us. One private indeed boldly asked the officers whether they were
going to be able to enter the Palace at once; and when he got an angry
negative, he and his comrades took to such cursing and swearing, that
it seemed incredible that this was a disciplined army. The men wanted
to know why they had been dragged forward like animals in this burning
heat and stifling dust, day after day, until they could walk no
longer, if they were to have no reward--if there was to be nothing to
take in this cursed country. In the hot air the sullen complaints of
these sweating men rang out brutally. They wanted to loot; to break
through all locked doors and work their wills on everything.
Otherwise, why had they been brought? These men knew the history of
1860.

I turned in disgust, and went slowly back the way I had come, only to
find all unchanged.... Everything had obviously been stopped by
explicit orders; there was no doubt about that now; diplomacy, afraid
to allow any one to enter the inner Palaces for fear of what would
follow, and how much one Power might triumph over another, had called
an absolute halt. But no one was taking any chances, or placing too
much confidence in the assurances of the dear Allies. That was plain!
For, even as I had almost finished trotting up to the Dynastic Gate, I
came on a large body of Italian sailors, who had evidently just
entered Peking, and who, marching with the quick step of the
Bersaglieri, were being led by C----, the lank Secretary of Legation,
right up to the last line of gates. They were in an enormous hurry,
and looked about them with eager eyes. C---- and some others called
out to me as I passed, and wanted to know whether it was true that the
Americans and the French had already got in, and had sacked half the
place, and whether fire had been set to the buildings. I answered with
no compunction that it appeared to be so, and that the Russians and