The Chinese Lake Murders

Third Chapter

One glance sufficed. He had found the dancer.

The judge was about to step down the gangway when Ma Joong appeared round the corner. Judge Dee silently pointed at his find.

Ma Joong cursed. He quickly went down the gangway till he stood up to his knees in the water. He lifted the dead body in his arms and brought it on deck. The judge led him to the main cabin; there the body was laid on the couch.

"The poor wench is heavier than I thought!" Ma Joong remarked while wringing out his sleeves. "I suppose something heavy was put in her jacket."

Judge Dee had not heard him. He stood there looking down at the dead face. The still eyes stared up at him. She was wearing her dance costume of white silk, but over it she had put on a jacket of green brocade. The clinging wet robe revealed her beautiful body in a manner that was nearly obscene. Judge Dee shivered. A few moments before she had been whirling round in her enchanting dance. And this was the sudden end.

He roused himself from these morbid thoughts. Stooping over the body, he examined the dark-blue bruise on the right temple. Then he tried to close the eyes, but the lids would not move and the dead woman's stare remained fixed on him. He took his handkerchief from his sleeve and spread it over the still face.

Sergeant Hoong and Chiao Tai entered the cabin. Turning to them, the judge said:

"This is the courtesan Almond Blossom. She was murdered, practically under my eyes. Ma Joong, you stand guard outside on deck and let nobody pass. I don't want to be disturbed. Don't say anything about this matter."

Judge Dee raised the limp right arm and felt in the sleeve. With some difficulty he extricated from it a round incense burner of bronze. The ashes had turned into gray mud. He handed the burner to Hoong and went to the wall table. In between the two candlesticks he saw three small depressions in the red brocade of the tablecloth. He beckoned Hoong and let him place the incense burner on the table. The three legs fitted exactly into the depressions. Judge Dee sat down on the tabouret in front of the dressing table.

"Simple and effective!" he said bitterly to Hoong and Chiao Tai. "She was lured to this cabin; the murderer knocked her unconscious from behind. He put the heavy bronze incense burner in her sleeve, carried her outside and let her down into the water. Thus there was no splash, and she would sink straight to the bottom of the lake. But in his hurry he didn't notice that the sleeve of her jacket caught on a nail in the gangway. She still was drowned, because the weighted sleeve kept her face several inches under water." He rubbed his hand over his face in a tired gesture. Then he ordered: "See what she has in her other sleeve, Hoong!"

The sergeant turned the sleeve inside out. It contained only a wet package of Almond Blossom's small red visiting cards, and a folded sheet of paper, which he handed to the judge.

Judge Dee carefully unfolded it.

"That is a chess problem!" Hoong and Chiao Tai exclaimed at the same time.

The judge nodded. He remembered the last words of the courtesan. "Give me your handkerchief, Sergeant!" he said. He wrapped the wet sheet of paper in it, and put it in his sleeve. He rose and went out.

"You stay here and guard the cabin!" he ordered Chiao Tai. "Hoong and Ma Joong shall go back with me to the dining room. I shall there institute a preliminary investigation."

While they were walking forward Ma Joong remarked:

"At any rate we shan't need to look far, Your Honor! The murderer must be on board this ship!"

Judge Dee made no comment. He entered the dining room through the crystal curtain, followed by his two assistants.

The dinner was nearing its end and the guests were eating the traditional last bowl of rice. An animated conversation was going on. When Han saw the judge he exclaimed:

"Good! We were just planning to go up on the roof and enjoy the moon!"

Judge Dee did not answer. He rapped the table sharply with his knuckles and called out: "Silence, please!"

All looked at him in astonishment.

"In the first place," Judge Dee said in a clear voice, "I wish, as your guest, to thank all of you sincerely for this lavish entertainment. Unfortunately, this pleasant gathering must now be broken up. You will understand that if from now on I speak to you as your magistrate and not as your guest, I do so because it is my duty to the State and to the people of this district, including yourselves." Turning to Han he added: "I must request you to leave this table, sir!"

Han rose with a dazed look. Anemone carried his chair over to Liu Fei-po's table. He sat down, rubbing his eyes.

Judge Dee shifted to the middle of the table. Ma Joong and Sergeant Hoong came to stand by his side. Then the judge said, speaking slowly:

"I, the magistrate, open the temporary tribunal convened to investigate the willful murder of the courtesan called Almond Blossom."

The judge quickly surveyed his audience. Most of them did not seem to take in the full meaning of his words but looked at him in blank astonishment. Judge Dee ordered Sergeant Hoong to fetch the master of the boat, and a set of writing implements.

Han Yung-han now took a hold of himself. He had a whispered consultation with Liu Fei-po. When the latter nodded Han rose and said:

"Your Honor, this is a most arbitrary proceeding. We, the leading citizens of Han-yuan, wish to-"

"The witness Han Yuan-han," Judge Dee interrupted him coldly, "will resume his seat and be silent until he is ordered to speak!" Han sank back in his chair with a flushed face. Sergeant Hoong brought a man with a pock-marked face before the table. The judge ordered the master of the boat to kneel and draw a plan of the ship. As the master set to work with trembling hands, Judge Dee looked the company over with a bleak stare. The sudden transition from a happy drinking party to a criminal investigation had sobered them completely and left them in a miserable state. When the master had his sketch ready he laid it respectfully on the table. Judge Dee pushed the sheet over to Hoong and ordered him to add the position of the tables and write in the names of the guests. The sergeant beckoned to a waiter, who whispered the name of each guest as Hoong pointed at him. Then the judge addressed the company in a firm voice:

"After the courtesan Almond Blossom had finished her dance and left this room there was considerable confusion. All of you were moving about. I shall now ask each of you to describe exactly what you were doing at that particular time."

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 asked, 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.