Sir Robert Hart | Page 9

that city. Life was very
different there from what it had been in Ningpo. Instead of the small
community to which he had been accustomed, he found himself in a
town filled with troops--British and French. Instead of living alone or
with one companion, he occupied quarters in a big yamên full of
officers and men--a change which probably benefited a character too
given to seriousness and introspection.
The work in Canton was exceedingly interesting. He was much more in

the centre of affairs than he had been before, and he had the
opportunity of serving under Sir Harry Parkes. With some of the
erraticness that is said to belong to genius, Parkes enjoyed doing things
at odd hours. He liked to fall asleep after dinner, for instance, with a big
cigar in his mouth, then wake refreshed and energetic at midnight, and
work till morning. But he never expected his staff to follow his
example, and was consideration itself to those under him--especially to
young Hart, whom he liked from the first, and whom he always took
with him on his expeditions around or outside the city.
There was no lack of these, since he was a man of indomitable energy,
matured his plans with astonishing rapidity, and often had them carried
out before any one suspected they were maturing.
The story of one particular little _coup d'état_ is well worth the telling.
A new Viceroy was expected in Canton, and Parkes heard that the man
who was filling the Acting Appointment was anxious to go out of the
city to meet his successor. At the same time he was told that if the
official left the city, the occasion would be taken to make a disturbance,
so he determined to use a sudden and vigorous stratagem to keep the
Acting Viceroy within the walls, willing or no. Accordingly one
morning he invited all the officials to discuss matters at the said
Viceroy's yamên, and went himself to the rendezvous with Hart and an
escort of military police.
He greeted the assembled officials cordially, and, after some
preliminary remark, went on to say: "I hear that you are all anxious to
go and meet the new Viceroy. Very natural, I'm sure; very natural and
obviously your duty. But we really do not want you to leave Canton
just at this particular moment. Ugly rumours are floating about which
only your presence here keeps in check. Therefore, as we realize that if
you do not go to meet your colleague, you will be accused in Peking of
lack of courtesy towards him, that none of your excuses will be
believed, I have brought a few men with me to keep guard outside your
rooms here. You can consequently say with truth that you were
prevented from fulfilling your duty."
Astonished and angry as they were at the turn of events, the Chinese

were shrewd enough to see they were helpless. The soldiers stayed.
Hart went every day to inquire after the prisoners, and listened to their
complaints about the ceaseless tread of the sentries under their
windows all night. "They never seem to sit down like other people,"
one of the Chinese said pathetically. "They walk all night, all night, and
we cannot sleep." Parkes sent sympathetic messages, but he remained
courteously firm. Perhaps he thought a few wakeful hours were not too
high a price to pay for keeping Canton quiet.
There was one official, however, who had not been caught with the rest.
He was Fantai, or Provincial Treasurer, who remained quietly hidden in
a temple in one of the western suburbs till Parkes ferreted him out. He
and Hart and the mounted police then made a second expedition. As
soon as they reached the outer door of the place, Parkes jumped off his
pony and rushed in with such impetuosity that the crowds of servants
running before him had no time to warn their master of the intruders'
arrival. Parkes continued his rapid career straight into the inner room,
where the Fantai himself sat at a table strewn with papers, absolutely
calm, serene and unmoved. Parkes began to talk; the Fantai remained
silent. No matter, Parkes was very adroit at carrying on a one-sided
interview, and conversation did not flag.
"I've come to pay you a visit," said he; "and though you have not
mentioned your pleasure at meeting a new acquaintance, I am sure it is
none the less deep. Ah," he went on, looking over the paper-strewn
table, "you have even been kind enough to lay aside your work on my
account. Let us see. You were writing letters," and Parkes thereupon
read the finished and unfinished despatches under the Fantai's very eye,
then profusely thanked him for the useful information.
The Chinese sat superbly contemptuous through