The Chinese Maze Murders

Twenty fourth Chapter

That morning Dark Orchid had left the tribunal to go and find out Mrs. Lee's address as her father had ordered her.

She walked at a brisk pace along the main street leading to the eastern city gate. She had been worrying for days about her elder sister. She hoped that the walk would help to clear her thoughts.

She loitered for half an hour or so among the stalls of the street venders on the crossing, then she went on to the shopping centre near the East Gate. Her father had told her that Mrs. Lee was an artist, so Dark Orchid entered the first shop of paper and brushes she saw.

The owner knew Mrs. Lee. He said that for many years she had been a regular customer. She was still alive, he put her age at about fifty. He added that Dark Orchid could save herself the trouble of going to Mrs. Lee's house because for the last month or so she had not taken on any new girl students.

Dark Orchid replied that she only wished to see Mrs. Lee about a distant relative. The owner of the shop explained to her how she could find the house. It was only a few streets away.

Dark Orchid reflected that she could now return to the tribunal and report to her father. But the sun was shining, she felt loath to go back so soon. She decided to walk to the address indicated and have a look at Mrs. Lee's house.

It was located in a quiet, middle-class neighbourhood. As she looked at the well-kept houses with neat black-lacquered frontdoors, Dark Orchid thought that this probably was a quarter favoured by well-to-do retired shopkeepers.

About halfway down the street she found the name 'Lee' on the gate of a fair sized house.

Standing in front of the door studded with copper nails, Dark Orchid could not resist the temptation to knock.

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.

After a while Mrs. Lee rose.

"How rude of me!", she exclaimed. "I made you work in the kitchen without thinking about your comfort! You must be very tired. Why don't you rest a little in my bedroom while I do some work on my painting?"

Dark Orchid reflected that she ought to go home. But she did indeed feel tired and somewhat dizzy and she thought it would be interesting to see the dressing table of such an elegant lady.

As she was making some half-hearted protests, Mrs. Lee led her to a room at the back of the house.

The bedroom surpassed Dark Orchid's expectations. A delicate perfume emanated from a ball-shaped cloisonné censer that hung from the ceiling. The ebony dressing table bore a round silver mirror on a carved sandalwood stand. In front she saw over a dozen elegant small boxes of porcelain and red lacquer. The broad couch was of ebony, intricately carved and inlaid with mother of pearl. The bed curtains were of fine white gauze with designs woven in gold thread.

Mrs. Lee casually pulled aside a screen. Two marble steps led down to a small bathroom. Turning round she said:

"Make yourself comfortable, my dear! As soon as you have rested we shall have a cup of tea in my studio!"

Mrs. Lee left, closing the door behind her.

Dark Orchid took off her upper gown and sat down on the tabouret in front of the dressing table. She eagerly inspected the contents of the toilet boxes, sniffing the powders and salves. When she had satisfied her curiosity she turned to the four red leather boxes that stood in a pile by the side of the couch. The boxes were marked in gold lacquer with the characters of the four seasons. They contained Mrs. Lee's robes, Dark Orchid did not dare peep inside.

She pulled aside the screen and stepped down into the

bathroom. Next to the low wooden tub there stood a small bucket, and in a corner she saw the large wooden containers for cold and warm water. The lattice window had been pasted over with opaque oilpaper. The sunlight threw on | it the shadows of the bamboo in the garden outside, so that the window looked like a delicate ink-painting of waving bamboo leaves.

Dark Orchid lifted the cover of the warm water container. The water was quite hot. Fragrant herbs floated on the surface.

She quickly slipped out of her robes, and poured a few buckets of hot water into the tub. When she was adding cold water she suddenly heard a sound behind her. The girl turned round quickly.

Mrs. Lee was standing in the doorway leaning on her cane. She said with a smile:

"Don't be afraid, young girl, it is only me! I thought that after all I would take a nap too. It is very sensible of you to take a bath first, it will make you sleep better!"

As she spoke Mrs. Lee looked at the girl with a queer fixed stare.

All of a sudden Dark Orchid felt very much afraid. She hastily stooped to pick up her clothes.

Mrs Lee stepped forward and jerked the under garment from Dark Orchid's hands.

"Were you not going to take a bath?", she asked in a strained voice.

Dark Orchid started to apologize in confusion. Suddenly Mrs. Lee drew the girl close to her. She said softly:

"You need not be prudish, my dear! You are very beautiful!"

A feeling of revulsion surged up in the girl's breast. She pushed the woman away with all her force. Mrs. Lee stumbled back. When she had steadied herself her eyes were blazing in her contorted face.

As Dark Orchid stood there trembling not knowing what to do Mrs. Lee's cane suddenly lashed out and struck the girl a sharp blow on her bare thigh.

The pain made Dark Orchid forget her fear. She quickly stooped to pick up the small bucket with the intention to throw it at Mrs. Lee's head. But she had not reckoned with Mrs. Lee's expert handling of her cane.

Before Dark Orchid's fingers had touched the bucket Mrs. Lee hit a vicious blow across her hips that made the girl jump aside screaming with pain.

Mrs. Lee laughed contemptuously.

"Don't try any tricks, my dear!", she said softly. "Remember that with this cane I can stab as well as strike! You are more difficult than your sister White Orchid, but you'll soon learn to behave!"

The unexpected reference to her sister made Dark Orchid forget her pain.

"Where is my sister!", she cried out.

"Do you want to see her?", Mrs. Lee asked with an evil leer. She did not wait for an answer but quickly went inside the bedroom.

Dark Orchid stood there paralysed with fear and anxiety. She heard Mrs. Lee chuckle behind the screen.

Then Mrs. Lee pulled the screen aside with her left hand. In her right she held a long, sharp knife.

"Look!", she said triumphantly and pointed to the dressing table.

Dark Orchid uttered a piercing scream of stark terror.

In front of the mirror stood the severed head of her elder sister.

Mrs. Lee quickly stepped down in the bathroom testing the edge of the knife on her thumb.

"You don't like me, foolish girl!", she hissed. "Therefore I shall kill you just as I killed your sister!"

DARK ORCHID SURPRISED WHILE TAKING A BATH

Dark Orchid turned round, screaming for help at the top of her voice. She had a vague idea to smash the lattice window and escape to the garden.

She shrank back as she saw a huge shadow darken the window.

The window was jerked from its frame and a colossal man jumped inside.

He gave the two women a quick look, then sprang over to where Mrs. Lee was standing. He dodged the knife thrust, caught her wrist and twisted it round. The knife clattered to the floor.

In the twinkling of an eye he had bound Mrs. Lee's hands behind her back with her own sash.

"Ma Joong!", cried Dark Orchid, "she killed my sister!"

"Cover yourself up, impudent girl!", he said gruffly. "I already know that this woman killed your sister!"

Dark Orchid felt a glowing blush rise to her face. While Ma Joong dragged Mrs. Lee to the bedroom, Dark Orchid hurriedly put on her clothes.

When she entered the bedroom Ma Joong had laid Mrs. Lee on the couch securely bound hand and foot. As he replaced White Orchid's severed head in the basket he said:

"Run and open the gate! The constables will be here soon, I came ahead on horseback."

"I don't take orders from you, you bully!", Dark Orchid snapped.

Ma Joong laughed loudly. She hurriedly left the room.

When dusk had fallen Judge Dee and his lieutenants gathered in his private office.

Woo came in and greeted the judge.

"The body of White Orchid has been deposited in the quarters of the guards", he said hoarsely. "Her head has been added to it. I have already ordered a coffin of solid wood."

"How is the headman?", the judge inquired.

"Now that he knows what happened to White Orchid", Woo replied, "he has calmed down, Your Honour. Dark Orchid is with him."

Woo bowed and went out again.

"That young man has sobered down considerably!", Judge Dee remarked.

"I can't understand what that fellow is hanging around here for!", Ma Joong said peevishly.

"I understand that he feels in some way responsible for White Orchid's tragic fate", Judge Dee observed. "That poor girl must have lived through hell while she was in Mrs. Lee's clutches. You saw the marks on her body."

"I still cannot understand", sergeant Hoong said, "how Your Honour discovered out there in the maze that there existed a connection between White Orchid and Mrs. Lee."

Judge Dee leaned back in his armchair. Slowly stroking his beard he said:

"The choice was not very great. The old Governor kept the secret of the short cut strictly to himself. Even his son Yoo Kee or his young wife had never been inside. Only a person with exceptional opportunities could have discovered it.

We knew that Mrs. Lee often drank tea in the garden pavilion with the Governor and Mrs. Yoo, discussing his paintings. I take it that Mrs. Lee once surprised the Governor when he was working on his landscape. Mrs. Lee has the trained eye of a painter, it would not be difficult for her to recognize that this was no ordinary landscape. Since she was familiar also with the situation at the entrance of the maze, she must have guessed its meaning without the Governor being aware of it."

"Probably she saw the picture at an early stage", Tao Gan observed, "when only the pine trees had been marked in. The Governor would have painted in the rest later."

Judge Dee nodded.

"Since Mrs. Lee has this abnormal interest in young girls", he continued, "she kept this knowledge to herself. She thought that it might come in useful in a time of crisis!

Somehow or other she lured White Orchid to her house. Fang's eldest daughter was a girl of a soft, pliable character, Mrs. Lee must have found it easy to subdue her. She kept her a captive in her house for a few weeks. The girl's visit to the deserted temple must have made Mrs. Lee uneasy. She must have taken White Orchid to the country mansion and locked her up in that room with the grated window. Thus when the constables searched the eastern quarter and inspected Mrs. Lee's house they did not find her. That visit, however, must have frightened Mrs. Lee. She decided to kill her captive. The hidden pavilion of the old Governor was the safest place for that cruel murder."

"If we had left the tribunal an hour or so earlier that morning when we went to visit the country estate for the first time", Tao Gan exclaimed, "we could have prevented this crime! Mrs. Lee must have left there shortly before our arrival!"

"Fate decided that just that morning Mrs. Yoo would come to see me", Judge Dee said gravely. "Later, when we inspected the entrance to the maze, I saw the footprint of Mrs. Lee or White Orchid. I did not speak about it at the time, for when I stood there looking into the maze an inexplicable terror took hold of me. The soul of that poor girl who had been brutally murdered there only half an hour or so before must have been hovering over me. I also thought I saw the ghost of the old Governor beckon me from the shadows…"

Judge Dee's voice trailed off. He shivered as he recalled those moments of stark terror.

For a while all were silent.

Then the judge took a hold on himself and said in a brisk voice:

"Well, fortunately Ma Joong was in time to prevent a second cruel murder.

"Let us now have our evening meal. Thereafter all of you had better rest a few hours. For all we know there may be a very exciting night ahead of us. It is difficult to predict what those barbarians will do!"

That afternoon Chiao Tai had with quiet efficiency organized the defence of the town. He had posted the best soldiers near the Watergate, and divided the rest over the walls of the city. On his orders the wardens had warned the population that the barbarians might attack the town that night. All able men had been busy assembling large stones and faggots of dry wood on the city wall, and making bamboo spears and iron tipped arrows. Three hours before midnight they would man the walls, every fifty men directed by one professional soldier.

Two soldiers had been posted on the Drum Tower. As soon as the Uigurs approached the river they would beat the huge drum with their thick wooden clubs. The dull roll of that drum would be the sign for lighting the torches on the walls. If the barbarians tried to scale them, they would meet a barrage of heavy stones and flaming faggots.

Judge Dee ate his evening meal in his own quarters. Then he slept for a few hours on the couch in his library.

One hour before midnight Ma Joong, clad in full armour, came to fetch him. Judge Dee put on a thin mailcoat under his robe and took down the long sword of his grandfather that hung on the wall next to his bookshelves. Having placed his official magistrate's cap on his head, he followed Ma Joong.

They rode on horseback to the Watergate.

Chiao Tai was waiting for them. He reported that Sergeant Hoong, Tao Gan and four soldiers were posted on the watchtower of the Chien mansion. They would see to it that not a spark of fire was visible there.

Judge Dee nodded and climbed the steep stone steps to the top of the Watergate. On the battlement a burly soldier, nearly as tall as Ma Joong, stood stiffly to attention. He was carrying a long pole with the Imperial standard on top.

The judge stood himself on the battlement. On his right he had the soldier carrying the Imperial standard, on his left, Ma Joong holding high the staff with the commander's insignia of Judge Dee.

The judge reflected that this was the first time that he was in charge of defending the Empire's boundary against a foreign attack. Looking up at the Imperial standard fluttering in the evening breeze he felt a deep pride glow in his breast. He folded his sword in his arms and looked out over the dark plain.

When the hour of midnight approached Judge Dee pointed to the distant horizon. Far away they saw flashes of light. The Uigurs were preparing to advance.

The lights gradually came nearer, then remained stationary. The barbarian horsemen had halted, waiting for the signal fire on the watchtower.

The three men stood there silently for over an hour.

Then suddenly lights flared up over the river. They became smaller and smaller, then disappeared altogether in the darkness.

Having waited in vain for the signal fire, the Uigurs had ridden back to their homesteads.

JUDGE DEE ON THE RAMPARTS OF LAN-FANG