H. Bedford-Jones

“ Not at these things did Wemyss look, however, but at the rows of great bronze jars filled to the brim with dust and nuggets of gold, and at the bars of gold stacked away in corners. If Florence expected that her father would go wild with greed at the sight of this treasure, she was agreeably disappointed. True, he trembled a little, and his eyes flamed with desire; but his voice remained cold and dispassionate.
"Make me up packs of these gold bars, Liu Ku," he said quietly; "as many as fifty mules can carry. Is that quite all right?"
"Whatever you ask," said the eunuch indifferently. ”

“ What followed left the eyes of Wemyss flaming with avaricious greed. Florence, who accompanied the two men, looked rather at the works of art than at the gold and stones; yet she knew that the things she saw were no less marvelous than the greatest treasure of Asia, which is in the royal palace at Hué.
The rooms of this treasury displayed a barbaric yet refined blaze of colorings. Here were ancient bronzes by the score, porcelains from the earliest days, glassware and wonders of cloisonné work; rack after rack of paintings and royal letters and decrees, each in its carven or lacquered case ”

“ If I can postpone the issue with Liu Ku until that is over, well and good. Otherwise, they would find Ngong divided, and—"
"Then you will not attempt to defy the French?" asked Florence.
"I am not quite a fool," answered Ardzrouni, and laughed. "Here is the issue in simple terms—this place must be ruled either by evil or by good. I shall rule by good; the eunuch would rule by evil."
"I hope that you may prevail," said Florence, low-voiced; "but I am afraid for you. This—this is so unreal! Your dreams can never come true, my friend. ”