All his haughty airs were gone. There were pouches under his bleary eyes, and lines of strain around his mouth. He whispered hoarsely:
'I am most grateful that Your Honor came! I was kidnaped tonight, Your Honor!' He cast an anxious look at the door and the window, then added in a low voice: 'By the White Lotus!'
Judge Dee straightened up on the tabouret.
'The White Lotus!' he exclaimed incredulously. 'Stuff and nonsense! That sect was exterminated scores of years ago!'
Han slowly shook his head. Willow Down went to the table to prepare tea.
The judge gave his host a hard and wary look. The White Lotus had been a nationwide conspiracy to overthrow the Imperial House. The movement had been led by some discontented high officials who claimed that Heaven had granted them supernatural powers, and had given them to understand by certain portents that the Mandate of the Imperial House was about to be withdrawn, and that they should found a new dynasty. Great numbers of over-ambitious and wicked officials, leaders of robber bands, army deserters and ex-convicts had joined the secret society. It had ramifications all over the Empire. But their treacherous plans had leaked out, and the strong measures of the authorities had nipped the plot in the bud. The leaders had been executed, together with their entire families, and all members mercilessly prosecuted and killed. Although all this had happened during the preceding reign, the attempted rebellion had shaken the Empire to its core, and even now few people dared to mention that dangerous, dreaded name. But the judge had never heard about attempts to revive the antidynastic movement. He shrugged his shoulders and asked:
'Well, what happened?'
Willow Down offered the judge a cup of tea, then gave one to her father. Han drank greedily, then began:
'After the evening meal I often take a brief stroll in front of the Buddhist Temple, to enjoy the evening breeze. I never take an attendant with me. Tonight there were few people about there, as usual. Passing in front of the temple gate, I only met a closed palanquin, borne by six bearers. Then suddenly a thick cloth was thrown over my head from behind. Before I knew what was happening my arms had been bound on my back; I was lifted up and thrown inside the palanquin. Then my legs were tied together with a piece of rope, and the palanquin was borne away at a quick pace.
'The thick cloth prevented me from hearing anything, and I nearly suffocated. I started kicking with my bound feet against the side of the palanquin; then someone loosened the cloth a little, so that I could breathe again. I don't know how long the trip lasted; it took at least one hour, I would say. Then the palanquin was put down. Two men roughly pulled me out of it, and carried me up a flight of stairs. I heard a door open. They put me down, cut the rope round my ankles, and made me walk inside. I was pressed down into an armchair, and they took the cloth from my head.'
Han took a deep breath. Then he pursued:
'I found myself sitting at a square blackwood table in a small room. On the other side sat a man in a green robe. His head and shoulders were completely covered by a white hood, with only two slits for his eyes. Still half- dazed and stuttering, I began to protest. But the man angrily hit his fist on the table and-'
'What did his hand look like?' Judge Dee interrupted.
Han hesitated. He thought a moment, then replied:
'I really don't know, Your Honor! He was wearing thick hunting gloves. There was absolutely nothing by which I would be able to identify him; his green robe was hanging loosely around him, so that his body was just a formless shape, and the hood muffled his voice. Where was I: now? Oh, yes. He cut my protest short, saying: 'This is a warning, Han Yung-han! The other night a dancer told you something she shouldn't have told. You know what happened to her. It was very wise of you that you didn't tell the magistrate, Han, very wise! The White Lotus is powerful, as proved by our execution of your paramour Almond Blossom!' '
Han felt the bruise on his temple with his fingertips. Willow Down hurried over to him, but he shook his head and continued in a plaintive voice:
'I hadn't the faintest idea what the man was talking about, Your Honor! The dancer my paramour, forsooth! And you know yourself that during the banquet she had hardly spoken to me at all! Well, I said angrily that he was talking nonsense. He laughed; I can tell you it sounded horrible from behind the mask. He said, 'Don't lie, Han! It's no use! Shall I tell you exactly what she said to you? Listen! She said: 'I must see you later. A dangerous conspiracy is plotted in this town!'' When I looked at him, dum-founded by that nonsense, he went on with a nasty sneer: 'You have nothing to say to that, eh, Han? The White Lotus knows everything! And we are also all-powerful, as you found out tonight. Obey my command, Han, and forget what she said, all of it, and for good!' He gave a sign to someone who must have been standing behind my chair and went on: 'Help that lecher to forget, and not too gently, mind you!' I received a fearful blow on my head, and I lost consciousness.' Han heaved a deep sigh, then concluded:
'When I came to, I was lying in front of the back door of my house here. Fortunately, there was no one about. I scrambled up, and succeeded in reaching my small study here. I had my daughter called, and told her to go to Your Honor at once. But nobody must know that I reported this, Your Honor! My life is at stake! And I am convinced that the White Lotus has its spies everywhere-even inside the tribunal!'
He leaned back against the pillows, and closed his eyes.
Judge Dee pensively caressed his side whiskers. Then he asked:
'What did that room look like?'
Han opened his eyes. He frowned and seemed to think deeply. After a while he replied:
'I could see only the section that was in front of me, I have the impression that it was a small, hexagonal room. I would have thought it was a garden pavilion, but the air was much too close for that. The only other piece of furniture besides the square table was a black-lacquered cabinet against the wall, behind the chair of the hooded man. I also seem to remember that the walls were covered with faded green hangings.'
'Have you any idea,' Judge Dee asked again, 'in what direction your kidnapers took you?'
'Only some vague impression,' Han answered. 'At first I was so confused by the attack on me that I didn't pay much attention, but I am sure that generally we kept to an easterly direction. I think we descended a slope; thereafter, the last three-quarters of our way we went over level ground.'
Judge Dee rose. The wound in his side was throbbing; he was eager to go home.
'I appreciate it that you reported this matter so promptly to me,' he said. 'I am inclined to believe that somebody played a prank on you. Do you have some enemy who could have indulged in this ill-timed and wholly irresponsible practical joke?'
'I have no enemies!' Han exclaimed indignantly. 'And a prank? Let me assure you that the fellow was in dead earnest!'
'I was thinking of a practical joke,' Judge Dee said calmly, 'because I have come to the conclusion that after all it probably was one of the oarsmen who murdered the courtesan. I noticed among them one rascal who seemed very ill at ease when I heard him. I think I'd better question him in the tribunal with legal severities.'
Han's face lit up.
'Didn't I say so at once, Your Honor?' he exclaimed triumphantly. 'At the very first moment when we heard about the murder, my friends and I knew that the criminal would be found among those oarsmen! Yes, now I come to think of it I feel inclined to agree that my kidnaping was only a trick. I'll try to think who could have done me that ill turn!'
'I also shall institute a few inquiries,' the judge said. 'Very discreetly, of course. I shall keep you informed.'
Han seemed pleased. He said with a smile to his daughter:
'The doorman will be asleep already; lead His Excellency to the main gate, my girl! It isn't seemly for our magistrate to leave our house as a thief by the back door!'
He folded his pudgy hands and reclined on the pillows with a deep sigh.
Tenth Chapter
