Whilst staying here I found that the Wai-wu-pu had arranged that two mandarins, officials from the Foreign Office, should always be in attendance. I was told that this was to ensure me all possible attention and com fort ; and that all the servants should do as I wished. To these mandarins I am much indebted. To state a wish to them was to have it carried out. I was quite free to go where I liked in this fairyland palace, and I had—as it were—but to wave a wand to find at my disposal all I wished for. Had time allowed, I should have wished to visit and examine every corner ; but my purpose was to get, whilst I had such a chance, a few pictures of this place, to paint which no European before had ever had permission—and to this purpose I gave all my time and thoughts.
As I have said, my comings and goings were matters of ceremony ; and it may interest readers if I try to describe it. I would say to my boy : " Ready for work, boy," and he then called his underlings and imparted this news to them. They in turn notified the mandarins who were in their quarters adjoining mine. I watched the servants get my working things together. Once they had done this, they always knew just what I wanted, and forgot nothing. I then walked out into the courtyard to head the procession. I went in front, the mandarins following me, then my boy with my drawing in its case, then more servants carrying my various implements (they are cunning enough to divide up the loads, so that each has but little) ; and, following them, a few coolies carrying teapots and so forth. So we started—the sentry at the gate having notified the guard and presented arms as I pass : I find a long double line of soldiers going right across the great courtyard to the palace gates ; through this we pass, being saluted by sections as I go, and at the farther end by the officer in command. At this point we are received by palace officials ; and on our passing inside the gates several soldiers and palace officials join the company. Boatmen attend, in case I wish to go on the water. Proceeding to the subject I had in hand, I get quickly to work ; and my crowd of attendants dispose of themselves as they like. I thought that it would only be at first that such ceremony would be observed ; but it continued all through my stay, and I had much quiet amusement as each day this performance was enacted for an unassum ing artist.
The weather had now become extremely cold, and I found it necessary to put on all the warmest clothing I had, and over all a heavy fur coat ; even so, I felt the bitter wind when I sat at work : how my attendants stood it I don't know ; but they could move about and seek shelter from the biting wind in corners of build ings, whilst I had to stick to my easel. But I was never left entirely alone whilst on land, and only once, when painting the Marble Junk from a boat, did I succeed in getting rid of all my following, and having about two hours alone on my boat. That morning, on boarding the boats, I had suggested that all need not come, as it was so very cold ; so the mandarins and some others walked by the lake side to the point nearest where I should anchor. I counted my reduced fol
lowing, and found that on two boats with the rowers there were twenty-one persons with me, the two boats being fastened to a pole stuck in the bottom at my point of sight. I then told them all to clear off my boat so as not to shake it, and they rowed off and joined the others on shore ; but I was within sight all the time.
I was rather amused once in passing along through the guard, when without thinking I suddenly stopped to light my pipe, and found that I had stopped the whole procession, and kept the soldiers with arms pre sented while I did this : my mandarins had nearly fallen over me.
There were telephones from the palace to the Wai wu-pu in Peking, and I soon found that all my doings were being reported at headquarters, just exactly what I had done that day, and (if possible) what I was going to do.
After a few days I heard that I was not to be hurried away ; but the weather was getting so severe that I found it very hard to keep at work. As I passed along the outer courtyard to my quarters, I could occasionally see at a distance the conveyances which had brought out from Peking visitors, who, driving thus far, would take chairs or ponies, or walk round on the neighbouring hills, so as to get a view of the Empress Dowager's famed summer home.
The mandarins attending on me took turns in duty, driving out from Peking in the morning ; two would be with me one day and stay over night, to return next day to the capital and be relieved by two others.
The day or two which I was supposed to have was spun out to nearly a fortnight at this delightful place, a time of continuous work for me and of great interest. The mandarins and others were kind and attentive in all ways, and I shall always have most kindly recollec tions of them.
Each day the cold got more intense and I had to make up my mind that I could no longer carry on my work outside. So I fixed on a day for departure, and now I had an example of the official mind. The officials had got to know me, and to understand what I was doing ; and instead of being hurried away I was asked if I would remain longer, or—if I wished to go—would I return ? I should have been glad to return had it been earlier in the season, but November forbade it. I shall not forget my last day at the Summer Palace. The sun shone brilliantly from a clear blue sky, but the wind was intensely cold ; I worked at my subject of the Grand Pailau ; and though I stuck to it all day, at the last I was so numbed with the cold that I could not even put away my brushes, and to walk at all was painful.
All was ready for my departure. My carriage had come from Peking ; and, only going to my rooms for some tea, I bid adieu to all, gazed my last on the lovely place, and set out on my long cold drive to Peking, which I reached before the closing of the gates.