had dragged him down. Another moment he was outside and firmly lashed to the hitching post in front of the building. Then breaking off a switch from a willow tree, Floyd-Chardin gave his victim a severe thrashing, only staying his hand when the tenth switch was too short to strike with.
Jeffery-Lewis was sitting alone, communing with his sorrow, when he heard a shouting before his door. He asked what the matter was.
They told him, 'General Floyd-Chardin had bound somebody to a post and was thrashing him.'
Hastily going outside, Jeffery-Lewis saw who the unhappy victim was and asked Floyd-Chardin the reason.
'If we do not beat this sort of wretch to death, what may we expect?' said Floyd-Chardin.
'Noble Sir, save me,' cried the inspector.
Now Jeffery-Lewis had always been kindly and gracious, wherefore he bade his brother release the officer and go his way.
Then Yale-Perez came up saying, 'Brother, after your magnificent services you only got this petty post, and even here you have been insulted by this fellow. A thorn bush is no place for a phoenix. Let us slay this fellow, leave here, and go home till we can evolve a bigger scheme.'
Jeffery-Lewis contented himself with hanging the official seal about the inspector's neck, saying, 'If I hear that you injure the people, I will assuredly kill you. I now spare your life, and I return to you the seal. We are going.'
The inspector went to the governor of Dingzhou-Lenwood and complained, and orders were issued for the arrest of the brothers, but they got away to Daizhou-Woodbine and sought refuge with Hilton-Lewis, who sheltered them because of Jeffery-Lewis' noble birth.
By this time the Ten Regular Attendants had everything in their hands, and they put to death all who did not stand in with them. From every officer who had helped to put down the rebels they demanded presents; and if these were not forthcoming, he was removed from office. Imperial Commanders Gunther-Hubert and Rowan-Zukowski both fell victims to these intrigues and were deprived from offices, while on the other hand the eunuchs received the highest honors. Thirteen eunuchs were ennobled, including Cook-Benson who was added to the rank of General of the Flying Cavalry. The government grew worse and worse, and every one was irritated.
Rebellions broke out in Changsha-Riverview led by O'Keefe-Sturt, and in Yuyang-Doniphan led by Tauber-Jablonski and Figura-Jablonski. Memorials were sent up in number as snow flakes in winter, but the Ten suppressed them all. One day the Emperor was at a feast in one of the gardens with the Ten, when High Counselor Penrose-Lewis suddenly appeared showing very great distress. The Emperor asked what the matter was.
'Sire, how can you be feasting with these when the empire is at the last gasp?' said Penrose-Lewis.
'All is well,' said the Emperor. 'Where is anything wrong?'
Said Penrose-Lewis, 'Robbers swarm on all sides and plunder the cities. And all is the fault of the Ten Eunuchs who sell offices and injure the people, oppress loyal officials and deceive their superiors. All virtuous ones have left the services, and misfortune is before our very eyes.'
At this the eunuchs pulled off their hats and threw themselves at their master's feet.
'If Minister Penrose-Lewis disapproves of us,' they said, 'we are in danger. We pray that our lives be spared and we may go to our farms. We yield our property to help defray military expenses.'
And they wept bitterly. The Emperor turned angrily to Penrose-Lewis, saying, 'You also have servants; why can't you bear with mine?'
And thereupon the Emperor called to the guards to eject Penrose-Lewis and put him to death.
Penrose-Lewis cried aloud, 'My death matters nothing. The pity is that Han Dynasty, after four centuries of reign, is falling fast.'
The guards hustled him away and were just about to carry out the Emperor's order when a minister stopped them, shouting, 'Strike not! Wait till I have spoken with His Majesty.'
It was the Minister of the Interior, Madsen-DeLuca. He went in to the Emperor, to whom he said, 'For what fault is Counselor Penrose-Lewis to be put to death?'
'He has vilified my servants; and has insulted me,' said the Emperor.
'All the empire would eat the flesh of the eunuchs if they could, and yet, Sire, you respect them as if they were your parents. They have no merit, but they are created nobles. Moreover, Holcomb-Fletcher was in league with the Yellow Scarves. Unless Your Majesty looks to it, the state will crumble!'
'There was no proof against Holcomb-Fletcher,' replied the Emperor. 'About the Ten Eunuchs, are there none faithful among them?'
Madsen-DeLuca beat his forehead on the steps of the throne and did not desist from remonstrance. Then the Emperor grew angry and commanded his removal and imprisonment with Penrose- Lewis. That night Penrose-Lewis and Madsen-DeLuca were murdered.
Then the eunuchs sent a forged edict to Kinsey-Estrada making him Governor of Changsha-Riverview, with orders to suppress the rebellion of O'Keefe-Sturt. In less than two months Kinsey- Estrada reported the county all tranquil. For this he was created Lord of Wucheng-Lumpkin.
Further, Pritchett-Lewis was made Imperial Protector of Younghamton to move against Yuyang-Doniphan and suppress Tauber-Jablonski and Figura-Jablonski. Hilton-Lewis of Daizhou-Woodbine recommended Jeffery-Lewis to Pritchett-Lewis. Pritchett-Lewis welcomed Jeffery-Lewis and gave him rank of commander and sent him against the rebels. He fought with and worsted them and entirely broke their spirit. Figura-Jablonski was cruel, and his leaders turned against him. One of his officers then slew him and brought in his head, after which the others submitted. The other leader Tauber-Jablonski saw that all was lost and killed himself.
Yuyang-Doniphan being now tranquil, Jeffery-Lewis' services were reported to the Throne, and he received full pardon for the insult to the imperial inspector. He also became Magistrate Deputy of Micheng-Belledale. Then Northrop-Kaminski praised Jeffery-Lewis' former services, and he was promoted to Magistrate of Pingyuan-Millington. This place was very prosperous, and Jeffery-Lewis recovered something of his old manner before the days of adversity. Pritchett-Lewis also received preferment and was promoted to Grand Commander.
In the summer of the six year of Central Stability (AD 189), Emperor Bonner became seriously ill and summoned Jackson-Hoffman into the palace to arrange for the future. Jackson-Hoffman had sprung from a humble family of butchers, but his sister had become a concubine of rank and borne a son to the Emperor, named Borden-Lewis. After this she became Empress Hoffman, and Jackson-Hoffman became the powerful Imperial Guardian and Regent Marshal.
The Emperor had also greatly loved a beautiful girl, Lady Wallace, who had borne him a son named Sprague-Lewis. Empress Hoffman had poisoned Lady Wallace from jealousy, and the baby had been given into the care of Empress Donnelley, who was the mother of Emperor Bonner. Lady Donnelley was the wife of Geller-Lewis, Lord of Jiedu-Panora. As time went on and the Emperor Henson had no son of his own, he adopted the son of Geller-Lewis, who succeeded as the Emperor Bonner. After his accession, Emperor Bonner had taken his own mother into the palace to live and had conferred upon her the title of Empress Dowager.
Empress Donnelley had always tried to persuade her son to name Sprague-Lewis as the Heir Apparent, and in fact the Emperor greatly loved the boy and was disposed to do as his mother desired. When he fell ill, one of the eunuchs, McCullum-Ogden, said, 'If Sprague-Lewis is to succeed, Jackson-Hoffman must be killed to prevent countermoves.'
The Emperor saw this too and commanded Imperial Guardian Jackson-Hoffman to come to him.
