“Dear doctor, you have taken it with a dash of the pencil.”
“Mademoiselle,” answered I, “it is said of me that I could copy the wind, if I could see it pass. I have copied your foot which is more agile than the wind.”
“If you continue these compliments, doctor, I am afraid I shall fall in love with you; I, who the other day shut my door in the face of a Greek prince and two bankers.”
The candor of innocence was imprinted on the features of the danseuse; and I bowed my head in reverence before this ingenuous woman, who unveiled her heart to me without reserve. In taking leave of her I was allowed to touch with my lips the ends of fingers which rivaled her feet in beauty.
The Secretary for Foreign Affairs awaited me at five o’clock, to inquire concerning the ceremonies used at Zhe-hol and at Pekin, at the reception of European ambassadors, and to sound me in regard to certain political secrets relating to the Chinese empire and Queen Victoria.
During the audience I experienced many distractions and made many mistakes. May Ti-en grant that my errors may not one day cause trouble to the Celestial Empire. Whilst the great minister of the Christians was speaking to me, I was thinking of the foot of Mademoiselle Alexandrine St. Phar! You see that that foot will overturn Pekin yet!
After dinner, a perfumed billet, the paper of which resembled a butterfly’s wing, was brought to me, and I read as follows:
“Dear Doctor,—I hear that you have brought to this country numberless Chinese curiosities. Dileri, your charming god-daughter, is so much delighted in looking at your fans, that she longs to know all the wealth of her godfather; a childish folly! But I have promised her to visit you to-morrow at 12 o’clock.
“Your god-daughter kisses you between the eyes, and I place you at my feet.
“Alexandrine St. Phar.”