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“ On his belt hung a sword as long as five men . He also had a bag full of heavy metal balls and light black grains . ” The rough cloth was my handkerchief , and the silver box was my snuff box . Snuff is tobacco powder that some people take through the nose , so of course the officers sneezed ! The machine with poles was my comb . When the Emperor heard the list , he asked me politely for my things . First I pulled out my sword . Three thousand soldiers stood around me with their bows ready . The sun shone on the sword , and when I waved it , the light flashed in their eyes . They all cried out in fear . But the Emperor was brave . He told me to put the sword gently on the ground . Next he asked for one of the iron pillars . These were my pistols . I explained what they were for , and I loaded one with powder only . I told the Emperor not to be afraid , and I fired it into the air . This time the shock was much greater . Hundreds of people fell down as if they were dead . Even the Emperor could not speak for a long time . I gave up my pistols and my bag of powder . “ Keep the powder away from fire , ” I told him . “ The smallest spark could blow your palace into the air . ” Then I gave him my watch . Two of his tallest guards carried it on a pole on their shoulders . The Emperor was amazed at the ticking and the moving hand . The soldiers took my sword , my pistols and my powder away . But they gave everything else back to me . And nobody knew about my glasses in the secret pocket . Later those glasses saved my eyes . IV . Rope Dancers and My Freedom Because I was gentle , the people slowly began to trust me . Sometimes I let five or six of them dance on my hand . At last even the children played hide - and - seek in my hair . One day the Emperor showed me the games of his country . I liked the rope dancers best . They danced on a thin thread , twelve inches above the ground . Only people who wanted an important job at court did this . When a high office was free , they danced in front of the Emperor . The one who jumped the highest without falling got the job . Even the ministers sometimes had to dance , to show that they still had the skill . Flimnap , the Treasurer , could jump an inch higher than any other lord . My friend Reldresal , a Secretary of State , came second . The game was dangerous , and many dancers broke an arm or a leg . Once , before I came , Flimnap fell from the rope . A cushion was lying on the ground , or he would have broken his neck .
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