The Red Pavilion

'No!' Ma Joong said with conviction.

'Exactly what your boss gave me to understand! Well, there you are. If only I had the money, I would have bought this fine girl out and settled down with her in some small place. We'd be satisfied if we had enough for our daily bowl of rice, and a small jug of wine now and then. And the money for that I can always earn by becoming a schoolmaster.'

'A schoolmaster!' Ma Joong exclaimed with a shudder.

'He is wonderful as a teacher!' Silver Fairy said proudly. 'He explained a very difficult poem to me. He is so patient!'

Ma Joong gave the pair a thoughtful look.

'Well,' he said slowly, 'suppose now that I could arrange something for you two. Will you, Mr Poet, promise to take this girl back to her native village and marry her properly there?'

'Of course! But what are you talking about, my friend? Only this afternoon you advised me to marry Miss Feng, then to . . .'

'Ha!' Ma Joong shouted hastily. 'I was only testing you then, young man! We officers of the tribunal, we are deep fellows, I tell you! We always know more than you'd think! Of course I knew all along about you and this wench — tested her too, in a manner of speaking. Now then, I was very lucky at the tables here. Since she is from my own village and since she likes you, I decided this afternoon to buy her out for you.' He pulled the receipts from his sleeve and gave them to Silver Fairy. Then he took the red package with the silver and threw that to the youngster. 'And here are travelling funds and something to get yourself started as a schoolmaster. Don't say no, you fool, there's plenty more where that came from! Good luck!'

He got up and quickly left.

When he was down in the hall, Silver Fairy came running after him.

'Ma Joong!' she panted. 'You are wonderful! May I call you elder brother?'

'Always!' he said jovially. Then he frowned and added: 'By the way, my boss the judge is interested in your young man. I don't think it's anything serious, but don't leave the island until noon tomorrow. If you haven't heard from me before then, you can start travelling!'

As he opened the door she quickly stepped up close to him, and said:

'I am so glad that you knew all the time about Kia and me! When you came in just now I was just a little bit worried, elder brother. For when you . . . tested me over at the Widow Wang's, I really thought for a moment that you might have fallen in love with me, you know! '

Ma Joong guffawed.

'Don't give yourself ideas, little sister! Fact is that when I do a thing, I like to do it proper, putting in all the trimmings, so to speak!'

'You naughty rascal!' she said, pouting.

He slapped her behind and walked off.

Sauntering down the street he found to his astonishment that he really didn't know whether he was glad or sad. He shook his sleeves and found them very light; he discovered that he had only a few coppers left. Not enough for any of the varied pleasures offered by Paradise Island. He thought about taking a good walk in the park, but his head felt heavy. Better go to bed early. He entered the first doss-house he saw, and invested his coppers in one night's lodging.

He stepped out of his boots, loosened his sash and stretched himself out on his back on the common plank-bed, between two snoring loafers. His head on his folded hands, he stared up at the cracked ceiling, covered with cobwebs.

It struck him that he had a queer way of spending his nights on the gay Paradise Island. First on the floor of an attic, then on a plank-bed at five coppers. 'Must have been that confounded Soul-changing Bridge I crossed coming here!' he muttered. Then he resolutely closed his eyes and told himself sternly:

'Go to sleep . . . elder brother!'

XVIII

After Judge Dee had drunk several cups of tea, the old clerk came in and announced that the warden's palankeen had arrived in the front courtyard. The judge rose and went to meet Feng and Jade Ring in the corridor.

'My apologies for disturbing you so late in the night! ' he addressed his visitors briskly. 'Again new facts have been brought to my attention. I trust that a discussion thereof will considerably simplify our pending problems.'

He led them into the sitting-room and insisted that also Jade Ring take a seat at the table. Feng Dai's face was as inscrutable as ever, but there was anxiety in his daughter's large eyes. Judge Dee himself poured out tea for the guests, then he asked Feng:

'Did you hear that this afternoon two of your men were attacked by a band of ruffians?'

'I did, sir. The attack was organized by hooligans from over the river, to avenge three of their gang who had been killed by my special constables during a recent hold-up. I deeply regret that Your Honour's lieutenant was attacked too.'

'He doesn't mind, he is accustomed to such frays. Likes them even.' Turning to the girl, he asked: 'Could you tell me, just to put the record straight, how you entered this room the other night?'

She cast a quick look at the closed veranda door.

'I'll show you,' she said rising.

The judge got up and took her arm as she made for the door. He said:

'Don't bother! Since you came through the park, you went up on the veranda by the broad steps in the middle, I suppose?'

'Yes.' Then she bit her lips as she saw that her father's face had suddenly grown pale.

'Just as I had thought!' Judge Dee said sternly. 'Let's stop this comedy, shall we? The only steps the veranda has are at the right and left ends. You were never here, young girl. This afternoon, when I started questioning your father, you took your cue from my opening remarks about the Academician desiring you, and your father having been seen here on the night of his death. You are very clever, you made up a tale on the spot about his trying to rape you here and your killing him—all because you thought that the story would save your father.'

Seeing that the red-faced girl was on the verge of tears, he continued in a more gentle voice: 'Your story was partly true, of course. The Academician did indeed make an attempt at raping you. But not three days ago, and not here in this sitting-room. It all happened ten days ago, and on board the boat. The bruises you so obligingly showed me had become discoloured; they could hardly have been of such recent origin. Your description of your struggle with the man wasn't very convincing either. If a strong man sees the girl he is assaulting grabbing a dagger, he'll of course try to wrest that weapon from her and not go on embracing her, dagger and all. And you forgot also that it was the right jugular vein that was cut. That points to suicide rather than to murder. But, apart from those slips, you made up a nice story, I must say!'

Jade Ring burst out in sobs. Feng gave her a worried look, then he said in a tired voice:

'It's all my fault, Your Honour. She was only trying to help me. When you seemed to believe her story, I couldn't bring up the courage to tell you the truth. I didn't kill that wretched Academician, but I realize that I'll have to stand trial for his murder. For I was indeed in the Red Pavilion that night. I. . .'

'No,' the judge interrupted, 'you won't be tried for murdering him. I have proof that the Academician did indeed commit suicide. Your interfering with the dead body served to emphasize the fact that he had killed himself. I presume that you came here that night in order to ask him for an explanation of his plotting against you, together with the curio-dealer?'

'Yes, Your Honour. My men had reported to me that Wen Yuan would have a box containing a large amount of money smuggled into my house. Then the Academician would warn the provincial authorities that I was submitting wrong tax-declarations. When I denied it, the money would be "found" in my house. Since, in my opinion . . .'