"Do not dare to mention the Son of Heaven. Do not dare, I say, you foreign devil! Where is your father now?"
"I do not know. He was arrested by the Russians."
"Why?"
"They accused him of giving information to the Japanese."
"Did he give information?"
"No."
"Ch'hoy! Then clearly he was in league with the Russians. He, too, is worthy of death. What brought you into the Shan-yan-alin mountains?"
"I am trying to find my father. I was on my way to Moukden."
"Do you know that the Ch'ang-pai-shan is sacred to the emperor? Nobody is allowed to tread these hills, on pain of death."
"I am in your honour's august company."