I was watching.  They had already knocked over two of the enemy aloft in trees, and were attacking a third, who only showed his head occasionally above a roof-line when he fired, and who bobbed up and down with lightning speed.  The sole thing to do under the circumstances was to calculate when the head would reappear.  So the man with the binoculars calculated aloud for the benefit of the man with the rifle, and soon, in safety below the wall-line, a curious group had collected to see the end.  But it was a hard shot and a disappointing one, since it was essential not to scare the quarry thoroughly by smashing the roof-line instead of the head.  So the bullets flew high, and although the sharpshooter was comforted by the remarks of the other man, no progress was made.  Then suddenly the rifleman fired, on an inspiration, he said afterwards, and lo! and behold, the head and shoulders of a Chinese brave rose clear in the air and then tumbled backwards.  “Killed, by G——­; killed, by G——!” swore the man with the binoculars irreverently; and well content with their morning’s work, the two climbed down and went away.

You will realise from all these things that everything is still very erratic, and that the men remain badly distributed.  Nor is this all.  The general command over the whole of the Legation area is now plainly modelled on the Chinese plan—­that is, the officer commanding does not interfere with the others, excepting when he can do so with impunity to himself.  As I have shown, orders which are distasteful are simply ignored.  There is a spirit of rebellion which can only spring from one cause.  People who have read a lot say that every siege in history has been like this—­with everything incomplete and in disorder.  If this is so, I wonder how history has been made!  Certainly in this age there is very little of real valour and bravery.  Perhaps there has been a little in the past, and it is only the glozing-over of time which makes it seem otherwise.

V

THE MYSTERIOUS BOARD OF TRUCE

25th June, 1900 (night-time).

* * * * *

It is always true that the unexpected affords relief when least awaited.  In our case it has been amply proved.

The sun, which had been shining fiercely all day long until we felt fairly baked and very disconsolate, was heaving down slowly towards the west, flooding the pink walls of the Imperial city with a golden light and sinking the black outline of the sombre Tartar Wall that towers so high above us, when all round our battered lines the dropping rifle-fire drooped more and more until single shots alone punctuated the silence.  Our outposts, grouping together, leaned on their rifles and gave vent to sighs of relief.  Perhaps something had at last really happened, for though five days only have passed since the beginning of the real siege, they seemed to everyone more like