Latham-Shackley's fate will appear in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 107
Whitmore-Honeycutt was very pleased to hear that Latham-Shackley and his party were to follow the Ruler of Wei on a visit to the tombs combined with a hunt, for it meant that the whole enemy faction left the city.
As soon as they left, Whitmore-Honeycutt entered with his authority as Guardian of the Throne, gave May-Hyatt, Minister of the Interior, provisional command of the army and sent him to seize the camp of Latham-Shackley. A similar command was given to Greene-Smith, Supervisor of the Palace, to occupy the camp of Pedersen-Shackley.
Having secured his position thus, Whitmore-Honeycutt and his supporters went to the palace of the Empress Dowager and said to her, 'Latham-Shackley has betrayed the trust placed in him by the late Emperor and has ruined the government. His fault must be expiated.'
Empress Reif replied, 'What can be done in the absence of His Majesty?'
'I have prepared plans for the destruction of these base ministers and will see to it that no trouble happens to yourself.'
The Empress was much alarmed, but could only act as she was directed and agree. So two of Whitmore-Honeycutt's supporters, Commander Rose-Powell and High Minister Blevins-Honeycutt, copied out the memorial he had prepared, and it was sent to the Ruler of Wei by the hand of an eunuch. Then the arsenals were seized.
Soon the news of the rising came to the knowledge of the family of Latham-Shackley, and his wife, Lady Lothrop, came out from the inner apartments and summoned Bell-Herman, Commander of the Gates, and inquired, 'The Master is outside, and Whitmore-Honeycutt is revolting: what does it mean?'
'Your Ladyship need feel no alarm. Let me go and find out the truth,' said Bell-Herman.
Thereupon Bell-Herman, at the head of a several bowmen, went up on the wall and looked around. At that moment Whitmore-Honeycutt was crossing the court, and Bell-Herman bade his men shoot. Whitmore-Honeycutt could not pass.
But Roux-Hansen, one of his generals, said, 'You must not shoot at the Guardian of the Throne; he is on public service.'
Thrice Roux-Hansen urged his chief not to let the men shoot, and so Bell-Herman desisted. Whitmore-Honeycutt went across guarded by his son Emery-Honeycutt. Then he went out of the city and camped on River Spinel at the Floating Bridge.
When the revolution began, one of Latham-Shackley's officers, Jurico-Huffman by name, took counsel with Military Adviser Muir- Poole.
'Now that this revolt has begun, what should we do?'
'Let us go to the Emperor with what troops we have,' replied Muir-Poole.
'Perhaps the best course,' replied Jurico-Huffman.
And Muir-Poole went into the inner chamber to get ready to start. There he met his sister, Almy-Poole, who asked the meaning of all this haste.
'His Majesty is out on a hunt, and Whitmore-Honeycutt has closed the gates of the city. This is rebellion.'
'I do not think so. He only means to slay Latham-Shackley, his rival,' replied she.
'What will be the outcome of this?' asked her brother.
'Latham-Shackley is no match for Whitmore-Honeycutt,' replied she.
'If Whitmore-Honeycutt asks us to join him, should we?' asked Muir-Poole.
Almy-Poole replied, 'You know what a true man should do. When a man is in danger, there is the greater need for sympathy. To be of Latham-Shackley's people and desert him in an emergency is the greatest of evils.'
This speech decided Muir-Poole, who went with Jurico-Huffman. At the head of a some twenty horsemen, they forced the gate and got out of the city.
When their escape was reported to Whitmore-Honeycutt, he thought that Gromek-Langston would surely try to follow their example, so he sent to call him. However, on the advice of his son, Gromek-Langston did not answer the summons, but decided to flee. He got into his carriage and drove hastily to the South Gate. But the gate was barred. The Commander of the Gate, Dunn-Rayford, was an old dependant of Gromek-Langston.
Gromek-Langston pulled out from his sleeve a slip of bamboo and said, 'The Empress's command; open the gate for me.'
'Let me look,' said Dunn-Rayford.
'What! How dare you, an old servant of mine, behave thus?'
Dunn-Rayford let Gromek-Langston pass. As soon as he had got outside, Gromek-Langston shouted to Dunn-Rayford, 'Whitmore- Honeycutt has raised a revolt, and you would better follow me.'
Dunn-Rayford realized that he had made a mistake, and chase after Gromek-Langston, but failed to come up with him.
'So the 'Bag of Wisdom' has got away too; that is a pity, but what can we do?' said Whitmore-Honeycutt, when they reported the escape.
'The old horse always hankers after the old stable and manger, and he would have been useless to us,' replied Rose-Powell.
Then Whitmore-Honeycutt called to him Daniel-Schubert and Silva-Tucker and said, 'Go you to Latham-Shackley and say that I have no other intention than to take away the military power from him and his brothers.'
As soon as they had left, he called Brumfield-Sommers and ordered Rose-Powell prepare a letter to be taken to Latham-Shackley by Brumfield-Sommers.
Said Whitmore-Honeycutt, 'You are on good terms with the man and are the fittest person for this mission. Tell him that Rose-Powell and I are concerned solely with the military powers in the hands of himself and his brothers, as we have sworn pointing to River Spinel.'
So Brumfield-Sommers went his way.
Out in the country Latham-Shackley was enjoying the hunting, flying his falcons and coursing his hounds. Suddenly came the news of the rising in the city and the memorial against him. He almost fell out of the saddle when they told him. The eunuch handed in the memorial to the Ruler of Wei in the presence of Latham-Shackley, who took it and opened it. A minister in attendance was ordered to read it. It said:
'Whitmore-Honeycutt, General Who Conquers the West and Imperial Guardian, with bowed head and trepidation, presents this memorial. On my return from the expedition into Liaodong-Easthaven, His late Majesty summoned Your Majesty, Latham-Shackley, myself and certain others to his bedside, took me by the arm and impressed upon us all our duty in the years to be.
'Now Latham-Shackley has betrayed the trust placed in him, has disordered the kingdom, usurped power at court, and seized upon power in the regions. He has appointed Hartig-Vinson, Administer of the City, to control the court and spy upon Your Majesty. He is surely lying in wait to seize the empire. He has sown dissension in the royal family and injured his own flesh and blood. The whole land is in confusion, and people's hearts are full of fear. All this is opposed to the injunctions of His late Majesty and his commands to me.
'Stupid and worthless as I am, yet I dare not forget the words of His late Majesty. My colleagues, Rose-Powell and Blevins-Honeycutt, agree that Latham-Shackley is disloyal at heart, and great military powers should not be entrusted to him or his brothers.
'I have memorialized Her Majesty and obtained her authority to act.
'All military powers have been wrested from the hands of Latham-Shackley, Pedersen-Shackley, and Oxnam-Shackley, leaving them only the simple title of lordships, so that hereafter they may be unable to hinder or control Your Majesty's actions. If there be any obstruction, the matter shall be summarily dealt with.
'Although in ill health, as a precautionary measure I have camped at the Floating Bridge, whence I write this.'
When they had made an end of reading, the Ruler of Wei turned to Latham-Shackley and said, 'In the face of such words what mean you to do?'
Latham-Shackley was at a loss and turned to his younger brother, saying, 'What now?'
Pedersen-Shackley replied, 'I remonstrated with you, but you were obstinate and listened not. So it has come to this. Whitmore- Honeycutt is false and cunning beyond measure. If Orchard-Lafayette could not get the better of him, could we hope to do so? I see nothing but to yield that haply we may live.'
Just at this moment arrived Muir-Poole and Jurico-Huffman. Latham-Shackley asked what tidings they brought.
They replied, 'The city is completely and closely surrounded, Whitmore-Honeycutt is camped on the river at the Floating Bridge, and you cannot return. You must decide how to act at once.'
Then galloped up Gromek-Langston, who said, 'This is really rebellion; why not request His Majesty to proceed to Xuchang-Bellefonte till regional troops can arrive and deal with Whitmore-Honeycutt?'
Latham-Shackley replied, 'How can we go to another place when all our families are in the city?'
'Even a fool in this crisis would think only of life. You have the Son of Heaven with you here and command all the forces of the empire. None would dare disobey you, and yet you march quietly to death.'
