Necklace and Calabash

XXII

Entering the pine forest, Judge Dee felt the warm rays of the sun on his back. He realized it was getting on for noon. Deeply inhaling the bracing air, he reflected that this was a nice change after the hectic, hothouse atmosphere of the Water Palace. Squar­ing his shoulders, he thought proudly of the Dragon Throne, unsullied by infamous insinuations. There would always be all kinds of intrigues in the palace — it was an unavoidably weak point in the administration of this great country. But as long as the top remained sound, all was well under Heaven. He rode along, the hoofs of his horse treading noiselessly on the thick layer of pine-needles covering the road.

Suddenly he reined in his horse. Master Gourd came riding round the bend, hunched up on his donkey, his crutches across its rump. The calabash was hanging from his belt by a red-tasselled cord. Halting his mount, the old man surveyed the judge from under his tufted eyebrows.

'Glad to see you wearing that skull-cap, magistrate. I knew that a scrap of yellow paper with a blob of red ink on it couldn't change your nature. Where's your calabash?'

'I left it at the Kingfisher. I am very glad to meet you once more before leaving Rivertown, Master Gourd.'

'This is the third time and the last, magistrate. Just like nature, man's life revolves in cycles. For one brief moment yours and mine touched. What's the news from the palace?'

'I returned your daughter's necklace. I expect her betrothal to Colonel Kang will be announced in the near future. Who are you, Master Gourd?'

'Were, rather,' the old man said gruffly. 'Since you know so much, you may as well know this too. Many years ago I was a general. When I went north for the Tartar war, I left my secret sweetheart behind, carrying my child under her heart. I was severely wounded in our last battle: my horse was killed under me, crushing my legs. I became a prisoner of the Tartar bar­barians; for fifteen long years I was their meanest slave. That made me realize the emptiness of worldly power. I would have killed myself, but thinking of her made me cling to life, miserable as it was. When I succeeded in escaping and returned to China, my sweetheart was dead. She had been elected Imperial Consort just after I had left, and in due time had borne a daughter. My daughter, as you correctly surmised. She was recorded as the Emperor's own child, because the eunuchs feared to be punished for not having ascertained she was a virgin upon entering the harem. That, magistrate, showed me the emptiness of worldly love. Thus I became a vagrant monk, with only one link left with this world, namely my concern for my daughter's happiness.' He paused, then added, reluctantly, 'My name was Ou-yang Pei-han.'

THE LAST MEETING WITH MASTER GOURD

Judge Dee nodded slowly. He had heard of the famous, dashing general. His death in battle had been mourned by the entire nation. Twenty-five years ago.

The old man resumed:

'A gourd becomes useful only after it has been emptied. For then its dry rind may serve as a container. The same goes for us, magistrate. It's only after we have been emptied of all our vain hopes, all our petty desires and cherished illusions, that we can be useful to others. Perhaps you'll realize this later, magis­trate, when you are older. Well, when I met you in the forest, I recognized you, for I had heard it said that we resemble each other, and I sensed the force of your personality. It so happened that the gourds we were carrying formed the first link between us, establishing our relationship of travelling-doctor and vagrant monk in a spontaneous, quite natural manner. And so, although I firmly believe in non-action, I thought that in this case I might as well forge the second link of a chain of cause and effect, and I advised my daughter to summon you. Then I just let events take their course. And now you had better forget me, magistrate. Until you remember me, sometime. For although to the unknow­ing I am but a bronze mirror against which they dash their heads, to the wise I am a door through which they may pass in or out.' He clicked his tongue, and the donkey ambled on.

The judge looked after the departing figure till it had dis­appeared among the trees. Then he rode back to Rivertown.

He found the hall of the Kingfisher deserted. Hearing voices from behind the lattice screen, he walked round it and saw Captain Siew sitting at the innkeeper's desk, writing busily and at the same time talking to Fern who stood by his chair. Siew quickly came to his feet.

'Helping Miss Fern a bit with all the paper-work, sir,' he said, a little self-consciously. 'Lots of forms to be filled out, you know, and I thought ...'

'Excellent idea. I want to thank you for your trust, and your loyal help, Siew. Sorry I didn't get round to drafting for you a control-system for unwanted visitors.'

The captain looked embarrassed.

'Of course, sir. I mean, I shouldn't have ...' He floundered, then went on quickly, 'Your two lieutenants have arrived, sir! When they came to register, I told them to go to the Nine Clouds. I'll just make sure!’ He rushed to the hall.

Fern gave the judge a cold look.

'You and your three wives! For heaven's sake! As an Imperial envoy, you must have a whole harem, chock-full of women!’

'I am not an envoy but a simple district magistrate, and I have indeed three wives,' the judge said quietly. 'Sorry that I couldn't reveal to you earlier that I was obliged to act a doctor's part.'

She was smiling again.

'We had two nice trips on the river, anyway!’ she said.

Captain Siew came back.

'Saw them standing in the hall of the Nine Clouds, sir!’

'Good. I'll take my noon rice there with them, then travel on. I wish you much happiness. Both of you.'

He quickly went out into the street again.

In the front hall of the Nine Clouds, the portly host was lean­ing against the counter, his face green, his pudgy hands clutching his paunch. He gave the judge a reproachful look. Judge Dee took a brush from the holder on the counter, and jotted down a recipe. Pushing it over to the fat man, he said:

'This is gratis. Take this medicine after each meal, eat often but only a little at a time. Avoid wine, and fat and peppery dishes. And abstain from sweets!’

He found Ma Joong and Chiao Tai in the restaurant. They had sat down at a window-table and were cracking melon seeds. The two tall men jumped up, broad grins on their sun-tanned faces.

'We had two hectic days, sir! Slept in the woods!’ Ma Joong shouted. 'Killed two boars, huge fellows. Hope you had a good rest, sir! How did your fishing go?'

'Not too bad. I caught a fine river perch.'

Chiao Tai surveyed Judge Dee's haggard face with a worried look. He thought his master needed a drink. Knowing Judge Dee's abstemious habits, however, he said after some hesitation:

'What about joining us in a small cup or two, sir?' As the judge nodded, Chiao Tai shouted at the waiter: 'Two large jars of the best!'

The judge sat down. Over his shoulder he told the waiter:

'Make it three.'