in the uncertain light, for a Japanese, from the clothes I wore, lowered his weapon and addressed me in a harsh authoritative tone.  The sound of the language was singularly like that of Italian.  He pointed to the Chinamen, probably asking what they were.  I took advantage of his unguarded pause to plunge my bayonet in his body, with a thrust so rapid that he had not time to make the least movement to avoid it.  He fell at once where he stood, but attempted to rise again, when I gave him another prick which settled his business.  He fell back heavily against the counter with a groan.  One of the heads above was shaken off its spike by the concussion and struck him on the shoulder as he lay.  His eyes, opening and shutting convulsively, seemed to gaze upon the ghastly object.  He groaned again, and in a few moments was dead.  I bent over him with the lantern, and soon perceived from the richness of his uniform and accoutrements, as well as from the look of caste about the head and face, that I had killed an officer of high rank.  He wore white gloves, which accounted for the odd look of his hands when he appeared on the threshold.  I felt sorry when I realized that he was a man of consequence and authority, for had I perceived it at first I would certainly have endeavoured to obtain his protection for myself and my companions; but Chung had slunk behind me with the lantern, the officer’s own was a very dim one, so that in the obscurity I could only make out that he was a Japanese soldier, and expecting to be attacked judged it prudent to get my blow in first.  Having given him what his countrymen called the “happy despatch,” he could be of no further use to us.  Before again leaving the place, I took possession of his sword, which was a very beautiful and valuable weapon, the hilt ornamented by a quantity of massive and richly-chased gold, and a great number of tiny diamonds and rubies,—­infinitesimal gems, set in pretty, quaint devices, with a larger stone here and there.  This trophy I brought away with me from Port Arthur, but when in Liverpool at the beginning of the year of grace 1896, the pressure of financial exigency compelled me to entrust it to the temporary care of the universal uncle of mankind, who said it was worth L600 or L700.  I could by no means persuade him to believe my account of how it came into my possession.  He laughed and said I was making fun of him.  His obstinate incredulity was amusing.  “You’re a sailor, sir, I see,” he said, “and we know what sailors’ yarns are in this town.  I’ve heard a few of them.”

Again stealing outside, we resumed our perilous way through this city of dreadful night.  We lost no time in turning out of the street where had occurred the incidents just described, and which seemed in the track of stragglers moving towards the adjacent Golden Hill fort.  We left it by a very narrow lane abutting at right angles.  The other end of this was blocked by a heap of corpses which we had to climb over.