uncheon. I worked so hard
that morning, and was so hungry--in fact all the Court ladies were.
I felt sorry for Her Majesty. Finally she told me I could go, as
she wanted to rest a while, so we came back to our own quarters. I
questioned our own eunuch Wang as to why Her Majesty was worrying about
rain, for we were having lovely weather then, day after day. He told me
that Lao Fo Yeh (Old Buddha) was worried for the poor farmers, as all
their crops were dead without rain for so long. Wang also reminded me
that it had not rained once since I came to live at the Palace. I did
not realize that it was so long as two months and seven days, and on the
other hand it seemed to me longer than that, for the life was very nice
and pleasant, and Her Majesty was very kind to me, as if she had known
me for years already. Her Majesty took very little food at dinner that
night. There was not a sound anywhere, and everyone kept quiet. The
Young Empress told us to eat as fast as we could, which puzzled me. When
we came back to our waiting room, the Young Empress said to me that Her
Majesty was very much worried for the poor farmers and that she would
pray for rain, and stop eating meat for two or three days. That same
night, before Her Majesty retired, she gave orders that no pigs were to
be slaughtered within the gates of Peking. The reason of this was that
by sacrificing ourselves by not eating meat the Gods would have pity on
us and send rain. She also gave orders that everyone should bathe the
body and wash out the mouth in order that we might be cleansed from
all impurities and be ready to fast and pray to the Gods. Also that the
Emperor should go to the temple inside the Forbidden City, to perform a
ceremony of sacrifice (called Chin Tan). He was not to eat meat or hold
converse with anyone, and to pray to the Gods to be merciful and send
rain to the poor farmers. His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, wore a
piece of jade tablet about three inches square, engraved "Chai Chieh"
(the meaning being just like Chin Tan-not to eat meat but to pray three
times a day), both in Manchu and Chinese, and all the eunuchs who went
with the Emperor wore the same kind of tablets. The idea was that
this jade tablet was to remind one to be serious in performing the
ceremonies.

The next morning Her Majesty got up very early and ordered me not
to bring any jewels for her. She dressed herself in great haste. Her
breakfast was very simple that day, just m