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little more than an empty honour。 The place was in truth a
graveyarda sacred graveyard； for on Tabong Mountain were shrined
and sepultured the bones of the ancient kings of Silla。 Better
governor of Kyong…ju than retainer of Adam Strang； was what I
thought was in his mind； nor did I dream that it was except for fear
of loneliness that caused him to take four of the cunies with him。
Gorgeous were the two years that followed。 My seven provinces I
governed mainly though needy yang…bans selected for me by Yunsan。
An occasional inspection； done in state and accompanied by the Lady
Om； was all that was required of me。 She possessed a summer palace
on the south coast； which we frequented much。 Then there were man's
diversions。 I became patron of the sport of wrestling； and revived
archery among the yang…bans。 Also； there was tiger…hunting in the
northern mountains。
A remarkable thing was the tides of Cho…Sen。 On our north…east
coast there was scarce a rise and fall of a foot。 On our west coast
the neap tides ran as high as sixty feet。 Cho…Sen had no commerce；
no foreign traders。 There was no voyaging beyond her coasts； and no
voyaging of other peoples to her coasts。 This was due to her
immemorial policy of isolation。 Once in a decade or a score of
years Chinese ambassadors arrived； but they came overland； around
the Yellow Sea； across the country of the Hong…du； and down the
Mandarin Road to Keijo。 The round trip was a year…long journey。
Their mission was to exact from our Emperor the empty ceremonial of
acknowledgment of China's ancient suzerainty。
But Hamel； from long brooding； was ripening for action。 His plans
grew apace。 Cho…Sen was Indies enough for him could he but work it
right。 Little he confided； but when he began to play to have me
made admiral of the Cho…Sen navy of junks； and to inquire more than
casually of the details of the store…places of the imperial
treasury； I could put two and two together。
Now I did not care to depart from Cho…Sen except with the Lady Om。
When I broached the possibility of it she told me； warm in my arms；
that I was her king and that wherever I led she would follow。 As
you shall see it was truth； full truth； that she uttered。
It was Yunsan's fault for letting Chong Mong…ju live。 And yet it
was not Yunsan's fault。 He had not dared otherwise。 Disgraced at
Court； nevertheless Chong Mong…ju had been too popular with the
provincial priesthood。 Yunsan had been compelled to hold his hand；
and Chong Mong…ju； apparently sulking on the north…east coast； had
been anything but idle。 His emissaries； chiefly Buddhist priests；
were everywhere； went everywhere； gathering in even the least of the
provincial magistrates to allegiance to him。 It takes the cold
patience of the Asiatic to conceive and execute huge and complicated
conspiracies。 The strength of Chong Mong…ju's palace clique grew
beyond Yunsan's wildest dreaming。 Chong Mong…ju corrupted the very
palace guards； the Tiger Hunters of Pyeng…Yang whom Kim commanded。
And while Yunsan nodded； while I devoted myself to sport and to the
Lady Om； while Hendrik Hamel perfected plans for the looting of the
Imperial treasury； and while Johannes Maartens schemed his own
scheme among the tombs of Tabong Mountain； the volcano of Chong
Mong…ju's devising gave no warning beneath us。
Lord； Lord； when the storm broke！ It was stand out from under； all
hands； and save your necks。 And there were necks that were not
saved。 The springing of the conspiracy was premature。 Johannes
Maartens really precipitated the catastrophe； and what he did was
too favourable for Chong Mong…ju not to advantage by。
For； see。 The people of Cho…Sen are fanatical ancestor…worshippers；
and that old pirate of a booty…lusting Dutchman； with his four
cunies； in far Kyong…ju； did no less a thing than raid the tombs of
the gold…coffined； long…buried kings of ancient Silla。 The work was
done in the night； and for the rest of the night they travelled for
the sea…coast。 But the following day a dense fog lay over the land
and they lost their way to the waiting junk which Johannes Maartens
had privily outfitted。 He and the cunies were rounded in by Yi Sun…
sin； the local magistrate； one of Chong Mong…ju's adherents。 Only
Herman Tromp escaped in the fog； and was able； long after； to tell
me of the adventure。
That night； although news of the sacrilege was spreading through
Cho…Sen and half the northern provinces had risen on their
officials； Keijo and the Court slept in ignorance。 By Chong Mong…
ju's orders the beacons flared their nightly message of peace。 And
night by night the peace…beacons flared； while day and night Chong
Mong…ju's messengers killed horses on all the roads of Cho…Sen。 It
was my luck to see his messenger arrive at Keijo。 At twilight； as I
rode out through the great gate of the capital； I saw the jaded
horse fall and the exhausted rider stagger in on foot； and I little
dreamed that that man carried my destiny with him into Keijo。
His message sprang the palace revolution。 I was not due to return
until midnight； and by midnight all was over。 At nine in the
evening the conspirators secured possession of the Emperor in his
own apartments。 They compelled him to order the immediate
attendance of the heads of all departments； and as they presented
themselves； one by one； before his eyes； they were cut down。
Meantime the Tiger Hunters were up and out of hand。 Yunsan and
Hendrik Hamel were badly beaten with the flats of swords and made
prisoners。 The seven other cunies escaped from the palace along
with the Lady Om。 They were enabled to do this by Kim； who held the
way； sword in hand； against his own Tiger Hunters。 They cut him
down and trod over him。 Unfortunately he did not die of his wounds。
Like a flaw of wind on a summer night the revolution； a palace
revolution of course； blew and was past。 Chong Mong…ju was in the
saddle。 The Emperor ratified whatever Chong Mong…ju willed。 Beyond
gasping at the sacrilege of the king's tombs and applauding Chong
Mong…ju； Cho…Sen was unperturbed。 Heads of officials fell
everywhere； being replaced by Chong Mong…ju's appointees； but there
were no risings against the dynasty。
And now to what befell us。 Johannes Maartens and his three cunies；
after being exhibited to be spat upon by the rabble of half the
villages and walled cities of Cho…Sen； were buried to their necks in
the ground of the open space before the palace gate。 Water was
given them that they might live longer to yearn for the food；
steaming hot and savoury and changed hourly； that was place
temptingly before them。 They say old Johannes Maartens lived
longest； not giving up the ghost for a full fifteen days。
Kim was slowly crushed to death； bone by bone and joint by joint； by
the torturers； and was a long time in dying。 Hamel； whom Chong
Mong…ju divined as my brains； was executed by the paddlein short；
was promptly and expeditiously beaten to death to the delighted
shouts of the Keijo populace。 Yunsan was given a brave death。 He
was playing a game of chess with the jailer； when the Emperor's； or；
rather； Chong Mong…ju's； messenger arrived with the poison…cup。
〃Wait a moment；〃 said Yunsan。 〃You should be better…mannered than
to disturb a man in the midst of a game of chess。 I shall drink
directly the game is over。〃 And while the messenger waited Yunsan
finished the game； winning it； then drained the cup。
It takes an Asiatic to temper his spleen to steady； persistent；
life…long revenge。 This Chong Mong…ju did with the Lady Om and me。
He did not destroy us。 We were not even imprisoned。 The Lady Om
was degraded of all rank and divested of all possessions。 An
imperial decree was promulgated and posted in the last least village
of Cho…Sen to the effect that I was of the house of Koryu and that
no man might kill me。 It was further declared that the eight sea…
cunies who survived must not be killed。 Neither were they to be
favoured。 They were to be outcasts； beggars on the highways。 And
that is what the Lady Om and I became； beggars on the highways。
Forty long years of persecution followed； for Chong Mong…ju's hatred
of the Lady Om and me was deathless。 Worse luck； he was favoured
with long life as well as were we cursed with it。 I have said the
Lady Om was a wonder of a woman。 Beyond endlessly repeating that
statement； words fail me； with which to give her just appreciation。
Somewhere I have heard that a great lady once said to her lover： 〃A
tent and a crust of bread with you。〃 In effect that is what the
Lady Om said to me。 More than to say it； she lived the last letter
of it； when more often than not crusts were not plentiful and the
sky itself was our tent。
Every effort I made to escape beggary was in the end frustrated by
Chong Mong…ju。 In Song…do I became a fuel…carrier； and the L