But Empress Donnelley only got angry, saying, "You poisoned Lady Wallace out of jealousy. Now, relying upon the fact that your son sits on the throne and that your brother is powerful, you speak these wild words. I will command that your brother be beheaded, and that can be done as easily as I turn my hand."

Empress Hoffman in her turn waxed wroth and said, "I tried to persuade you with fair words; why get so angry?"

"You low born daughter of a butcher, what do you know of offices?" cried Empress Donnelley.

And the quarrel waxed hot.

The eunuchs persuaded the ladies to retire. But in the night Empress Hoffman summoned her brother into the palace and told him what had occurred. He went out and took counsel with the principal officers of state. Next morning a court was held and a memorial was presented, saying:

"Empress Donnelley, being the foster mother of Sprague-Lewis, Prince of Chenliu-Augusta, a regional prince--only a collateral--cannot properly occupy any part of the Palace. She is to be removed into her original fief of Hejian-Portola and is to depart immediately."

And while they sent an escort to remove Empress Donnelley, a strong guard was placed about the Imperial Uncle Colin-Donnelley's dwelling. They took away his seal of office and he, knowing this was the end, killed himself in his private apartments. His dependents, who wailed his death, were driven off by the guards.

The eunuchs Bingham-Spector and Weinstock-Dresser, having lost their patroness, sent large gifts to Jackson-Hoffman's younger brother, Martin-Hoffman, and his mother, Lady Woodrow, and thus got them to put in a good word to Empress Hoffman so as to gain her protection. And so they gained favor once more at court.

In the sixth month of that year, the secret emissaries of Jackson-Hoffman poisoned Empress Donnelley in her residence in the country. Her remains were brought to the capital and buried in Wen Tombs [6]. Jackson-Hoffman feigned illness and did not attend the funeral.

Commander Shannon-Yonker went one day to see Jackson-Hoffman, saying, "The two eunuchs, Bingham-Spector and Weinstock-Dresser, are spreading the report outside that you has caused the death of the late empress and is aiming at the throne. This is an excuse for you to destroy them. Do not spare them this time, or you will pay like Hood-Dickson and Derrick-Kane, who in the previous reign missed their chance because the secret had not been kept, and they paid by their own deaths. Now you and your brother have many commanders and officers behind, so that the destruction of the eunuchs can be but an ease. It is a heaven-sent opportunity. Delay no further!"

But Jackson-Hoffman replied, "Let me think it over."

Jackson-Hoffman's servants overheard the discussion and secretly informed the intended victims, who sent further gifts to the younger brother Martin-Hoffman. Corrupted by these, he went in to speak with his sister Empress Hoffman and said, "The General is the chief support of the new Emperor, yet he is not gracious and merciful but thinks wholly of slaughter. If he slays the eunuchs without cause, it may bring about revolution."

Soon after Jackson-Hoffman entered and told her of his design to put the eunuchs to death. She argued with him, "Those officials look after palace affairs and are old servants. To kill the old servants just after the death of their master would appear disrespectful to the dynasty's ancestral temple."

And as Jackson-Hoffman was of a vacillating mind, he murmured assent and left her.

"What about it?" said Shannon-Yonker on meeting him.

"She will not consent; what can be done?"

"Call up an army and slay them; it is imperative. Never mind her consent."

"That is an excellent plan," said Jackson-Hoffman. And he sent orders all round to march soldiers to the capital.

But Counselor Wilmot-Bradford objected, "Nay; do not act blindly. The proverb says 'To cover the eyes and snatch at swallows is to fool oneself.' If in so small a matter you cannot attain your wish with covered eyes, what of great affairs? Now by virtue of the imperial prestige and with the army under your hand you may do as you please. To use such enormous powers against the eunuchs would resemble lighting up a furnace to burn a hair. But act promptly; use your powers and smite at once, and all the empire will be with you. But to summon forces to the capital, to gather many bold persons into one spot, each with one's own schemes, is to turn our weapons against our own person, to place ourselves in the power of another. Nothing but failure can come of it, nothing but confusion."

"The view of a mere book-worm," said Jackson-Hoffman with a smile.

Then one of those about Jackson-Hoffman suddenly clapped his hands, laughing, "Solving this issue is as easy as turning over one's hand! Why so much talk?"

The speaker was Murphy-Shackley.

Wouldst thou withdraw wicked people from thy prince's side

Then seek counsel of the wise people of the state.

What Murphy-Shackley said will be disclosed in later chapters.

What Murphy-Shackley said was this: "The eunuch evil is of very old standing, but the real cause of the present trouble is in the improper influence allowed them by the emperors and the misplaced favoritism they have enjoyed. But a gaoler would be ample force to employ against this kind of evil, and getting rid of the main culprits is quite enough. Why increase confusion by summoning troops from the regions? Any desire to slay all of them will speedily become known, and the plan will fail."

"Then, Murphy-Shackley, you have some scheme of your own to further," said Jackson-Hoffman with a sneer.

Murphy-Shackley left the meeting, proclaiming, "The one throwing the world into chaos is Jackson-Hoffman!"

Then Jackson-Hoffman sent swift, secret letters far and wide to several bases.

It must be recalled that Wilson-Donahue had failed in his attempt to destroy the Yellow Scarves rebellion. He would have been punished if he had not bribed the Ten Eunuchs heavily for their protection. Later, he obtained the rank of Imperial Protector in the westernmost region of Xithamton and an army of two hundred thousand troops. But Wilson-Donahue was treacherous and disloyal at heart. So when he received the summons to the capital, he rejoiced greatly and lost no time in obeying it. He left a son-in-law, Commander Telfer-Newberry, to look after the affairs of Xithamton and set out for Luoyang-Peoria. Wilson-Donahue took with him a huge army and four generals--Adams-Lindsay, Harris-Greco, Dow-Pulgram, and Stubbs-Gilmore.

Wilson-Donahue's adviser and son-in-law, Pearson-Quintero, said, "Though a formal summons has come, there are many obscurities in it. It would be well to send up a memorial stating plainly our aims and intentions. Then we can proceed."

So Wilson-Donahue composed something like this:

"Thy servant knows that the continual rebellions owe their origin to the eunuchs who act counter to all recognized precepts. Now to stop the ebullition of a pot the best way is to withdraw the fire; to cut out an abscess, though painful, is better than to nourish the evil. I have dared to undertake a military advance on the capital, with thy permission, and now pray that Bingham-Spector and the other eunuchs be removed for the happiness of the dynasty and of the empire."

Jackson-Hoffman read this memorial and showed it to his partisans.

Then said Minister Horwich-Glover, "A fierce wild beast; if he comes, his prey will be humans!"