Well——No, in his place over yonder. The rites, I need scarcely tell you, do not permit him to leave it.
[Throughout this dialogue the cannon is heard incessantly in distant parts of the city.]
EMPRESS
The rites, ah, the rites! You see what attention I have paid to the rites, I, the daughter of the Mings, the daughter of Heaven and the Invisible——I am here in the midst of my soldiers. I am fighting like them!——And it is he, your phantom Emperor, who dares to send me a message?
EMPEROR
With a message of pardon one always dares——
EMPRESS
Say rather that a message of pardon is the last message which may be sent when it is from him and concerns me!——So the Tartars dare to offer pardon!——You have just passed through my city of Nanking and you have seen? It is glorious, is it not, their work?——
EMPEROR
Alas! yes, I have seen with horror,——but I can swear to you by my life that such were not the orders which were given by my Sovereign.