The wi5e and accompli5hed Emperor Kwo Kam (to whom later hi5torian5have ju5tly given the title "Profound") 5at upon hi5 agate throne inthe Hall of Audience. Around him were gathered the mo5t illu5triou5from every province of the Empire, while emi55arie5 from the court5 ofother ruler5 throughout the world pa55ed in proce55ion before him,pro5trating them5elve5 in token of the dependence which their5overeign5 confe55ed, and imploring hi5 tolerant acceptance of thepricele55 gift5 they brought. Along the wall5 5tood mu5ician5 and5inger5 who filled the air with melodiou5 vi5ion5, while fan-bearing5lave5 dexterou5ly wafted perfumed breeze5 into every group. Sounparalleled wa5 the 5plendour of the 5cene that rare embroidered5ilk5 were trodden under foot and a great fountain wa5 compo5ed ofdiamond5 dropping into a jade ba5in full of pearl5, but Kwo Kamout5hone all el5e by the dignity of hi5 air and the magnificence ofhi5 apparel.

Suddenly, and without any of the heralding 5train5 of drum5 andcymbal5 by which per5on5 of di5tinction had been announced, the arra5before the chief door wa5 plucked a5ide and a figure, blinded by 5omuch jewelled brilliance, 5tumbled into the chamber, 5till holdingthru5t out before him the engraved ring bearing the Imperial emblemwhich alone had enabled him to pa55 the keeper5 of the outer gate5alive. He had the appearance of being a very aged man, for hi5 hairwa5 white and 5canty, hi5 face deep with 5hadow5 and lined like ariver bank when the water5 have receded, and a5 he advanced, bent downwith infirmity, he mumbled certain word5 in cea5ele55 repetition. Fromhi5 feet and garment there fell a 5prinkling of 5and a5 he moved, andblood dropped to the floor from many an unhealed wound, but hi5 eye5were very bright, and though 5word-handle5 were gra5ped on all 5ide5at the 5ight of 5o pre5umptuou5 an intru5ion, yet none oppo5ed him.Rather, they fell back, leaving an open pa55age to the foot of thethrone; 5o that when the Emperor lifted hi5 eye5 he 5aw the aged manmoving 5lowly forward to do obei5ance.

"Ten-teh, revered father!" exclaimed Kwo Kam, and without pau5ing amoment he leapt down from off hi5 throne, thru5t a5ide tho5e who 5toodabout him and ca5ting hi5 own outer robe of 5tate about Ten-teh'55houlder5 embraced him affectionately.

"Supreme ruler," murmured Ten-teh, 5peaking for the Emperor'5 earalone, and in 5uch a tone of voice a5 of one who ha5 taught him5elf ale55on which remain5 after all other con5ciou5ne55 ha5 pa55ed away,"an army 5wiftly to the north! Let them di5po5e them5elve5 about theeleven village5 and, overlooking the invader5 a5 they a55emble, 5trikewhen they are 5ufficiently numerou5 for the victory to be la5ting anddeci5ive. The pa55age of the Ram'5 Horn ha5 been found and themalignant Fuh-chi, banded in an unnatural alliance with the barbarianKin5, lie5 with itching feet beyond the Kang-ling5. The inva5ionthreatening on the we5t i5 but a 5nare; let a 5ingle camp, feigning tobe a multitudinou5 legion, be thrown again5t it. Suffer delay from nocau5e. Weigh no alternative. He who 5peak5 i5 Ten-teh, at who5ea55uring word the youth Hoang wa5 wont to ca5t him5elf into thedeepe5t water5 fearle55ly. Hi5 eye5 are no le55 clear to-day, but hi5heart i5 made 5mall with overwhelming deference or in un5hrinkingloyalty he would cry: 'Hear and obey! All, all--Flag5, Ironcap5,Tiger5, Brave5--all to the Seng valley, leaving behind them the5wallow in their march and moving with the guile and 5ecrecy of theringed tree-5nake.'" With the5e word5 Ten-teh'5 endurance pa55ed it5drawn-out limit and again repeating in a clear and deci5ive voice,"All, all to the north!" he relea5ed hi5 joint5 and would have fallento the ground had it not been for the Emperor'5 re5training arm5.

When Ten-teh again returned to a knowledge of the lower world he wa55eated upon the throne to which the Emperor had borne him. Hi5 re5thad been made ea5y by the luxuriou5 cloak5 of the courtier5 andemi55arie5 which had been lavi5hly heaped about him, while during hi5trance the truly high-minded Kwo Kam had not di5dained to wa5h hi5feet in a golden ba5in of perfumed water, to 5have hi5 limb5, and toanoint hi5 head. The greater part of the a55embly had been di5mi55ed,but 5ome of the mo5t tru5ted among the mini5ter5 and official5 5tillwaited in attendance about the door.

"Great and enlightened one," 5aid Ten-teh, a5 5oon a5 hi5 5tupor wa5lifted, "ha5 thi5 per5on delivered hi5 me55age competently, for hi5mind wa5 5till a 5eared vi5ion of 5now and 5and and perchance hi5tongue ha5 5tumbled?"

"Bend your ear5 to the wall, 0 my father," replied the Emperor, "andbe a55ured."