The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure by Adam Williams Page B

when the first mission is put to the torch? Will you advise your people to stay calm then?’
    â€˜You really believe that that’s going to happen?’
    â€˜I don’t know, Squiers,’ said Morrison. ‘I wish I did. Maybe it is a midsummer madness. I’ll tell you one thing, though, the disaffection is real enough. A lot of people had high hopes of the reform movement last year, and though the Mandarinate may be happy that Tz’u Hsi’s restored the status quo with her palace coup, the whole merchant class and a lot of the scholar class are very downbeat. God help us if we have a poor harvest.’
    â€˜The Boxers aren’t scholars or merchants.’
    â€˜Of course they aren’t. But who led on the Jacquerie in the French Revolution? Intellectuals like Robespierre and Danton. No, don’t laugh. There’s no proof that the Boxer movement has anything to do with the reformers, or the palace for that matter. It’s just that in China there are wheels within wheels. And secret societies are just that.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Secret. Take the term Boxer, what does it mean? The Fists of Righteous Harmony. Rather grand, don’t you think? Don’t tell me that a peasant came up with that name.’
    â€˜So who did?’
    â€˜I don’t know. But secret societies are a part of the fabric of this country. Triads. Tongs. They’re criminal brotherhoods, but there’s something respectable about them as well. They call themselves patriotic societies. Protectors of the people against corrupt dynasties. The White Lotus were heroes who rose up against the Mongols and set up the Ming, and later they turned on the Ming when they went rotten. They still exist, as do the Eight Diagram sect, the Red Fists, the Big Swords, the Big Knives, the Black Sticks. There are hundreds of them, and who knows what tentacles they have through every class of society here? Everybody needs protection. I would bet that these Boxers are linked to one or more of these black societies.’
    â€˜I declare, Simpson,’ Helen Frances was startled to hear the black-haired man’s voice rise in a languid drawl, ‘I never expected China to be so exciting. Am I to understand, sir,’ he addressed Dr Morrison, ‘that I will be endangering life and limb when I leave the safety and protection of the diplomatic community,’ he waved his hand sardonically at the party around him, ‘and venture into the wilds of the countryside?’
    â€˜You’re Manners, aren’t you?’ said Morrison, looking at him coldly. ‘I was told you’d be here. No, sir, for the moment I am not suggesting anything of the kind. The Boxers are a disturbing phenomenon but, up to now, they’ve not attacked a white man. I’m sure, from all I’ve heard about you, that you can look after yourself anyway.’
    â€˜My reputation obviously precedes me.’
    â€˜Adviser to the Japanese army. Yes, I’ve heard about you. And now I gather you’ve left all that and got a job with the railway. Where are they sending you?’
    Helen Frances felt a rush of blood to her head when she heard him answer, ‘Shishan,’ but she had no chance to listen to more because, with bounding excitement, a perspiring Tom was at her side telling her that his team had won the rounders match, and, gosh, why was she standing all alone and forlorn? She must stock up on the bubbly and come and meet his chums from the Legation. As she went she turned her head and saw Manners’s blue eyes looking humorously in her direction.
    At luncheon, under the trees, she was placed between a quiet Legation interpreter called Pritchett and the French minister, Monsieur Pichon. After a few pleasantries, Monsieur Pichon proceeded to ignore her, speaking loudly across the Japanese minister’s wife to Sir Claude, who was at the head of the table. Tom was sitting at the other end, out of