested food. Not being a blind panegyrist of Chinese gastronomy, I will by no means deny that a somewhat obnoxious preponderance of pork-fat does now and then occur at certain stages of the meal; but a special corrective for this diet is introduced by the strong white rice-spirit with which each convive's cup is kept constantly streaming, whilst a saucerful of delicious almonds, slightly burned, beside each plate, assists at the same time to temper the effects of this heady liquor. But to attribute the unclean diet already mentioned to any other than the very lowest class in China, is as absurd and false as it would be were a Chinese sailor to report, on his return to the Flowery Kingdom, that the citizens of London live exclusively on tripe.

Neither of us strangers to the use of chopsticks, my Engineer companion and myself enjoyed, like hungry wayfarers as we were, the good things provided for us, though the attentions of the obese commandant proved somewhat overpowering to his brother soldier. Regardless of the

fact that his language was unintelligible to my companion, the major overwhelmed him with compliments and civilities in the intervals of the repast, stopping every now and then to gather upon his own chopsticks a choice selection from the various dishes, which he deposited in a luscious heap on the already well-filled plate. My companion, smiling suavely, returned these attentions to the best of his ability, with the polite "Chinchin," which uninstructed Europeans believe to be Chinese for "Thank you," "How do you do?" and all manner of other courtesies; as well as by the convulsive bobbing, with which, similarly, they endeavour to imitate the Chinese salute; whilst, for my own part, I found myself involved in the circle of formal conversation which Chinese functionaries, politely assuming an appearance of interest in matters of European politics and science, invariably enter upon on such occasions; but, at length, the final rice-bowls were emptied, tea was handed round, and our banquet of three hours' duration was at an end.

My business with the really estimable magistrate was speedily despatched; and while preparations were set on foot, under his orders, for our journey further into the hills, we retired to our camp-beds in the temple where we were lodged. To describe the further adventures of our journey through the valley and into the hills beyond, whence descending obliquely we traversed the rugged White Rock Pass on our return to Canton, would now require too great a space; but having set out on the morning following our banquet, we continued for four days afterwards in the saddle, penetrating to a mountain region never before explored by Europeans, and successfully accomplishing the objects with which my journey had been commenced. When our midsummer ride brought us back at length to the gates of Canton, we trotted in-despite the ninetyfive degrees of Fahrenheit-fresher, healthier, and more gaily than when we had left them behind us a week before.

320

Wives and Daughters.

AN EVERY-DAY STORY.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE HALF-SISTERS.

T appeared as if Mrs. Gibson's predictions were likely to be verified; for Osborne Hamley found his way to her drawing-room pretty frequently. To be sure, sometimes prophets can help on the fulfilment of their own prophecies; and Mrs. Gibson was not passive.

Molly was altogether puzzled by his manners and ways. He spoke of occasional absences from the Hall, without exactly saying where he had been. But that was not her idea of the conduct of a married man, who, she imagined, ought to have a house and servants, and pay rent and taxes, and live with his wife. Who this mysterious wife might be, faded into insignificance London, Cambridge, Dover, nay

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before the wonder of where she was. even France, were mentioned by him as places to which he had been on these different little journeys. These facts came out quite casually, almost as if he was unaware of what he was betraying; sometimes he dropped out such sentences as these:- "Ah, that would be the day I was crossing! It was stormy, indeed! Instead of our being only two hours, we were nearly five." Or, "I met Lord Hollingford at Dover last week, and he said," &c. "The cold now is nothing to what it was in London on Thursday-the thermometer was down at 15°." Perhaps, in the rapid flow of conversation, these small revelations were noticed by no one but Molly; whose interest and curiosity were always hovering over the secret she had become possessed of, in spite of all her self-reproach for allowing her thoughts to dwell on what was still to be kept as a mystery.

It was also evident to her that Osborne was not too happy at home. He had lost the slight touch of cynicism which he had affected when he

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