ow whether you received the order or not.
You know two of us must stay with Her Majesty during her afternoon
siesta, to watch the eunuchs and the servant girls." I thought that was
the funniest thing I had ever heard of, and wondered how many people
would be in her room. The Young Empress said: "We had better go at once
and rest ourselves, otherwise Her Majesty will be up again before we get
the chance." Of course I had not the least idea how long she slept. So
we went back to our rooms. I did not realize how tired I was until I sat
down in my room. I felt finished and awfully sleepy at the same time,
for I was not used to getting up at 5 o'clock. Everything was so new
to me. As I sat there my thoughts wandered to Paris, and I thought how
strange it was that I used to go to bed at 5 o'clock after the dances,
and here I had to get up at such a time. All the surroundings seemed new
to me, seeing the eunuchs running here and there waiting on us, as if
they were chambermaids. I told them that I didn't need them any more. I
wanted them to go out of the room so that I could lie down a bit. They
brought us tea and different kinds of candies, and asked what else was
wanted. I was just going to change into a comfortable dress, when the
eunuch came in and informed me that "Yo ker lila" (visitors have come),
and two Court ladies came, and another girl of about seventeen came
in. I had seen her that very morning when I came to the Palace, busy
working, but I was not introduced to her. These two girls said: "We have
come to see you and also to find out if you are comfortable." I thought
they were kind to come and see me that way, but I did not like their
faces. They introduced this mean-looking girl to me and told me her
name was Chun Shou (Graceful Long Life). She did not look as if her life
would last long, being so thin and delicate. She looked sick and worn
out to me. I did not know who she was. She courtesied to me and I
returned to her, in a sort of half way. (I will explain about the
courtesy.)

(To Her Majesty, the Emperor and the Young Empress, we went down and
bent our knees, while we stood upright to the people of lower rank
than ourselves. In this case one must always wait while the inferior
courtesies first, and bend the knees a little bit in return. This was
the way I returned Chun Shou's courtesy to me.) The two girls then
said "Chun Shou's father is only a small official, so she has not much
standing at the Court. Sh