The Chinese Nail Murders

Twenty-fourth Chapter

Judge Dee left the court hall, followed by his three lieutenants. There were some timid cheers from the crowd. As soon as they had entered the corridor, Ma Joong hit Chiao Tai with a resound­ing clap on his shoulder. They could hardly restrain their exulta­tion. Even Tao Gan was chuckling happily as they entered Judge Dee's private office.

But when the judge turned around to them, they saw to their utter amazement that his face was as cold and impassive as during the session.

"It has been a long day," he said quietly. "Chiao Tai and Tao Gan had better go and take a rest. As for you, Ma Joong, I regret that I can't let you go yet."

When Chiao Tai and Tao Gan had left with a look of blank astonishment, Judge Dee took up his letter to the Prefect. He tore it up and threw the scraps on the glowing coals in the brazier. He watched silently till they had turned to ash. Then he said to Ma Joong:

"Go and change into your hunting dress, Ma Joong. And have two horses stand ready in the courtyard."

Ma Joong was completely dumbfounded. He thought of asking for some explanation, but seeing the look on Judge Dee's face he silently went out.

In the courtyard the snow was falling in large flakes. Judge Dee looked up at the leaden sky.

"We'll have to hurry," he said to Ma Joong. "With this weather, it'll be dark soon."

He pulled his neckcloth up over the lower part of his face, and swung himself on his horse. They left the tribunal by the side gate.

Riding through the main street they saw that many people were crowding the street stalls despite the snow and the icy wind. Standing close together under the temporary roofs of oilcloth, they were eagerly discussing the sensational session of the tribunal. They paid no attention to the two horsemen riding past.

When they came to the north city gate, the cold blast from the plain hit them in the face. Judge Dee knocked on the door of the guardhouse with the handle of his whip. When a soldier ap­peared, he ordered him to hand Ma Joong a storm lantern of thick oil paper.

Outside the city the judge rode in a westerly direction. Dusk was falling now, but the snow seemed to grow less.

"Are we going far, Your Honor?" Ma Joong asked worriedly. "It's easy to get lost among the hills in this weather!"

"I know the way," Judge Dee replied curtly, "we'll soon be there."

He took the way leading to the cemetery.

When they had entered the graveyard the judge made his horse step slowly while he intently scrutinized the grave mounds. He went past the open grave of Loo Ming, and on to the farthest corner of the cemetery. There Judge Dee dismounted. With Ma Joong close on his heels, he wandered among the grave mounds, muttering to himself.

Suddenly the judge halted. With his sleeve he wiped the snow from the stone that closed a large mound. When he saw the name Wang chiseled in the slab, he said to Ma Joong:

"Here it is. Help me to open this grave; you'll find two short spades in my saddlebag."

Judge Dee and Ma Joong dug out the snow and earth accumu­lated along the base of the stone plate, then started to loosen it. It was a strenuous task, and when the slab finally could be made to topple forward, it had become dark. Heavy clouds obscured the moon.

The judge was perspiring despite the cold. He took the lighted lantern from Ma Joong, stooped and entered the tomb.

The stale air inside was curiously still. As Judge Dee lifted the lantern he saw that three coffins were standing in the vault. He scrutinized the inscriptions, then went to the end of the one on the right. "Hold the lantern!" he ordered Ma Joong, involuntarily lowering his voice.

Ma Joong looked anxiously at the face of the judge, haggard in the flickering light of the lantern. He saw him take a chisel from his sleeve. Using the spade as a hammer, he started to pry loose the lid. The blows resounded hollowly in the vault.

"Start on the other side!" he judge commanded.

Confused thoughts raced through Ma Joong's brain as he put the lantern on the floor and inserted his spade into the groove.

They were desecrating a grave. In this close space the air seemed nearly warm, but Ma Joong shivered violently.

He never knew how long they worked on the coffin. But his back was aching when at last they had loosened the lid. Using the spades as a lever they found they could lift it up.

"Let it drop down on the right!" Judge Dee panted.

They gave the lid a push, and it fell to the floor with a re­sounding crash.

The judge covered his mouth and nose with his neckcloth, and Ma Joong hastily followed his example.

The judge lifted the lantern over the open coffin. Inside lay a skeleton, the bones here and there still covered by the remains of the decayed shroud.

Ma Joong shrank back. Judge Dee gave him the lantern, then bent over the coffin and carefully felt the skull. When he saw it was loose, he took it out of the coffin and examined it closely. Ma Joong thought that in the uncertain light of the lantern the empty sockets of the skull seemed to leer at Judge Dee's face close by.

Suddenly the judge shook the skull. There was the sound of rattling metal. The judge peered at the top of the skull and felt it with the tip of his finger. Then he carefully replaced the skull in the coffin. He said hoarsely:

"That's all. Let's go back."

When they crept out of the vault they saw that the clouds had disappeared; a full moon was in the sky and cast its silvery rays over the deserted graveyard.

Judge Dee put the lantern out.

"Let's replace the stone slab," he said.

It took them a long time to get the stone back into its original position. Judge Dee shoveled the snow and mud back against the base, then mounted his horse.

When they were riding toward the gate of the cemetery, Ma Joong could no longer restrain his curiosity.

"Who was buried there, Your Honor?" he asked.

"You'll know tomorrow," Judge Dee replied. "During the morning session I shall initiate another murder investigation."

Arrived in front of the north city gate, the judge halted his horse. He said:

"After the snowstorm it has turned into a beautiful night now. You can go back to the tribunal, I shall take a ride through the hills to clear my mind."

Before Ma Joong could say anything the judge had turned his horse and was riding away.

He headed east. When he had come to the foot of the Medicine Hill, he halted. Bending over in his saddle he scrutinized the snow. Then he dismounted, fastened the reins to the tree stump, and began the ascent.

A slight figure clad in a gray fur cloak stood near the balustrade on top of the crag, looking out over the white plain below.

As she heard the sounds of Judge Dee's boots in the snow, she turned around slowly.

"I knew you would come here," she said quietly. "I was waiting for you."

When the judge remained standing silently in front of her, she went on quickly:

"Look, your robes are all dirty, and your boots are covered with mud! Have you been there?"

"Yes," Judge Dee answered slowly, "I went there, together with Ma Joong. That old murder must be investigated by the tribunal."

Her eyes grew wide. The judge looked past her, desperately seeking for words.

She drew the cloak close around her.

"I knew this would happen," she said in a toneless voice. "And yet . . ." She paused, then went on forlornly: "You don't know what . . ."

"I do know!" the judge interrupted her fiercely. "I know what made you act as you did five years ago, and I know that you . . . I know what made you tell me."

She bent her head and sobbed, strange, soundless sobs.

"The pattern must be restored," the judge continued in a broken voice, "even ... if it destroys ourselves. Believe me, this is stronger than me myself. The days that come will be a living hell for you . . . and for me. I wish to Heaven I could do otherwise. But I can't. . . . And it was you who saved me! Forgive me . . . please!"

"Don't say that!" she cried out. Then, smiling through her tears, she added softly: "I knew, of course, what you would do, else I wouldn't have told you. I would never want you to be other than you are."

The judge wanted to speak but emotion strangled his voice. He gave her a despairing look.

She averted her eyes.

"Don't speak!" she panted. "And don't look at me. I can't bear to see . . ."

She buried her face in her hands. The judge stood motionless. He felt as if a cold sword were slowly cutting through his heart.

The last meeting on Medicine Hill

Suddenly she looked up. The judge wanted to speak, but she quickly laid her finger on her lips.

"Don't!" she said. Then she added with a tremulous smile: "Be still now! Don't you remember, about the blossoms falling down in the snow? If we listen, we can hear the sound . . ."

Gaily pointing at the tree behind him, she continued quickly: "Look, the blossoms came out today! Please, look!"

The judge turned around. As he lifted his head, the beauty of what he saw took his breath away. The tree stood silhouetted against the moonlit sky; the small red blossoms seemed like glitter­ing red jewels covering the silvery boughs. A faint current stirred the cold air. A few petals detached themselves and slowly fluttered down on the snow below.

Suddenly he heard behind him the sound of splintering wood. He whirled around and saw the broken fence. He was alone on the crag.