The Haunted Monastery

IV

The novice led them through a maze of passages down to the ground floor of the east wing. Downstairs was a spacious corridor, lined with high, red-lacquered pillars, decorated with intricate gilded wood carving. It represented dragons sporting among clouds. The floor boards had been polished to a beautiful dark sheen by the felt shoes of the countless feet that had passed there during past generations. When they arrived in front of the assembly hall, Judge Dee said to Tao Gan: "While I am talking with the abbot, you go to the prior and tell him about that broken axle. I hope they can mend and replace it tonight." Then he added in a whisper: "Try to get from the prior or someone else a good floor plan of this dismal place!"

The reception room was located near the entrance to the main hall. When the novice showed the judge in, he noticed with satisfaction that the room was well heated by a brazier heaped with glowing coals. Costly brocade wall-hangings kept the warmth inside.

A tall, thin man rose from the gilded couch in the back of the room and advanced across the thick carpet to meet the judge. He was a stately figure, looking taller still because of his long flowing robe of yellow brocade and a high yellow tiara, decorated with red tassels that hung down his back. As the abbot bade him welcome, the judge noticed that the abbot had curious, slate-coloured eyes that seemed as immobile as his long, austere face, smooth but for a thin moustache and a short, wispy beard.

They sat down in high-backed armchairs by the side of the couch. The novice prepared tea on the red-lacquered table in the corner.

"I feel embarrassed," Judge Dee began, "that my visit coincides with the big commemoration festival here. You'll have many guests staying in the monastery. I greatly fear that my staying here overnight will inconvenience you."

The abbot fixed him with his still eyes. Although their gaze was directed at him, Judge Dee had the weird impression that in fact it was turned inward. The abbot raised his long, curved eyebrows. He replied in a low, dry voice: "Your Honour's visit doesn't inconvenience us in the least. The east wing of our poor monastery has on the second and third floor more than forty guest rooms — though none of those is of course good enough for accommodating such a distinguished guest as our magistrate!"

"My quarters are most comfortable" the judge assured him hastily. He accepted the cup of hot tea which the novice offered him respectfully with both hands. He had a throbbing headache now; he found it difficult to formulate the usual polite inquiries. He decided to come directly to the point and said: "I would have given myself the pleasure of visiting this famous monastery soon after I had taken up my duties in Han-yuan. However, all through the past summer pressing official business prevented me from leaving Han-yuan. In addition to benefiting by your instruction and admiring this interesting ancient building, I had planned also to ask you for some information."

"I am entirely at Your Honour's service. What information might be required?"

"I would like to have a few more details about three deaths that occurred here last year," the judge said. "Just to complete my files, you see!"

The abbot gave the novice a sign to leave. When the door had closed behind the youngster, the abbot said with a deprecating smile: "We have more than a hundred monks living here, Your Honour, not to speak of the lay-brothers, novices, and occasional guests. Human life being submitted to the limitations set by Heaven, people fall ill and die, here as everywhere else. What particular deaths might Your Honour be referring to?"

"Well," Judge Dee replied, "going over the files in my tribunal I found, among the copies of death certificates forwarded to Han-yuan by this monastery, no less than three that referred to girls from outside. I gather that they had come to stay here to be initiated as nuns." As he saw the abbot knitting his thin eyebrows, he added with a quick smile: "I don't recollect their names and other particulars. I would have looked them up before coming here, but since my present visit was quite accidental …" He did not finish the sentence, looking expectantly at his host.

The abbot nodded slowly.

"I think I know what cases Your Honour has in mind. Yes, there was a young lady from the capital, a Miss Liu who fell ill here last year. The learned Master Sun personally treated her, but…"

He suddenly broke off and looked fixedly at the door. Judge Dee turned around in his chair to see who had come in, but he only saw the door close again.

"Those insolent actors!" the abbot exclaimed angrily. "They come barging in without even bothering to knock!" Noticing Judge Dee's astonished look, he quickly resumed: "As usual we have hired a small troupe of professional actors to assist the monks with the staging of the mystery plays that are performed on our commemoration day. They also play interludes, mainly acrobatics and juggling, and provide other light entertainment. They are quite useful, but they know, of course, nothing of monastic rules and behaviour." He angrily stamped his staff on the floor and concluded: "Next time we'll dispense with their services!"

"Yes," Judge Dee said, "I remember now that one girl of the surname Liu died of a lingering disease. May I ask you, just to get my record straight, who performed the autopsy?"

"Our prior, Your Honour. He is a qualified physician."

"I see. Wasn't there another girl who committed suicide?"

"That was a sad case!" the abbot replied with a sigh. "Quite an intelligent girl, but the very excitable type, you know. She suffered from hallucinations. I shouldn't have admitted her to begin with, but since she was so eager and since her parents insisted… One night Miss Gao had been very nervous, and she took poison. The body was returned to the family, and she was buried in her native place."

"And the third? I seem to remember that that was also a suicide, wasn't it?"

"No, it was an unfortunate accident, sir. Miss Huang was also a talented girl, deeply interested in the history of this monastery. She was always exploring the temple and adjacent buildings. Once the balustrade on the top floor of the southeast tower gave way when she was leaning over it, and she fell down into the ravine that borders our monastery on the east side."

"There was no autopsy report attached to Miss Huang's documents," the judge remarked.

The abbot sadly shook his head.

"No, Your Honour," he said slowly, "the remains could not be recovered. At the bottom of the ravine there is a cleft over a hundred feet deep. Nobody has ever succeeded in exploring it."

There was a pause. Then Judge Dee asked: "Is the tower she fell from the one built on top of the store-room? In that case it's right opposite the east wing, where my quarters are."

"Yes. It is." The abbot took a sip from his tea. Evidently he thought that it was time to conclude the interview. But Judge Dee made no move to take his leave. He caressed his long side-whiskers for a while then asked: "You don't have nuns staying here permanently, do you?"

"No, fortunately not!" the abbot answered with a thin smile. "My responsibilities are sufficiently heavy without that! But since this place, quite undeservedly, of course, enjoys a high reputation in this province, many families which have daughters desirous of entering religion, insist that they be initiated here. They receive instruction for a few weeks, and when nun's certificates have been bestowed upon them they leave and settle in one of the nunneries elsewhere in our province."

Judge Dee sneezed. When he had wiped off his moustache with his silk handkerchief, he said affably: "Many thanks for your explanations! You'll understand, of course, that my questions were a mere formality. I never thought for one moment that there had been irregularities here."

The abbot nodded gravely. The judge emptied his teacup then resumed: "Just now you mentioned a Master Sun. Is that by any chance the famous scholar and writer Sun Ming, who a few years ago served in the Palace as Tutor of His Imperial Majesty?"

"Yes, indeed! The Master's presence greatly honours this monastery! As you know, His Excellency had a most distinguished career. He served many years as Prefect of the capital, and retired after his two wives had died. Then he was appointed Imperial Tutor. When he left the Palace, his three sons had grown up and entered official life, so he decided to devote his remaining years to his metaphysical researches, and chose this monastery as his abode. His Excellency has been staying here now for two years already." He nodded slowly, then went on with evident satisfaction: "The Master's presence is a signal honour indeed! And far from keeping himself aloof, he takes a most gratifying interest in all that goes on here, and regularly attends our religious services. Thus His Excellency is completely conversant with all our problems, and never grudges us his valuable advice."

Judge Dee reflected ruefully that he would have to pay a courtesy visit to this exalted personage. He asked: "In what part of the monastery has the Master taken up his abode?"

"The west tower has been placed at his disposal. Your Honour will presently meet the Master in the assembly hall, as he is watching the performance there. Your Honour will also see there Mrs. Pao, a pious widow from the capital. She arrived here a few days ago together with her daughter, called White Rose, who wishes to enter religion. Then there is also a Mr. Tsung Lee, a poet of note, who has been staying here for a few weeks. Those are our only guests. A number of others cancelled their intended visits because of the inclement weather. There's also the theatrical troupe of Mr. Kuan Lai — but of course Your Honour won't be interested in that lowly crowd."

Judge Dee angrily blew his nose. It had always struck him as unjust that people in general considered the stage as a dishonourable profession, and actors and actresses more or less as outcasts. He had expected from the abbot a more humane attitude. He said: "In my opinion actors perform a useful task. They provide at low cost suitable amusement for the common people and thereby enliven their often drab lives. Moreover, the historical plays acquaint the people with our great national past. An advantage, by the way, which your mystery plays are lacking."

The abbot said stiffly: "Our mystery plays bear an allegorical rather than a historical character. They are meant to promulgate the Truth, and can therefore in no way be compared to common theatricals." To take the edge off his remark he added with a smile: "Yet I hope that Your Honour won't find them lacking entirely in historical interest. The masks and costumes used were made over a hundred years ago in this monastery: they are valuable antiques. Allow me to lead Your Honour to the hall now. The performance has been going on since noon today, and now they are at the last scenes. Later a simple, meagre meal will be served in the refectory. I hope that Your Honour will graciously consent to take part in it."

Judge Dee hardly enjoyed the prospect of sitting in on an official banquet, but as the magistrate of the district where the monastery was located he couldn't possibly refuse.

"I accept with the greatest pleasure!" he replied jovially. They rose and the abbot led him to the door.

When they were outside the abbot quickly looked up and down the semi-obscure corridor. He seemed relieved at seeing it completely deserted. He politely led the judge to a high double door.