After waiting a few moments, a young Chinese, elegantly dressed, and of very graceful manners, came to inform us that Ki-Chan, grand ambassador of the grand Emperor of China, wished to examine us. We followed our amiable apparitor, and were ushered into a saloon decorated in the Chinese style, where Ki-Chan was seated upon a sort of throne, about three feet high, and covered with red cloth. Before him was a small table of black laque, upon which were an inkstand, some pens, some sheets of paper, and a silver vase filled with snuff. Below the throne were four scribes, two on the right, and two on the left; the rest of the saloon was occupied by a great number of Chinese and Thibetians, who had put on their holiday dresses to attend the inquiry. Ki-Chan, although sixty years old, seemed to us full of strength and vigour. His face is, without contradiction, the most noble, elegant, and intellectual we have seen amongst the Chinese. When we took off our caps to him, and made him one of our best bows, “’Tis well, ’tis well,” he said; “follow your own customs. I have been told you speak correctly the language of Peking. I want to talk with you for a moment.” “We make many blunders in speaking, but your marvellous understanding will know how to remedy the obscurity of our words.” “Why, that is pure Pekinese. You Frenchmen possess a great facility for all learning. You are Frenchmen, are you not?” “Yes, we are Frenchmen.” “Oh, I know the French; there were formerly a great many of them at Peking; I used to see some of them.” “You must have known them, too, at Canton, when you were imperial commissioner?” This reminiscence furrowed the forehead of our judge; he took an abundant pinch of snuff out of his box, and threw it up his nose in a very bad humour. “Yes, that is true; I have seen many Europeans at Canton. You are of the religion of the Lord of Heaven, are you not?” “Certainly we are; moreover, preachers of that religion.” “I know, I know; you have come hither, doubtless, to preach that religion?” “We have no other object.” “Have you already travelled over a great number of countries?” “We have travelled over all China, Tartary, and now we are in the capital of Thibet.” “With whom did you live when you were in China?” “We do not answer questions of that sort.” “And if I command you to do so?” “We should not obey.” Here the irritated judge struck the table with his fist. “You know,” we said, “that Christians have no fear; why seek, then, to intimidate us?” “Where did you learn Chinese?” “In China.” “In what place?” “A little everywhere.” “And the Tartar, you know it? where did you learn it?” “In Mongolia, in the Land of Grass.”