CHAPTER XI. 100 SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF HER MAJESTY--SECOND VISIT TO THE SEA PALACE The Empress Dowager’s Magnetic Personality--Interesting Study--Her Chinese Appellations--Hall of Mongolian Princes-- Dragon Wall--Fruits Sent to the Palace--Repast at the Sea Palace--Promenade in the Train of Her Majesty--The Imperial Gourds--A Promenade in the Rain--Rest in Hall of Mongolian Princes--Archery in China--The Sunset Call. CHAPTER XII. 111 RETURN TO THE SUMMER PALACE The Empress Dowager as a Psychological Study--Seeing Her Face to Face--Work on Portrait Resumed--Easels and Cases for Materials for Work on Sacred Picture--Walks--Refreshments for the Promenades--Imperial Tea--The Empress Dowager’s Tea and Tea-cups--Her Deftness with her Fingers--Her Thoughtfulness. CHAPTER XIII. 117 THE STEAM-LAUNCH--SEMI-ANNUAL SACRIFICES TO CONFUCIUS Chinese Tolerance in Religious Matters--Halls of Confucius-- The Odes to Peace--Burning the Offerings. CHAPTER XIV. 123 THE PALACE EUNUCHS Their Grades--The Chief Eunuchs--Li Lien Ying--His Power with the Courtiers--“L’Eminence Grise” of the Court--The Shut-in Position of Chinese Imperial Rulers--Need of an Unofficial Messenger--Personal Appearance of Li Lien Ying-- Sui, Her Majesty’s Second Eunuch--Punishment of Eunuchs-- Pupils--Opium Smoking--Pets--Good Manners of the Eunuchs. CHAPTER XV. 130 LITERARY TASTES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE EMPRESS DOWAGER The Empress of the Eastern Palace--Co-Regency--Her Majesty’s Literary Tastes--Her Love of Heroic Poems--Her Memory--The Chinese Joan of Arc--The Empress, Widow of Tung-Chih--The Empress Dowager’s Reader and her Favorite Authors--Her Love of the Theater--Her Humor--A Great Stickler for Purity of Language--Li-Hung-Chang’s Chinese--How the Empress Dowager Speaks It--Her Writing of the Great Characters--The Chinese Written Character--Painting--Embroidery--Her Designs for Floral Decorations--Cultivation of her Person--The Empress Dowager an Epicure--Her Soaps and Perfumes--Her Personal Magnetism as a Power over Animals--The Escaped Bird--The Katydid. CHAPTER XVI. 142 THE GREAT AUDIENCE HALL Hours of the Audiences--The Audience Hall at Summer Palace-- Its Interior--Ancient and Modern Thrones and Dais--Audiences of Heads of Departments--The Grand Council--Official Despatches--Telegrams--The Cushions for Members of the Grand Council--Special Audiences--The Introducing Eunuch--Amusing Subterfuge of Officials at Audience--The Young Emperor and Tiresome Official--Sacred Quality of the Imperial Person-- Mode of Address of Courtiers--The Kow-tow.