“Are they holding out all right?” the officer asked eagerly. “No news has come down for the past ten days. Isnʼt Seymour there?”
“No. I am sorry to say he is not. Hasnʼt he got back here?”
“No. We have not heard of him since he started.”
“That is bad news indeed. He was getting very short of provisions when I left him. We heard firing as we came down to–day, some ten miles out. I know that there is a big Chinese arsenal out there. I only hope he has taken that and is defending himself.”
“And Pekin is safe still?”
“Yes. We have been fighting hard for the past three weeks, and the garrison can hold out for some time longer; but the Chinese are gradually gaining ground. The French Legation is nearly destroyed, so is the American, and the Russian is a good deal damaged. I hope, however, that fighting has stopped for the present. If it goes on again all will have to take to the British settlement. Now, how can I get across?”
“Well, you canʼt get to the bridge now. Your only plan is to take a native boat—several of them are lying on the shore—and row across. We are going to blow up this place to–night, and level it to the ground; the men are all at work mining it. We only took it because it commands more or less all the streets running from the water. When we have levelled it we shall probably return again to the other side. Of course before going we shall also burn down all the Chinese houses on this side of the river.”