Robert Gulik - The Chinese Maze Murders

One evening, about three weeks ago, I had been drinking heavily. I resolved to walk to the temple to let my head cool in the garden there.

When I was sitting on the stone bench, I suddenly saw a girl enter the garden."

Woo bent his head further down. Deep silence reigned in the court hall.

Woo looked up with unseeing eyes. He went on:

"She seemed to me our Lady Kwan Yin descended upon earth. She was clad in a single thin robe of white silk. A white silk shawl covered her head. Her lovely face bore an expression of deep, unutterable sadness, tears glistened on her pale cheeks. Those heavenly features are engraved on my mind. I shall remember them as long as I live!"

He covered his face with his hands. Then he let his arms drop listlessly.

"I rushed to her, stammering I know not what confused words. She shrank back in fright and whispered: 'Don't speak, go away! I am afraid!' I sank to my knees in front of her and implored her to trust me.

She drew her robe closer round her and said in a low voice: T have orders never to leave the house, but tonight I slipped away. I must go back now, else I shall be killed! Tell no one. I shall come again!'

Then a cloud obscured the moon. In the darkness I faintly heard her quick footsteps.

That night I searched the temple and its neighbourhood for hours. But I could find no trace of her."

Woo paused. Judge Dee gave a sign to offer him another cup of tea. Woo impatiently shook his head and continued:

"Since that unforgettable evening I have gone to that temple nearly every night. But she never came. It is clear that she is kept a prisoner. Now that her secret visit to the temple is known, the fiend that keeps her will kill her!"

Woo broke out in sobs.

After a short pause Judge Dee spoke:

"Now you see for yourself how dangerous it is not to tell the complete truth. The tribunal shall do all that is possible to locate that girl. You, meanwhile, had now better confess how you murdered General Ding!"

Woo cried:

woo feng's strange encounter in the templegarden

"I shall confess anything you like! But not now. I beseech Your Honour to send out your men now to save that girl! It may yet not be too late!"

Judge Dee shrugged his shoulders. He nodded to the constables. They dragged Woo up and led him back to the jail.

"Candidate Ding", the judge spoke, "this is quite an unexpected development. Evidently it has nothing to do with Woo's murdering your father. It is clear, however, that the accused is in no condition to be interrogated further.

I here break off the hearing of your case. It will be continued in due time."

The judge let his gavel descend on the bench. Then he rose and left the dais.

The crowd of spectators slowly filed out of the court hall, busily discussing amongst each other the exciting new developments.

While Judge Dee changed in his informal robe he ordered Sergeant Hoong to call Headman Fang.

Ma Joong and Tao Gan sat down on footstools by the side of the judge's desk.

When the headman had entered Judge Dee said:

"Headman, this is a great shock for you. It is unfortunate that I did not show you that picture earlier, but I could not have surmised that it was in any way connected with your eldest daughter. However, this is the first definite indication of her whereabouts."

While speaking the judge had taken up his vermilion brush and filled out three official forms.

"You will now", he continued, "collect twenty armed constables and go immediately to that Hermitage of the Three Treasures. Ma Joong and Tao Gan shall direct you. They are the two best men I have, with great experience in such work. These warrants will authorize you to enter and search every house in that quarter!"

The judge impressed the large seal of the tribunal on the documents and handed them to Ma Joong.

Ma Joong hastily stuffed them in his sleeve. Then all three rushed away.

Judge Dee ordered the clerk to bring a pot of hot tea. When he had drunk a cup he said to Sergeant Hoong:

"I am glad that the headman has at least some information about his missing daughter. Now it has come out that it was she who is depicted on Woo's paintings, I realize that there is some resemblance to Fang's youngest daughter, Dark Orchid. I ought to have noticed that immediately!"

"The only one who did see some resemblance, Your Honour", the sergeant said slyly, "was our brave fighter Ma Joong!"

The judge smiled thinly.

"It would seem", he said, "that Ma Joong observed Dark Orchid with more attention than you or I!"

Then the judge's face set again in its usual stern mien. He said slowly:

"Heavens knows in what condition they will find that poor girl, if at all. If one translates the poetic description of our excitable artistic friend into everyday language, it is clear that on her visit to the temple White Orchid wore a common night robe. That means that she was kept imprisoned in a house quite near that temple, probably by some degenerate lecher. When he discovered that she had secretly left the house he may well have become afraid and killed her. Some day her body will be discovered in a dry well…"

"In the meantime", Sergeant Hoong observed, "this does not bring us much nearer to the solution of the General's murder. I fear that we shall have to put the question to Woo under torture."

The judge did not react on the sergeant's second remark. He said:

"I noticed one interesting fact. When during the session I mentioned a woman in the case both Woo and Ding turned pale; the latter was definitely afraid. As soon as Ding heard that it was the headman's daughter, he was visibly relieved. This means that there is also a woman connected with the General's murder. Evidently the same person as the one Ding wrote his passionate poetry to."

A soft knock sounded on the door.

Sergeant Hoong rose and opened. Dark Orchid came in.

She bowed deeply before the judge and said:

"I could not find my father, Your Honour, so I made bold to come here alone to present my report."

"You are most welcome, young woman!", Judge Dee said eagerly. "We were just discussing the Ding mansion. Tell me, do you know whether young master Ding spends much of his time outside?"

Dark Orchid emphatically shook her small head.

"No, Your Honour", she replied, "the servants wish he would go out more. He hangs about in the house practically the entire day, snooping round and trying to catch them out in some mistake or omission. Once one of the maids even saw him late at night walking stealthily down a corridor. Probably he was checking up on whether the servants were gambling!"

"What was the reaction to my unexpected visit this morning?" the judge asked.

"I was in the young master's room when a servant reported Your Honour's arrival. He was sitting there drawing up an estimate of the costs of the funeral with his wife. The young master was very pleased that Your Honour had come again. He said to his wife: 'Did I not tell you that that first investigation of father's library was very superficial?

DARK ORCHID REPORTS TO JUDGE DEE

I am glad that the judge has come back, I feel certain that they overlooked many clues!' His wife remarked sourly that he should not think that he was more clever than a magistrate and he hastily went out to welcome Your Honour."

The judge silently sipped his tea. Then he said:

"Well, I am grateful to you for the work you have done. You have sharp ears and eyes! It is not necessary that you return to the Ding mansion. This afternoon we obtained some information about your elder sister, and your father has gone to search for her. Go to your quarters now; I hope sincerely that when your father comes back he will have good news!"