The Chinese LakeMurders

by Robert Van Gulik

  Guildmaster Wang rose. He waddled to the table and knelt down.

  "This person," he said formally, "respectfully begs Your Honor to be allowed to deliver a statement."

  As the judge nodded the fat man began:

  "The staggering news that our famous dancer has been foully murdered has naturally greatly upset all of us. But this event, terrible as it is, should not rob us of our sense of reality.

  "Now I, having for many years attended feasts on this particular flower boat, dare say that I know it like the palm of my hand. I respectfully inform Your Honor that in the hold below are eighteen oarsmen, twelve actually at the oars, and six who take their turns at intervals. Now, far be it from me to cast aspersions on my fellow citizens, but Your Honor will in any case find out sooner or later that the oarsmen of these boats are, as a rule, a bad lot, addicted to drinking and gambling. It is among them, therefore, that the murderer should be looked for. It would not be the first time that a good-looking rascal among those fellows had an affair with a courtesan and became violent when she wished to sever the relation."

  Here Master Wang paused. Casting an uneasy glance at the black mass of water outside, he continued:

  "Besides, there is also another aspect to be considered, Your Honor. From times immemorial mystery surrounds our lake. It is commonly believed that its waters well up from deep under the earth, and that on occasion foul creatures come up from its unfathomable deep to harm the living. Not less than four persons drowned there this year, and their bodies were never recovered. Some say that later they saw these drowned persons, hovering about among the living.

  "I thought it my duty to draw Your Honor's attention to these two aspects of this murder, so as to place this horrible crime against its proper background, and in order to spare my friends here the unnecessary ordeal of being questioned like common criminals."

  A murmur of approval rose from the audience.

  Judge Dee rapped the table. Looking steadily at Wang he said:

  "I am grateful for any advice brought forward in the proper manner. The possibility of the murderer having come from the hold had already occurred to me. I shall in due time question the crew. Also, I am not an impious man and I certainly don't rule out the possibility of unholy forces being concerned in this case.

  "As to the expression 'common criminal' employed by the witness Wang, I wish to point out that all men are equal before this court. Until the murderer is found each and every one of you assembled here is as much under suspicion as the rowers in the hold and the cooks in the kitchen.

  "Does anyone else wish to speak?"

  Guildmaster Peng rose and went to kneel in front of the table.

  "Would Your Honor deign to enlighten us," he asked anxiously, "as to the manner in which that unfortunate girl met her death?"

  "Those details," Judge Dee said immediately, "cannot be divulged at this stage. Anyone else?" When no one spoke he continued: "Since all of you have had full opportunity for proffering your views, you will from now on hold your peace and let me deal with this case as I, the magistrate, see fit. I shall proceed as indicated. The witness Peng will return to his seat, and the witness Wang will come forward and describe his movements during the time referred to."

  "After Your Honor had kindly proposed a toast to the dancers of Han-yuan," Wang said, "I left this room by the door on the left and proceeded to the sitting room. Since there was nobody there, I went through the corridor to the washroom. When I returned from there to this room, I heard that the Kang brothers were quarreling, and went over to them after Mr. Liu Fei-po had restored peace."

  "Did you meet anyone in the corridor or in the washroom?" the judge asked.

  Wang shook his head. Judge Dee waited till Sergeant Hoong had noted Wang's testimony down; then he called Han Yung-han.

  "I went to say a few kind words to the orchestra leader," Han began in a surly voice, "then I suddenly felt a bit dizzy. I went out on the foredeck, and stood there for a while leaning against the right side of the portal. After I had enjoyed the view over the water I felt slightly better, and sat down on the porcelain barrel seat that is standing there. There Anemone found me when she came to fetch me. Your Honor knows the rest."

  The judge called the orchestra leader, who was standing together with the musicians in the far corner of the room. He asked:

  "Can you confirm that Mr. Han did not leave the foredeck all that time?"

  The man looked at the musicians. When they shook their heads he replied unhappily:

  "No, Your Honor. We were busy tuning our instruments; we didn't look outside till Miss Anemone came to ask after Mr. Han. Then I walked together with her out on the foredeck, and we saw Mr. Han sitting there on the barrel seat, just as he said just now." "You can go!" Judge Dee said to Han. He had Liu Fei-po led before the table. Liu now seemed less self-possessed than before; the judge noticed that his mouth was twitching nervously. But his voice was steady when he began.

  "After the dance of the courtesan I noticed that my neighbor, Guildmaster Peng, was looking unwell. Just after Wang had left this room I brought Peng through the door on the left out on the starboard deck. While he was leaning over the railing I went through the corridor to the washroom, and then rejoined Peng, without having met anybody. Peng said he felt better, and we came back here together. I saw that the Kang brothers were quarreling, and proposed that they make it up with a cup of wine. That's all."

  Judge Dee nodded, and had Guildmaster Peng called. He confirmed Liu Fei-po's statement in all details. Then the judge had Guildmaster Soo brought before him.

  Soo gave the judge a sullen look from under his heavy eyebrows. He shifted his broad shoulders, then began in an expressionless voice.

  "This person confirms that he saw first Wang, and thereafter Mr. Liu, leave this room. Left alone at our table, I talked for a while with the two courtesans who had performed the sword dance, till one of them pointed out that my left sleeve was all soiled by the fish sauce. I rose and went to the second cabin along the corridor. That cabin had been reserved for me, and my servant had placed there a bundle with clean clothes, and my toilet articles. I quickly changed. When I came out into the corridor, I saw Almond Blossom walking forward through the sitting room. I overtook her in the companionway and complimented her on her dancing. But she seemed rather agitated and said hurriedly that she would see me presently in the dining room. Then she turned the corner on the left, on the portside. I entered this room through the starboard door. I saw that Wang, Liu and Peng were not yet back, so I continued my conversation with the two courtesans."

  "How was Almond Blossom dressed when you saw her?" Judge Dee asked.

  "She still had on her white dance costume, Your Honor, but over that she wore a short jacket of green brocade."

  Judge Dee sent him back to his place, and ordered Ma Joong to fetch the duenna of the courtesans from the dressing room.

  The portly lady declared that her husband owned the house in the Willow Quarter to which Almond Blossom and the five other courtesans belonged. When the judge asked her when she had seen Almond Blossom last, she said:

  "When she came back from her dancing, Excellency, and didn't she look beautiful! I said: "You'd better change quickly, dearie; you are all wet and you'll catch cold!" And I tell the maid to put out her nice blue robe for her. But suddenly Almond Blossom pushes the maid away, puts on her green jacket, and off she goes! That's the last I saw of her, Excellency, I swear it! How did the poor chicken get killed? That maid is telling such a queer story; she says that-" "Thank you!" Judge Dee interrupted her. He told Ma Joong to bring the maidservant before him.

  The girl came in sobbing wildly. Ma Joong patted her reassuringly on her back but without much effect. She wailed:

  "The evil monster from the lake has taken her, Your Honor! Please, Your Honor, let us go back to land, before it draws this boat under! That horrible apparition; I saw it with my own eyes!"

  "Where did you see that apparition?" Judge Dee ask
ed, astonished.

  "It beckoned her from outside the window, Your Honor! Just when mother had told me to lay out the blue dress. And Miss Almond Blossom saw it too! It beckoned her, Your Honor! How could she disobey that ghostly summons?"

  A subdued murmur rose from the audience. Judge Dee rapped the table, then asked:

  "What did it look like?"

  "It was a huge, black monster, Your Honor. I saw it clearly through the gauze curtain. In one hand it waved threateningly a long knife, with the other hand… it beckoned!"

  "Could you see what dress and cap it wore?" the judge asked.

  "I said it was a monster, didn't I?" the girl said indignantly. "It had no definite shape; it was just a horrible, loathsome black shadow."

  Judge Dee gave a sign to Ma Joong. He led the maidservant away.

  Thereafter he heard Anemone and the four other courtesans. Except for Anemone, whom the judge had sent away himself to look for the dancer, none of them had left the dining room. They had been talking together and with Soo; they had not seen Wang, Liu or Peng leave, and they were very vague as to when Soo had come back exactly.

  Judge Dee rose and announced that he would hear the waiters and the crew on the upper deck.

  As he was ascending the steep ladder followed by Sergeant Hoong, Ma Joong went with the master of the boat to get the crew members.

  The judge sat down on a barrel seat next to the railing. He pushed his cap back from his forehead and said: "It is as stuffy here as inside!"

  Hoong quickly offered him his fan. He said dejectedly:

  "That hearing didn't get us any forrader, Your Honor!"

  "Oh, I don't know," Judge Dee said, vigorously fanning himself. "I think it did clarify the situation, to a certain extent. Heavens, Wang didn't lie when he said that the rowers are a bad lot! They don't look very prepossessing!"

  The group of oarsmen who now appeared on deck were muttering angrily amongst themselves, but some cursing from Ma Joong and the master soon made them adopt the proper respectful attitude. The waiters and cooks were made to stand opposite them. Judge Dee thought it unnecessary to hear the helmsman and the servants of the guests, for Hoong had assured him that they had been listening so intently to Ma Joong's spicy stories that none of them had thought of stirring from his place.

  The judge started with the waiters, but they hadn't much to tell. When the dancing had begun they had gone to the kitchen to have a quick snack. Only one of them had gone up to have a look in the dining room to see whether anything was needed. He had seen Guildmaster Peng leaning over the railing, vomiting violently. But Liu had not been with him then.

  A thorough cross-examination of the cooks and the oarsmen brought to light that none of them had left the hold. When the helmsman had shouted through the trap door that they could take a rest, the oarsmen had started gambling and no one had thought of leaving the game.

  When Judge Dee rose, the master, who had been studying the sky with a worried face, said:

  "I fear that we are in for a storm, Your Honor! We'd better take her back quickly. She is not easy to handle in rough weather!"

  The judge nodded, and descended the ladder. He went straight to the main cabin, where Chiao Tai stood guard by the dead body of the courtesan.

  Fourth Chapter

  THE JUDGE HOLDS A VIGIL FOR A DEAD WOMAN; HE STUDIES POEMS AND PASSIONATE LETTERS

  Just when Judge Dee sat down on the tabouret in front of the dressing table a peal of thunder rent the air. A torrential rain clattered down on the roof. The boat started to rock.

  Chiao Tai hurried outside to fasten the shutters. The judge stared silently ahead of him, slowly caressing his side whiskers. The sergeant and Ma Joong stood looking at the still form on the couch.

  When Chiao Tai had come back and bolted the door, Judge Dee looked up at his three lieutenants.

  "Well," he said with a bleak smile, "only a few hours ago I complained that nothing happened here!" He shook his head, then went on gravely: "Now we are confronted with a murder, complete with all angles of doubt and suspicion, including even the supernatural element." Seeing Ma Joong giving Chiao Tai an anxious look, he continued quickly: "If during the hearings I didn't discourage the idea that a ghostly being was concerned in this crime, it was only to lull the criminal's suspicions. Don't forget that he doesn't know how and where we discovered the body. He must be greatly puzzled by the fact that it didn't sink down to the bottom of the lake. For I can assure you, my friends, that the murderer is a man of flesh and blood! And I know also why he had to murder the dancer!"

  Then the judge told them about Almond Blossom's startling announcement. "As a matter of course," he concluded, "Han Yung-han is our most likely suspect, for he was the only one who, feigning to be asleep, could have overheard what she said to me. Although in that case he must be a consummate actor."

  "Han also had the opportunity," Sergeant Hoong observed. "Nobody could confirm the story about his hanging around on the foredeck. Perhaps he walked aft on the portside, and beckoned the dancer from outside the window to follow him."

  "But what can be the meaning of that knife the maid was talking about?" Ma Joong asked.

  Judge Dee shrugged his shoulders.

  "Imagination played an important role there," he said. "Don't forget that the maid started telling her weird story only after she had heard that the dancer had been murdered. She saw in fact only the shadow of a man dressed in a wide, long-sleeved robe such as all of us are wearing. He beckoned, and in his other hand he held a folded-up fan. That must have been the knife she was talking about."

  The boat was rocking violently now. A large wave hit its side with a resounding crash.

  "Unfortunately," the judge resumed, "Han is far from being our only suspect. It is true that he is the only one who could have overheard her words, but any one of the other guests could have noticed that she whispered something to me and concluded from her secretive manner-I told you that she wasn't even looking at me-that she was giving me important information. And therefore he decided to take no chances."

  "That means," Chiao Tai said, "that next to Han we have four other suspects, namely the guildmasters Wang, Peng and Soo, and Liu Fei-po. Only the Kang brothers go free, because Your Honor said that they didn't leave the room. All of the four others left the room for a shorter or longer period."

  "Indeed," Judge Dee said. "Peng is probably innocent, for the simple reason that he lacks the strength for knocking down the -dancer and carrying her to the gangway. It was only therefore that I questioned the crew: I thought that Peng might have an accomplice among them. But none of them has left the hold."

  "Han, Liu and the guildmasters Wang and Soo seem perfectly capable of killing her," Chiao Tai remarked. "Especially Soo; he is a hefty fellow."

  "After Han," the judge said, "Soo seems our best candidate. If he is the murderer, he must be a dangerous, cold-blooded criminal. For then he must have planned the murder in all detail while Almond Blossom was still dancing. He must have soiled his sleeve expressly in order to have a good excuse for leaving the dining room later, and at the same time a good excuse for changing, in case his robe would get wet while letting the body down in the water. He must then have gone directly to the window of the dressing room, beckoned the dancer, stunned her and put her in the water. Only thereafter did he go to his cabin and change his clothes. You'd better go to that cabin now, Chiao Tai, and see whether the robe Soo took off is wet!"

  "I'll go, Your Honor!" Ma Joong said quickly. He had noticed that Chiao Tai was getting pale; he knew that his friend was not a very good sailor.

  Judge Dee nodded. They waited in silence for Ma Joong's return.

  "Water all over the place!" Ma Joong muttered when he came back. "Everywhere except on Soo's robe! That was bone dry!"

  "Good," Judge Dee said. "It doesn't prove that Soo is innocent, but it is a fact to keep in mind. Our suspects are now Han, Soo, Liu, Wang and Peng-in that order."

  "Why does Your Honor put L
iu before Wang?" Sergeant Hoong asked.

  "Because I assume," the judge answered, "that there was a love

  affair between the dancer and her murderer. If not, she would certainly not have gone to him immediately when he called her, and she would not have gone alone with him to the cabin here. The position of a courtesan is quite different from that of an ordinary prostitute, who has to give herself to anyone who pays the price. One must win the favors of a courtesan, and if one doesn't succeed in that, there's nothing one can do about it. Courtesans, and especially famous ones like Almond Blossom, bring in more money by their singing and dancing than by sleeping with the guests, so their owners don't exercise pressure on them to grant their favors to the customers. Now I could well imagine that Han or Liu, both well-preserved men of the world, could win the love of such a beautiful and talented dancer. And also Soo, who suggests a kind of brutal strength that some women find attractive. But hardly the rotund Wang, or the cadaverous Peng. Yes, I think we'd better scratch Peng entirely from our list."

  Ma Joong had not heard the last words of the judge, he was looking at the dead woman in speechless horror. Now he burst out: "She's shaking her head!"

  All turned to the couch. The head rolled to and fro. The handkerchief had dropped off. The flickering light of the candles shone on the wet hair.

  Judge Dee rose hurriedly and went over to the couch. Deeply shocked, he looked at the white face. The eyes had closed. He placed a pillow on either side of the head, and quickly covered it up again with the handkerchief. He sat down and said in a calm voice:

  "Thus our first task is to find out who of the three persons mentioned had intimate relations with the courtesan. The best method will probably be to question the other girls of her house; those women usually have few secrets from each other."

  "But to make them tell outsiders about those things," Ma Joong said, "is quite another matter!"

  The rain had stopped, the boat was going more steadily now. Chiao Tai was looking better. He said: