On a certain birthday festival, both of the duennas who, as was said, took turns, watching and sleeping, were invited to celebrate with the king, and to partake of a great feast, with plenty of wine and prolonged amusements. All night the king’s watchers revelled, both falling into a heavy sleep before dawn. This is the story, but I like to think that as one of the women was probably the king’s mother, her heart was tender toward her unhappy son, and that she purposely relaxed her watch. It would gild a little the long dark tale of all that preceded to find a touch of sweet human affection right here. At any rate, when every one in the palace was off guard, supposing the king and crown prince asleep, they entered a couple of women’s chairs which were waiting. The bearers of these chairs had been specially selected and paid with a view to their carrying two, and thought nothing of it, as the palace women often went out to their homes in this way. So in each chair a woman sat in front of its royal occupant, screening him from view should any one glance in. The sentinels at the gate had been provided with hot refreshments and plenty of strong drink, and were so fully occupied that the chairs with their valuable burden passed out unnoticed and unhindered. They were expected at the Russian legation, where one hundred and sixty marines from the port had just been called up, and there they speedily made their way, arriving at about seven or eight in the morning of February 11, 1896. This meant the downfall of the usurpers. With the king’s person went all their claim to authority and power, and it also meant that Japanese influence in Korean affairs was over for a time, and that the country had been almost thrown into the arms of Russia, by the short-sighted policy of the minister, who had desired to “establish the prestige of Japan.” As our compound was very close to the Russian legation, and fronting on the same street, we were soon aware that something very unusual had occurred. The whole road, as far as the eye could reach, was filled with a surging mob of soldiers, commoners, and the chairs and retainers of the nobility. Guards and sentinels were stationed every few paces along our street, and there was a loud and almost terrifying babel of shouting voices, in the din and confusion of which it was impossible to distinguish anything. I sent at once for one or two of Mr. Underwood’s writers and literary helpers, who told me that the king had arrived a short while before at the Russian legation, and had assumed the reins of government, and that the army, officials and people were rallying around him, each anxious to precede the other in protestations of loyalty and devotion.