Robert Gulik - The Chinese Maze Murders

There was no answer. This excited the girl's curiosity and made her all the more determined to have a peep inside. She knocked again as loudly as she could. Then she put her ear against the door.

She heard the faint sounds of shufflng footsteps.

As she knocked once more the gate opened. A quietly-dressed middle-aged woman stood in the gateway, supporting herself on a silvertopped cane. She looked Dark Orchid up and down and asked coldly:

"Why do you knock on my door, young woman?"

Dark Orchid knew from the lady's dress and manner that she must be Mrs. Lee herself. She bowed deeply and said respectfully:

"My name is Dark Orchid, I am the daughter of Blacksmith Fang. I am trying to find a teacher who will deign to give guidance to my poor efforts at painting, and a paper shop directed me here. I made bold to come and pay my respects to you, Madam, although the shopkeeper informed me that you do not accept students any longer."

The elder woman gave Dark Orchid a thoughtful look. Suddenly she smiled and said:

"It is quite true that I do not accept students any more. But since you went to all the trouble to call on me, please come in and have a cup of tea!"

Dark Orchid bowed once more. She followed Mrs. Lee as she limped across a small but well-kept garden to what evidently was the main room of the house.

While Mrs. Lee went away to fetch boiling water Dark Orchid looked round admiring the elegant surroundings.

The room was not large but scrupulously clean and furnished in excellent taste. The bench on which she was sitting was of rosewood, covered with pillows of embroidered silk. The carved chairs and dainty small tea-tables were also of rosewood. On a high table against the back wall a thin cloud of incense curled up from an antique bronze burner. Over it hung a long, narrow scroll picture portraying birds and flowers. The lattice window was pasted over with spotless white paper.

Mrs. Lee came back with a copper kettle.

She poured the boiling water in a tea pot of exquisite painted porcelain, and then she sat down on the other corner of the bench.

Over a cup of fragrant tea they exchanged the usual polite enquiries.

Dark Orchid thought that despite her slight limp Mrs. Lee must have been a handsome woman when she was young. Her face was regular although her features were somewhat heavy and her eyebrows thicker than is thought beautiful for a woman. She evidently enjoyed talking with the girl. Dark Orchid felt quite flattered.

It struck the girl as curious that there seemed to be no servants in the house. When she asked about this Mrs. Lee replied quickly:

"My house is rather small, I keep only one old woman who does the rough work for me. I am a bit peculiar in this respect, I hate to have a crowd of servants around me all the time. A few days ago she became ill, I sent her home to her husband. He is an old street vender who lives round the corner. In his spare time he looks after my garden."

Dark Orchid hastily apologized once more for her intrusion which must be all the more vexing since Mrs. Lee's maid was away. She rose to take her leave.

Mrs. Lee immediately protested. She said that she enjoyed a little company and quickly poured another cup of tea.

Presently she took Dark Orchid to an outhouse. Nearly all the floor space was taken up by a huge, red-lacquered table. On shelves against the wall there stood half a dozen brush holders with brushes of all kinds and sizes, and small jars containing various pigments. Rolls of paper and silk were stacked in an open porcelain jar on the floor. The window opened on a miniature garden thick with flowering plants.

Mrs. Lee made Dark Orchid sit down on a tabouret by the side of the table and started to show her paintings. As Mrs. Lee unrolled scroll after scroll, even Dark Orchid, who did not know much about painting, could see that her hostess was an accomplished artist. She did nothing but flowers, fruit and birds, but everything was drawn with astonishing accuracy and delicately coloured.

Dark Orchid felt greatly embarrassed by Mrs. Lee's kindness. She wondered whether she should not tell her that she had come only because the tribunal had ordered her to do so. Then she reflected that she did not know whether the judge wished this to be kept secret or not. Thus she thought she had better continue playing her role and take her leave as soon as a suitable opportunity arose.

When Mrs. Lee was rolling her pictures up again Dark Orchid rose and looked out of the window. She remarked casually on a few plants that were trampled down.

"That happened the other day when those yokels from the tribunal came to search this neighbourhood!", Mrs. Lee answered venomously. There was so much hatred in her voice that Dark Orchid turned round and gave her an astonished look. But Mrs. Lee's face was placid as ever.

Dark Orchid bowed and started on the polite phrases of thanks.

Mrs. Lee leaned out of the window and looked at the sun.

"Well, well!", she exclaimed, "who would have thought that it is past noon already! And now I must prepare my meal. How I hate that work! Here, you look a very capable young girl, I suppose it would be impertinent to ask you to lend me a hand?"

This was a request that Dark Orchid could not refuse without being intolerably rude. At the same time she thought that she could at least redeem her imposture a little by preparing a good meal for her kind hostess. She replied quickly:

"This person is extremely awkward in all things, but allow me at least to kindle the kitchen fire for you!"

Mrs. Lee looked pleased. She took Dark Orchid across the rear courtyard to the kitchen.

The girl took off her upper gown and bound up her sleeves. Then she rekindled the fire from the glowing embers. Mrs. Lee sat down on the low kitchen bench and started a long story about her husband who had died suddenly shortly after their wedding.

Dark Orchid found a bamboo box with noodles. She chopped a few onions and garlic, and took a dozen dried mushrooms from the string hanging outside the window.

While Mrs. Lee talked on, Dark Orchid put fat in the fryingpan and added the chopped vegetables and soy, stirring with the long iron spoon. At the right moment she put the noodles in the pan. Soon an appetizing smell filled the small kitchen.

Mrs. Lee fetched bowls, chopsticks and a platter with pickled vegetables. They sat down on the kitchen bench to eat.

Dark Orchid had a healthy appetite but Mrs. Lee ate very little. She put her bowl down when it was still half full. She laid her hand on the girl's knee and complimented her on her cooking. As Dark Orchid looked up from her bowl she surprised a look in Mrs. Lee's eyes that made her curiously uncomfortable. She reasoned with herself that it was ridiculous to be shy before another woman. But somehow or other she felt ill at ease. Imperceptibly she edged away a little.

Mrs. Lee rose. She came back with a pewter jug and two small cups.

"Let us have one cup to aid the digestion!", she said with a smile.

Dark Orchid forgot her embarrassment. She had never yet tasted wine. This seemed a very lady-like and exciting thing to do.

She sipped from her cup. It was the delicious scented liquor that is called Rose Dew; it is served cold and much stronger than the ordinary yellow wine which is always taken warm.

After Mrs. Lee had filled the girl's cup a few times, Dark Orchid felt very happy. Mrs. Lee helped her to put on her upper gown and took the girl back to the reception room. She made Dark Orchid sit down next to her on the couch and continued her story about her unlucky marriage.

Mrs. Lee drew her arm round Dark Orchid's waist. She intimated that married life has many disadvantages for a woman. Men were rough and had no understanding, one could never talk really intimately with them as one could with a person of one's own sex. The girl thought that there was much in what Mrs. Lee said. She felt very proud that the elder lady talked so confidentially with her.