He put the volume in his lap and sat there staring at nothing, pensively caressing his sidewhiskers. Pan shot him an astonished look but the judge did not notice it. He asked himself how it could be possible that a great poetess, a refined, sensitive woman, happily married to a husband with whom she shared the same interests, could ever become an adulteress. That a woman whose delicate sentiments were so convincingly recorded in her poetry, could ever stoop to the sordidness of secret meetings in a bawdy house—the smirking madame, the sly tips—it seemed utterly incredible. A sudden, passionate affair with a rough-and-ready youngster, violent and brief—such a thing might not be wholly impossible. Women were strange creatures. But the young painter had been the same type of man as her own husband, with the same interests. He angrily tugged at his moustache. It didn’t fit at all.
Suddenly he remembered the slight differences in the handwriting. Could it be that the woman who secretly met the painter was not Mrs Teng, but her elder sister, the young widow? She had worn Mrs Teng’s earrings and bracelets, but sisters often lend each other their trinkets. The painter had been a distant relative, so the young widow had had even more opportunities for meeting him than had Mrs Teng. Moreover, there were two other sisters. He asked Pan:
‘Tell me, are Mrs Teng’s other sisters also living in the country house outside the north gate?’
‘As far as I know,’ Pan replied, ‘there’s only one sister there, Mr Shen, and that is the landowner’s widow.’
The judge returned the volume to him. ‘Excellent poetry!’ he commented. He now felt sure that the young widow had been Leng Te’s paramour. Of course her handwriting would resemble closely that of Mrs Teng. When they were still young girls they would have been taught by the same private tutor. Probably the elder sister had planned to marry the painter as soon as the years of mourning prescribed by the rites had passed. Their secret meetings were of course utterly wrong, but that was no concern of his. Neither was he interested in the depraved taste of the mysterious man who had spied on the couple. He had been wrong. He rose with a sigh and asked Pan to announce him to the magistrate.
When Judge Dee was seated with Magistrate Teng at the table in his library, he said:
‘Tomorrow we’ll leave here for the prefectural city, Teng. I did my best, but I have failed to discover the slightest indication that my theory about an intruder being implicated in the death of your wife was correct. You were right, it would indeed have been too much of a coincidence. I am sorry, Teng. Tonight I shall try to evolve a plausible explanation for Mrs Teng’s body having been found in the marsh, and I shall take full responsibility for the delay in reporting the tragedy to the Prefect.’
Teng nodded gravely. He said:
‘I deeply appreciate all you have done for me, Dee! It is I who must apologize for the trouble I put you to, and that on your holiday! Your presence in itself is a great comfort to me. Your sympathetic understanding and readiness to help are things I shan’t easily forget, Dee.’
The judge was touched. Teng would have been fully justified in showering reproaches on him, for he had tampered with evidence and retarded a murder investigation. Moreover, he had given Teng idle hopes. It flashed through his mind that he was glad indeed he had sent the coroner away with a faked message. In this hot weather decomposition would have so far advanced by now that a detailed autopsy would be impossible. Thus Teng would fortunately never know what he had done before killing his wife. Judge Dee still thought it very strange, but one really knew very little about the vagaries of a sick mind. He said:
‘I hope you’ll give me a chance to try to make myself useful in another respect, Teng. Namely, in the case of Ko Chih-yuan’s demise. I expect that you’ll say you are sick and tired of my theories, but the fact is that I happened to stumble on some rather interesting ramifications of that case. The banker Leng Chien is involved in it He confessed to me that he had been swindling Ko for large amounts. That is why I sent you the message asking you to have him arrested. I just heard that you complied with my request at once. I am really quite embarrassed by your confidence in my slender abilities, Teng! But I trust that in this case at least I shan’t disappoint you!’
The magistrate passed his hand over his eyes with a weary gesture.
‘That’s true!’ he said, ‘I had quite forgotten about that case!’
‘Today you won’t feel like going into that further, I suppose. You would really do me a favour if you would allow me to conduct an investigation, together with your counsellor.’
‘By all means!’ Teng replied. ‘You are perfectly right in thinking that I couldn’t give that complicated case the attention it deserves. I can’t think of anything but our interview with the Prefect tomorrow. You are really very thoughtful, Dee!’
The judge felt embarrassed. Outwardly Teng might seem a cold man, but his reserve concealed a warm nature. He had been a fool to assume that his wife had been deceiving him. He said:
‘Thank you, Teng! I would propose that you tell Pan my real identity, so that I can go over the official records of the case with him.’
The magistrate clapped his hands. When the old steward appeared he told him to summon Pan Yoo-te.
The old counsellor was taken aback when he learned Judge Dee’s identity. He immediately started upon a long apology for his casual attitude towards him. But Judge Dee cut him short, and asked Teng to excuse them.
When the still confused Pan was leading him to his private office, the judge noticed that it had grown dark outside. He said to Pan:
‘I think that both of us are entitled to a bit of fresh air! I would be pleased if you would join me for dinner in a restaurant, and order some local specialities for me.’
Pan protested that he couldn’t possibly accept that honour; but the judge insisted, adding that to the outer world he was, after all, still Mr Shen, the commission agent. At last the old counsellor agreed. They left the tribunal together.
Chapter 13
Pan had chosen a small restaurant on one of the city’s many hills. From the balcony they had a magnificent view over the moonlit town.
There was fresh river fish stewed in ginger sauce, roasted snipes, smoked ham, quail-egg soup and other local specialities which tasted so good that Judge Dee felt somewhat ashamed when he thought of Chiao Tai, who, at that moment, would be gobbling the plain bean-flour gruel of the Phoenix Inn.
During the meal Pan gave a lucid summing up of the facts of Ko Chih-yuan’s case. Then the judge told him about Leng Chien’s malversations, about Kunshan’s stealing the notebook, and about the two hundred gold pieces which Ko kept in his safe. He vaguely hinted that it had been Kunshan who had blackmailed the banker, but that he, the judge, had made Kunshan hand the two drafts to him.
Then he asked:
‘Does the tribunal have a file on Kunshan?’
‘No, Your Honour. I have never even heard his name! It’s truly astounding! You have learned in two days more about this city than I have in all my years here.’
‘I have been lucky. By the way, I heard that Mrs Ko is much younger than her husband was. Could you tell me when Ko married her, and whether there are other wives or concubines?’
‘Ko originally had three wives’ Pan replied, ‘but his First and Third Lady died a few years after their marriages. His Second Lady passed away one year ago. Since Ko was already over sixty then, and since his sons had grown up and his daughters had married, everybody thought that he would take a concubine to look after him, and leave it at that. However, one day he visited a small silk shop that used to purchase its stock from his firm. The owner, a certain Hsieh, had died, and his widow was trying to continue the business, but had got into debt. Old Ko fell violently in love with her, and insisted on marrying her. At first people made jokes about it, but Mrs Ko proved herself an excellent wife. She managed the household well, and when Ko began to suffer from his stomach attacks she didn’t leave his bedside. So in the end everybody agreed that Ko had acted very wisely.’
‘Were there ever rumours about her being unfaithful to him?’ Judge Dee asked.
‘Never!’ Pan replied immediately.’ She has an excellent reputation. That’s why I didn’t dare to suggest that she be heard as witness in the tribunal. I questioned her myself in the hall of their mansion, directly after the tragedy. In the accustomed way, of course, she sitting behind a screen, and attended upon by her maidservant.’
Judge Dee thought he would like to meet Mrs Ko. Pan’s praise did not tally at all with Chiao Tai’s adventure. He said:
‘I would like to see the scene of the tragedy. We have the entire evening before us, so let’s go and pay a visit to the Ko residence. You can say that I am an official, temporarily attached to the tribunal.’
Pan nodded. He said:
‘I too would like to have a second look there, especially at the bedroom. We can do that without inconveniencing Mrs Ko, for I heard that she has had their common bedroom locked, and has moved to a boudoir in an outhouse of the left wing.’
Judge Dee paid the waiter. He then suggested that they hire a sedan chair, but Pan said he could manage to walk downhill with his limp. A leisurely stroll brought them to the Ko mansion downtown.
It had a high gatehouse, and thick pillars of granite flanked the red-lacquered door, lavishly decorated with brass bosses. The steward received them in the main hall, tastefully furnished with antique chairs and tables of massive ebony. After he had offered the guests tea and fruit, he went to inform his mistress of their request. He came back with several keys. Mrs Ko had raised no objection.
The steward had a lighted lampion brought. He led them through a maze of dark corridors and courts to a small walled-in bamboo garden. At the back was a low building which, the steward explained, old Mr Ko had chosen for his private quarters since it had a broad terrace overlooking the garden and the river.
He unlocked the solid door and went in first in order to light the candle on the centre table. ‘If more light is needed,’ he said, ‘I shall light the large oil lamp.’
Judge Dee quickly surveyed the bare, sparsely furnished room. The atmosphere was stuffy. Apparently the door and the window had not been opened in the last two days. He walked over to the narrow door in the wall opposite. The steward unlocked it for him and he descended three steps into a short passageway. When he opened the door at its end, he saw a broad marble terrace and beyond that the garden, shelving away to the river-bank. The garden pavilion where Ko had his last dinner stood more to the left, its green-glazed roof-tiles glistening in the moonlight.
He remained standing on the terrace for a while, enjoying the beautiful scene. Then he went back into the house. He noticed that the terrace door was rather low, but that only a man much taller than he would hit his head against it When he stepped up into the bedroom again, he saw a tall woman clad in white standing against the wall on the left She was a handsome lady of about thirty, with a regular, oval face. The loose mourning-robe could not entirely conceal her well-proportioned figure. As he saw her standing there, looking very distinguished with her downcast eyes, Judge Dee said to himself that Chiao Tai had good taste, the rascal! Better than his friend and colleague Ma Joong, who had a rather unfortunate proclivity for noisy, vulgar women. He made a deep bow, and Mrs Ko responded by inclining her head.
Counsellor Pan respectfully introduced Judge Dee as Mr Shen, temporarily assigned to the tribunal on special duty. Mrs Ko raised her large, luminous eyes and gave the judge an appraising look. She turned to the steward and told him he could go. Then she motioned to the judge and Pan to sit down in the two chairs in front of the broad, low window next to the door through which they had entered. She herself remained standing, stiffly erect. As he sat down Judge Dee now noticed in the shadows next to her, a demure young maidservant. Playing with her fan of white silk, Mrs Ko addressed Pan in a cold, formal voice:
‘Since you took the trouble to come here for an investigation, I thought it my duty to see personally that everything is being done to facilitate your work.’
Pan started on an elaborate apology, but Judge Dee interrupted him:
‘We are deeply grateful, madam,’ he said politely. ‘I fully realize how painful this visit to the scene of the tragedy must be for you. I would not have caused you this distress were it not for my earnest desire to have all the formalities connected with your husband’s demise over and done with as soon as possible. I sincerely hope, therefore, that you will forgive this intrusion.’
Mrs Ko made no response, she confined herself to gravely inclining her head. The judge reflected that, for a former shopkeeper’s wife, she had indeed quickly acquired the manners of a well-born lady. He continued briskly:
‘Now, let me orientate myself!’ He casually looked at the large bedstead with plain blue curtains, drawn closed, that stood against the wall opposite Mrs Ko. Behind her he saw the usual pile of clothes-boxes of red-lacquered leather. The whitewashed walls and the stone-flagged floor were bare. He remarked in a conversational tone:
‘This room seems to contain very little furniture, madam. I suppose there was more when your husband was still alive? A dressing-table, perhaps, and a few scroll pictures on the walls…’
‘My husband’ Mrs Ko interrupted him coldly, ‘was a man of frugal taste. Despite his great wealth he was averse to all luxury, and lived in an austere manner.’
Judge Dee bowed.
‘That, madam, is eloquent proof of his noble character. Now, let me see, what points did I wish to verify?’ His eye fell again on the clothes-boxes, and he continued: ‘Look, there are only three of those boxes, marked Autumn, Winter and Spring. Now where would the fourth be, containing the summer garments?’
‘I had it removed to be repaired,’ Mrs Ko replied in a tired voice.
‘I see,’ Judge Dee said. ‘It just struck me that one is missing, one is so accustomed to seeing a set of four. Now, madam, I would like you to tell me, as well as you can remember, what happened here on that fatal night. I have, of course, seen the court records, but…’
Suddenly Mrs Ko hit out at something with her fan. She snapped at the maid:
‘How many times have I told you already that I don’t want those horrid creatures in the house? Quick, hit it…there it goes!’
Judge Dee was astonished by this sudden vehemence. Pan Yoo-te said soothingly: ‘There are only one or two, madam, shall I…’
Mrs Ko did not hear him. She followed intently the maid’s frantic attempts to catch the fly, slapping at it with her handkerchief.
‘Why don’t you hit it?’ Mrs Ko burst out impatiently. ‘There it is…quick now!’
The judge had been watching her with intense interest Suddenly he rose. He took the candle and made to light the large oil lamp that stood next to it
‘Don’t light that lamp!’ Mrs Ko snapped.
‘Why not, madam?’ Judge Dee asked meekly. ‘I only wanted to help you to see whether there are more flies.’ He lifted the candle and looked up at the ceiling.
‘It’s not respectful to have too many lights in a room of the dead!’ Mrs Ko remarked coldly. But the judge did not hear her. He had been looking fixedly at the ceiling. He said slowly:
‘Now, isn’t it curious, madam, that there are so many flies in this room? Especially since it has been closed for two days. Look, they seem a bit drowsy up there, but the light will cheer them up!’
Ignoring Mrs Ko’s protests, he quickly lit the four wicks of the oil lamp. Lifting it above his head he scrutinized the ceiling. Mrs Ko came forward and followed his gaze. She had grown pale and she was breathing heavily.
‘Are you unwell, madam? ‘the maid inquired anxiously. But her mistress paid no attention to her. She shrank back as a swarm of flies came down and started to buzz around the lamp.
‘See,’ Judge Dee said to Pan, ‘they are flying lower now, the light has lost its attraction for them!’ The old counsellor stared at him dumbfounded. He looked as if he thought that the magistrate had taken leave of his
senses.
The judge had walked over to the bedstead. Stooping he examined the floor. As he righted himself, he exclaimed, half to Pan and half to Mrs Ko:
‘Isn’t that strange! They assemble here along the fringe of the bed curtain!’
He lifted the curtain and peered under the bed.
‘Ah!’ he said. ‘I see. It’s the floor they are interested in. Or rather, I suppose, something under the floor.’
He heard a suppressed cry behind him. He swung round and saw Mrs Ko fall to the floor. She had fainted. The maid quickly went to her and knelt by her side. The judge walked over to her, and looked down at her prone body for a while. Pan Yoo-te muttered worriedly: ‘She has had a heart attack, we must…’
‘Nonsense!’ Judge Dee snapped at him. And, to the maid: ‘Leave her alone! Come here, and help me to push the bedstead over to the other side. If you could also lend a hand, Pan—it’s rather heavy, I fear.’
But the floor was so smooth that they succeeded in moving the bedstead over to the window without much difficulty. Judge Dee knelt down and examined the stone flags. He took a toothpick from his lapel and probed in the grooves. Then he stood up. He said to Pan: ‘Some of these slabs have been taken up recently!’ Turning to the maid, he barked: ‘Run along and bring me a kitchen knife and a shovel. And don’t start gossiping with the other servants! Come back here immediately, do you hear?’
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