The Chinese Maze Murders

Fifteenth Chapter

Three beats of the large bronze gong resounded through the tribunal announcing the opening of the afternoon session.

A fair crowd of spectators had assembled in the court hall. The old General Ding had been a well-known resident of Lan-fang.

Judge Dee ascended the dais. He ordered Candidate Ding to come forward.

As he was kneeling in front of the bench Judge Dee spoke:

"The other day you appeared before this tribunal and accused Woo Feng of having murdered your father. I have made a painstaking investigation and assembled evidence that warranted Woo's arrest. Yet there are not a few points that need clarification.

I shall now hear the accused and you will listen carefully. If there should come up any point concerning which you can supply additional information, you shall not fail to speak!"

Judge Dee filled out a slip for the warden of the jail. Soon two constables led Woo into the court hall. As he approached the dais Judge Dee noticed that he looked quite unperturbed.

Woo knelt and waited respectfully till the judge addressed him.

"State your name and profession!", the judge said curtly.

"This insignificant person", Woo replied, "is called Woo Feng. I am a Junior Candidate by profession and a painter by preference."

"You", said the judge sternly, "are accused of having murdered General Ding Hoo-gwo. Speak the truth!"

"Your Honour", Woo said calmly, "I emphatically deny the accusation. I am familiar with the victim's name and the crime for which he was dismissed from military service because I often heard my father speak about that disgraceful affair. But I beg to state that I have never met the General. I did not even know that he was living in Lan-fang until his son started to spread malignant rumours about me. Those rumours I totally ignored since they were so ridiculous as to make refutation quite unnecessary."

„If that is so", Judge Dee said coldly, "why then did the General stand in constant fear of you? Why did he keep the gates of his mansion closed day and night and confine himself to his locked library? And if you did not plan some foul scheme against the General, why did you hire ruffians to spy on his mansion?"

"As to Your Honour's first two questions", Woo replied, "they concern the internal affairs of the Ding mansion. Since I am completely ignorant of such things, I am in no position to express any opinion. As regards the last query, I deny ever having hired any people to spy on the Ding family. I challenge my accuser to produce one of those men I allegedly hired and confront him with me!"

"Don't be too sure, young man!", the judge said sternly. "As a matter of fact I have already apprehended one of those ruffians. You will be confronted with him in due time!"

Woo shouted angrily: "That scoundrel Ding bribed him to give false testimony!"

When he saw that at last Woo had lost his temper, Judge Dee thought to himself that this was the right moment to spring another surprise on the accused.

He leaned forward in his chair and said sharply:

"I, the magistrate, shall tell you why you hated the Ding family! Not because of the feud between your father and General Ding. No, you had a quite personal and despicable motive. Look at this woman here!"

While he was saying this the judge had taken from his sleeve a section cut out of Woo's painting showing only the face of the goddess Kwan Yin.

As he handed it to Headman Fang to pass it on to Woo, Judge Dee kept his eye on both the accused and Candidate Ding. He noticed that as soon as he had referred to a woman in the case both young men had turned pale. Ding's eyes widened in sudden fear.

Judge Dee heard a stifled cry by his side.

Headman Fang stood there with the picture still in his hand. His face had turned ashen, he looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Your Honour!", he cried out, "this is my eldest daughter, White Orchid!"

A murmur rose from the crowd at this unexpected revelation.

"Silence!" the judge shouted in a thunderous voice.

He did not betray his own utter amazement but said quietly:

"Headman, give that picture to the accused!"

Judge Dee had not failed to observe that while Woo was greatly perturbed by the headman's identification, Candidate Ding looked relieved. That young man heaved a deep sigh and the colour came back to his cheeks.

Woo looked at the picture with a fixed stare.

"Speak up!", the judge barked, "what are your relations with this girl?"

Woo was deadly pale. But his voice was steady as he replied: "I refuse to answer!"

The judge leaned back in his chair. He said coldly:

"The accused seems to forget that he is in the tribunal. I order you to answer my question!"

"You can torture me to death", Woo replied in a clear voice, "but you will never succeed in making me answer that question!"

Judge Dee sighed. He said:

"You are guilty of contempt of court!"

At a sign from the judge, two constables tore down Woo's robe. Two others grabbed his arms and pressed him forward till his face touched the floor. Then they looked expectantly at Headman Fang who was standing there with the heavy whip in his hand.

The headman looked up at the judge with a tortured expression on his face.

Judge Dee understood. Fang was a just man, he feared that in his anger he would flog Woo to death. The judge pointed at a sturdy constable.

He took over the whip from the headman. He raised his muscular arm and the thin thong descended on Woo's bare back.

Woo groaned as welt after welt rose on his flesh. After the tenth blow the blood streamed from his torn back. But he gave no sign that he would speak.

After the twentieth blow his body grew limp.

The constable reported that he had fainted. Judge Dee gave a sign and two constables jerked Woo to his knees. They burned vinegar under his nose till he had regained consciousness.

"Look at your magistrate!", Judge Dee ordered.

A constable gripped Woo by his hair and pulled his head back.

The Judge leaned forward and looked intently at his contorted face.

Woo's lips moved convulsively. Then he said in a toneless voice: "I shall not speak!"

The constable with the whip was going to strike Woo in his face with the heavy handle. But Judge Dee raised his hand. He addressed Woo in a conversational tone:

" Woo, you are an intelligent youngster. You must realize how utterly foolish your attitude is. Let me tell you that I know more about your relations with that poor misguided girl than you think!"

Woo only shook his head.

"I know", the judge continued calmly, "all about your meeting White Orchid in the Hermitage of the Three Treasures, near the east gate, and…"

Suddenly Woo jumped up. He tottered on his feet and a constable had to grip his arm to steady him. Woo did not notice it. He lifted his bare right arm, streaked with blood. Shaking his fist at the judge he cried in a strident voice:

"Now she is lost! It is you, you dog-official, who have murdered her!"

Loud exclamations rose from the crowd. Headman Fang stepped forward and stammered incoherent questions. The constables did not know what to do.

Judge Dee hammered his gavel on the bench. He shouted in a stentorious voice:

"Silence and order!"

The murmur died out.

"If I have to issue one more warning", Judge Dee said sternly, "I shall have the hall cleared! Everyone stand in his appointed place!"

Woo had collapsed on the floor. His body shook with sobs. Headman Fang stood stiffly at attention. He bit his lips till the blood trickled from his chin.

Judge Dee slowly stroked his beard.

Then his deep voice broke the uneasy silence.

"Junior Candidate Woo, you will realize that there is nothing left but to tell the entire story. If, as I gather from your last remark, I have endangered White Orchid's life by mentioning your meeting her in that deserted temple, it is you who are responsible for her plight. You had ample opportunity to warn me."

The judge gave a sign to the constables. They offered Woo a cup of strong tea. He gulped it down. Then he said in a forlorn voice:

"Her secret is now known to the entire town! She cannot be saved!"

Judge Dee observed dryly:

"Leave it to this tribunal to decide whether she can be saved or not! I repeat, tell the entire story!"

Woo mastered himself. He began in a low voice:

"Near the East Gate there stands a small Buddhist temple, called Hermitage of the Three Treasures. Many years ago, when the route to the west still led over this city, monks from Khotan built that hermitage. Later they left. The temple fell into decay, people of the neighbourhood took away the doors and other woodwork for firewood. But the magnificent wall paintings by the monks remained.

I discovered those murals by accident when I was roaming over the city in search of Buddhist works of art. I often went there and made copies of the murals. I took a liking to the small secluded garden behind the temple. I used to stroll out there at night to enjoy the moon.

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!"

Dark Orchid hastily took her leave.

"It is curious", Sergeant Hoong remarked, "that Candidate Ding did not often go out at night. One would expect that he had some secret love-nest where he met that unknown woman!"

Judge Dee nodded.

"On the other hand", he said, "it may be an old affair that is long over and done with. Sentimental people have an unfortunate habit of keeping souvenirs of past affairs. Yet the originals that Dark Orchid showed me seemed written very recently. Did Tao Gan find any clue to the woman's identity in those papers he copied out?"

"No", Sergeant Hoong replied, "but Tao Gan certainly enjoyed that work! He copied the texts out in his best calligraphy, chuckling all the time."

Judge Dee smiled indulgently. He rummaged among the piles of documents on his desk till he found Tao Gan's copies, neatly written out on ornamental letter paper.

Leaning back in his armchair the judge started reading. After a while he said:

"Well, it is all about the same subject, expressed in different ways. Candidate Ding was deeply enamoured. As if poetry could serve no better purpose! Listen:

The judge threw the paper disdainfully on his desk.

"It rhymes", he remarked dryly, "that is about all that can be said for it!" He slowly smoothed his long beard.

Suddenly the judge stiffened. He picked up the sheet which he had been reading aloud and eagerly scanned it.

Sergeant Hoong knew that Judge Dee had made a discovery. He rose and looked over the judge's shoulder.

Judge Dee crashed his fist on the table.

"Get me the testimony of the house steward, delivered during the preliminary hearing in the Ding mansion!", he ordered.

Sergeant Hoong fetched the leather box that contained the file of General Ding's murder. He extricated a sealed document.

Judge Dee read it through from beginning to end.

Then he put it back in the box. He left his armchair and started pacing the floor.

"What incredible fools people in love are!" the judge suddenly exclaimed. "I have now found the solution of half the General's murder. What a foul, despicable crime!"