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INSIDE CANTON.

CHAPTER I.

THE FAI-TING — CHINESE GAMBLING — QUAIL FIGHTS AND CRICKET-MATCHES — THE TCHOU-KIANG.

The discussion of the articles of the treaty between France and the Celestial Empire rendered frequent communications necessary between the French ambassador and the viceroy of the two Kuangs. During these repeated interviews, the two diplomatists contracted a genuine friendship. The agreeable manners and the distinguished attainments of the French representative charmed the Imperial commissioner, and the latter behaved with so much frankness and good-nature, that he gained the esteem and affection of M. de Lagrené. Ki-in, with characteristic nobility, gave no special marks of his consideration and attachment for the emissary of the French Government, until the discussion of diplomatic affairs had been brought to an end. Then, in words full of Chinese atticism, he begged our plenipo-

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