The Willow Pattern

III

The girl clutched the guitar to her bare bosom, and screamed a second time. The black hood of the first man fell back, showing his red, bloated face, marked by large blue spots. Raising his long arms in the black, flapping sleeves he made to swoop down on her. Frantically she looked up and down the narrow, dimly lit street. Suddenly the second hooded figure grabbed the other's sleeve. A spare man clad in a costly robe of blue brocade had come round the corner. The two black shapes melted away in the shadows of the narrow side-alley.

She rushed up to the man in blue.

'They had the sickness! I saw his horrible face!'

He patted her back with his long, slim hand. There was an amused smile on his pale face, marked by a jet-black moustache and a short goatee. On his head he wore a square cap of black gauze.

'Don't be afraid, my dear,' he spoke in a pleasant, sooth­ing voice. 'With me you are safe.'

She burst out in sobs. He took in her loose jacket of patched green brocade, hanging open in front, and her long, pleated skirt of faded black silk. Then he tucked the flat box of red pigskin he was carrying in his bosom and said:

'Calm yourself. I am a doctor, you know.'

The girl wiped her face and now for the first time gave him a good look. He seemed a nice gentleman, who carried himself well despite his narrow, slightly bent shoulders.

'I am sorry, sir. I thought I would be safe here, so near to the Governor's palace. I had already had such a terrible fright, tonight. ... I was just getting my spirits back, and singing a little song, when those two horrible scavengers ...'

'You should be more careful,' the other said softly. 'That's a bad bruise there on your left breast.'

She quickly pulled her jacket close.

'It ... it's nothing,' she stammered.

'We shall put some ointment on it. I'll look after you, my dear. You are very young, aren't you? About sixteen, I guess?'

She nodded. 'Thank you very much, sir. Now I'd better go and ...'

He quickly stepped up to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. Bending close to her he said:

'You have a sweet little face, you know.' She drew back but he put his arm round her shoulders. 'No, no, you'll come with me, dearie. Trust Doctor Lew to treat you well! I live quite near, and I'll pay you in silver ... perhaps!’

She pushed him away.

'Leave me alone! I am not a streetwalker, I am a ...'

'Don't let us get prudish all of a sudden, my dear,' he said sharply.

She tried to shake him off. The front of her jacket came apart again. 'Let me go!’ she cried out.

He took a firm hold on her collar with his left hand, and with the other squeezed her breast viciously. She uttered a piercing scream of pain.

Iron boots resounded on the cobblestones. A clipped voice shouted:

'Hey there! What's going on here?'

The doctor quickly let the girl go. After one brief glance at the huge man with the spiked helmet, she tightened her grip on the guitar, gathered her long skirt and scurried away. Through the slit skirt Chiao Tai got a glimpse of her bare thigh.

'Can't a doctor go quietly about his duties?' the spare man asked angrily. I thought those filthy creatures from the gutter were not allowed to roam the streets, officer!’

A MEETING IN A DARK STREET

Chiao Tai looked over his shoulder at the two palace guards that had accompanied him and gave them a sign to go back to the gate. Then he hooked his thumbs in his swordbelt and gave the doctor an appraising look.

'Name please!’ he ordered curtly.

'I am Doctor Lew, I live on the east side of this quarter. I ought to report that woman bothering me, but since I am in a hurry I ...'

'Doctor Lew you said, eh? Well, that's fine. The Lord Chief Justice wants to see you.'

'A great honour, colonel. Would early tomorrow morn­ing ...'

'You go up to his office right now, doctor.'

'I am on my way to see a patient, sir. He may have got the disease, and he is a very important man. He ...'

'They are dying like rats anyway, important or not. Follow me!'