He winked slyly at Toto, while the grandmother continued:—
"Alas! my son," said the old man, "your father will wear out no more scrubbing-shoes. Listen! This morning, while we were all busily at work, it chanced through some evil fate that His Celestial Majesty felt a desire to taste the freshness of the morning air. Unannounced he came, with only the Princely Parasol-Holder, the Unique Umbrella-Opener, and seven boys to hold up his celestial train. You know that your father is slightly deaf? Yes. Well, he stood—my good friend Ly-Chee—he stood with his back to the palace. He heard not the noise of the opening door, and at the very moment when His Celestial Majesty stepped out into the court-yard, Ly-Chee cast a great bucketful of ice-cold water backward, with fatal force and precision."
Chop-Chin shuddered, and hid his face in his hands.
"Picture to yourself the dreadful scene!" continued the ancient sweeper. "The Celestial Petticoat, of yellow satin damask, was drenched. The Celestial Shoes, of chicken-skin embroidered in gold, were reduced to a pulp. A shriek burst from every mouth! Your unhappy father turned, and seeing what he had done, fell on his face, as did all the rest of us. In silence we waited for the awful voice, which presently said:—
"'Princely Parasol-Holder, our feet are wet.'
"The Princely Parasol-Holder groaned, and chattered his teeth together to express his anguish.
"'Unique Umbrella-Opener,' continued the Emperor, 'our petticoat is completely saturated.'
"The Unique Umbrella-Opener tore his clothes, and shook his hair wildly about his face, with moans of agony.
"'Let this man's head be removed at sunrise to-morrow!' concluded His Celestial Majesty.
"Then we all, lying on our faces, wept and cried aloud, and besought the celestial mercy for our comrade. We told the Emperor of Ly-Chee's long and faithful service; of his upright and devout life; of his wife and children, who looked to him for their daily bread. But all was of no avail. He repeated, in dreadful tones, his former words:—