CHAPTER IV
AT THE CHINESE EMBASSY
"Shall we eat our luncheon with chopsticks to-day?" Mollie Thurston askedHarriet Hamlin an hour before the "Automobile Girls" and their hostesswere to start for the Chinese Embassy.
Harriet laughed good-humoredly at Mollie's question. "You absurd child,don't you know the Chinese minister is one of the most cultivated men inWashington! When he is in America he does what the Americans do. But hiswife, Lady Tu, is delightfully Chinese. She paints her face in theChinese fashion and wears beautiful Chinese clothes in her own home. Andthe little Chinese daughter is a darling. Really, Mollie, you will feelas though you had been on a trip to the Orient when you meet daintylittle Wee Tu."
"Oh, I don't believe a Chinese girl can be attractive," Mollie argued,her eyes fixed on the pile of pretty gowns which Harriet was laying outon her bed.
"Do wear the rose-colored gown to-day, Harriet!" Mollie pleaded. "It issuch a love of a frock and so becoming to you with your white skin anddark hair. Dear me, it must be nice to have such lovely clothes!" Molliepaused for a minute.
Harriet turned around to find her little friend blushing.
"I do hope," Mollie went on, "that you are not going to feel ashamed ofBab and me while we are your guests in Washington. You can see foryourself that we are poor, and have only a few gowns. Of course it isdifferent with Grace and Ruth. But our father is dead, and--" Molliestopped. She did not know how to go on with her explanation. Somehow shedid not feel that Barbara or her mother would approve of her apologizingto Harriet for their simple wardrobes.
"Mollie!" Harriet exclaimed reproachfully. "You know I think you andBarbara are so pretty and clever that it does not matter what yourclothes are like. Besides, if you should ever want anything special towear while you are here, why, I have a host of gowns."
Mollie shook her head. Of course she could not borrow Harriet's gowns.And, though Harriet was trying to comfort her, her tone showed veryplainly that she had noticed the slimness of the Thurston girls'preparations in the matter of wardrobe for several weeks of gayety inWashington.
At a little before one o'clock the "Automobile Girls" and Harriet wereushered into the reception room of the Chinese Embassy by a grave Chineseservant clad in immaculate white and wearing his long pig-tail curled ontop of his head.
The minister and his wife came forward. Lady Tu wore a dress of heavyChinese embroidery with a long skirt and a short full coat. Her hair wasinky black and built out on each side of her head. She had a band of goldacross it and golden flowers set with jewels hung above each ear. Herface was enameled in white and a small patch of crimson was painted justunder her lip.
Bab could hardly restrain an exclamation of delight at the beauty of thereception room. The walls were covered with Chinese silk and heavy panelsof embroidery. A Chinese banner, with a great dragon on it, hung over themantel-piece. The furniture was elaborately carved teakwood.
The girls at once glanced around for the Chinese minister's daughter. Butshe was no where to be seen. Instead, Peter Dillon, Bab's first chanceacquaintance in Washington, was smiling a welcome. Mrs. Wilson and herson were also present. The two or three other visitors were unknown tothe "Automobile Girls." Even when luncheon was served the little Chinesegirl did not make her appearance. The four girls were beginning to feelrather disappointed. They had come to the Embassy chiefly to see Wee Tu,and they were evidently not going to be granted that pleasure.
Just as they were about to go back to the reception room, Mr. Tu Fang Wusuggested courteously to his girl guests: "If it pleases you, will younow go up to my daughter's apartments? She does not eat her meals with uswhen we entertain young men guests. It is not the custom of our country."The Chinese minister touched a bell and another Chinese servant appeared,his slippered feet making no noise. At the top of the stairs a Chinesewoman met the "Automobile Girls" and conducted them to the apartment ofWee Tu, the minister's daughter.
Wee Tu bowed her head to the floor when the "Automobile Girls" entered.But when she raised her face her little black eyes were glowing, and afaint pink showed under her smooth, yellow skin. Think what it meant tothis little Chinese maid, with her shut-in life, to meet four Americangirls like Barbara, Ruth, Grace and Mollie! Harriet had lingered behindfor a few moments.
"Your most honorable presence does my miserable self much honor," statedWee Tu automatically.
Bab laughed. She simply could not help it. Wee Tu's greeting seemed soabsurd to her ears, though she knew it was the Chinese manner ofspeaking. But Bab's merry laugh saved the situation, as it often had donebefore, for the little Chinese maid laughed in return, and the five girlssat giggling in the most intimate fashion.
The servant passed around preserved Chinese fruits, nuts and driedmelon seed.
"Is Miss Hamlin not with you?" the Chinese minister's daughter askedfinally, in broken English.
At this moment Harriet's voice was heard in the corridor. She was talkinggayly to Peter Dillon. The Chinese girl caught the sound of the youngman's charming laugh. Bab was gazing straight at Wee Tu. Wee Tu lookedlike a beautiful Chinese doll, not a bit like a human being.
At the entrance to Wee Tu's apartment Peter bowed gracefully. He waiteduntil Harriet entered.
"Your most honorable ladyship," he inquired. "Have I your permission toenter your divine apartment? Your most noble father has waived ceremonyin my favor and says I may be allowed to see you in company with yourother guests. You are to pretend you are an American girl to-day."
Wee Tu again made a low bow, almost touching the soft Chinese rug withher crown of black hair. Her mantle was of blue silk crepe embroidered inlotus flowers, and she wore artificial lotus blossoms drooping on eitherside of her head.
After Peter's entrance, Wee Tu did not speak nor smile. She sat with herslender yellow hands clasped together, her nails so long they were tippedwith gold to prevent their breaking. Her tiny feet in their embroideredslippers looked much too small for walking.
Peter made himself agreeable to all the girls. He chatted with Harriet,joked with Bab and Ruth. Now and then he spoke to the Chinese girl insome simple gentle fashion that she could understand.
"Peter Dillon is awfully attractive," Bab thought. "I wonder why Iwas prejudiced against him at first because of what that newspapergirl said."
Peter walked with Barbara back to Mr. Hamlin's house.
"Would you mind my asking you a question?" Bab demanded when they werefairly on the way.
Peter laughed. "It's a woman's privilege, isn't it?"
"Well, how do you happen to be so intimate at the Chinese minister's?"was Barbara's direct question. "They seemed so formal and then all of asudden Mr. Tu Fang Wu let you come up to see his daughter."
"I know them very well," Peter returned simply. "I often dine at theChinese minister's with his family. So I have met his daughter severaltimes before. I have made myself useful to Mr. Tu Fang Wu once or twice,and my legation likes me to keep in touch with the people in authority."
"Oh," exclaimed Barbara. She remembered that Peter was equally intimateat Mr. Hamlin's, and she wondered how he managed to keep up such avariety of acquaintances.
"I wonder if you would do a fellow a favor some day?" Peter asked. "I'llbet you have lots of nerve. Harriet is apt to get frightened at thecritical minute."
"It would all depend on what you asked me to do," Bab returned puzzled byPeter's remark.
"Oh, I won't ask you until I have managed to do something for you first.It is only that I think you can see a joke and I have a good one that Imean to try some day," Peter replied.
Automobile Girls at Washington; Or, Checkmating the Plots of Foreign Spies Page 4