"I'll consult our files about that case," Judge Dee said.

"Oh, Your Honor won't find anything about it in the dossiers," Han said quickly. "Fortunately, the case has never been before the tribunal. We, the notables of Han-yuan, have heard the persons concerned and settled the case, together with the Rector of the School. We deem it our duty, Your Honor, to spare the authorities unnecessary work."

"So I noticed!" the judge remarked dryly. He rose and thanked Han for his kind reception. When Han was conducting him to his palanquin the judge reflected that this interview didn't seem to have laid the foundation for a lasting friendship.

When Judge Dee had ascended his palanquin the bearers told him that the Councilor's house was just around the corner. He hoped that this interview would prove more profitable than that he had just had with Han Yung-han. Councilor Liang, an outsider in Han-yuan like himself, would not be obsessed by Han's scruples about supplying information on the citizens of Han-yuan.

The Councilor's house had an imposing gate. The two heavy pillars that flanked the double doors were carved with an intricate pattern of clouds and fabulous birds.

In the front courtyard, overshadowed by old trees, a young man with a long, sad face came to welcome the high guest. He introduced himself as Liang Fen, the Councilor's nephew, who acted as his secretary. He began elaborate excuses for the Councilor not coming out to bid the magistrate welcome in person. Judge Dee cut him short, saying:

"I know that His Excellency is in poor health. I would never have dared to importune him were it not that I have to discuss with him urgent official business."

The secretary bowed deeply and led the judge into a broad, semiobscure corridor. There were no servants in evidence.

When they were about to cross a small garden, Liang Fen suddenly halted in his steps. Nervously rubbing his hands together, he said:

"I realize this is quite irregular, Your Honor. I deeply regret that I have to put forward this request in such an abrupt manner… Would Your Honor deign to grant me the opportunity for a brief private conversation, after the interview with my master? I am in great difficulties. I really don't know-"

LIANG FEN WELCOMES JUDGE DEE

He didn't manage to conclude his sentence. The judge gave him a searching look, then nodded his assent. The young man seemed greatly relieved. He led the judge across the garden to a large porch, and opened a heavy door. "His Excellency shall presently make his appearance!" he announced. Then he stepped back, and closed the door noiselessly behind him.

Judge Dee blinked his eyes. The spacious room was pervaded by a dim, diffuse light; at first he could discern only a white square in the back wall. It proved to be a low, broad window, pasted over with a grayish paper.

He advanced gingerly over the thick carpet, afraid of barking his shins against a piece of furniture. But when his eyes had got adjusted to the darkness, he saw that his fear had been unfounded. The room was sparsely furnished: next to a high desk in front of the window with a large armchair behind it, the only furniture consisted of four high-backed chairs against a side wall, underneath a set of well-stocked bookshelves. The nearly empty room breathed a curious, desolate atmosphere, as if no one really lived there.

Noticing a large goldfish bowl of colored porcelain that stood on a stand of carved blackwood next to the desk, the judge stepped up to it.

"Sit down!" a strident voice screeched suddenly.

Judge Dee stumbled backward.

There were shrill sounds of laughter that came from the window. Perplexed, he looked in that direction. Then he smiled. He now saw a small cage of silver wire, suspended by the side of the window. Inside a myna bird was hopping up and down excitedly, fluttering its wings.

The judge went over to it. He tapped on the silver cage and said reprovingly:

"You gave me quite a fright, you naughty bird!"

"Naughty bird!" the myna squeaked. He cocked his small smooth head, and peered shrewdly at the judge with one glittering eye. "Sit down!" he screeched again.

"Yes, yes!" said the judge. "But I'll first have a look at those goldfish if I may!"

When he bent over the bowl, half a dozen small black-and-gold fish with long trailing tails and fins came to the surface, and looked solemnly up at him with their large protruding eyes.

"I am sorry I have no food for you!" Judge Dee said. He saw in the middle of the bowl a small statue of the Flower Fairy, raised above the water on a pedestal in the shape of a piece of rock. The statue was delicately molded in colored porcelain; the smiling face of the goddess had daintily rouged cheeks and her straw hat seemed real. Judge Dee stretched out his hand to touch it, but the goldfish started an indignant uproar and splashed around near the surface in great excitement. The judge knew how highly strung these costly, carefully bred small creatures were and was afraid that thrashing about as they were they would damage their long fins. Therefore he quickly went over to the bookshelves.

Then the door opened and Liang Fen came in with an old, bent man leaning on his arm. The judge made a deep bow and stood waiting respectfully while the secretary led his master, step by step, to the armchair. While leaning with his left hand^-on the young man's arm, the Councilor supported himself with his right on a long crooked staff of red-lacquered wood. He was clad in a wide robe of stiff brown brocade; on his large head he wore a high cap of black gauze with an inwoven gold-thread pattern. On his forehead he had a black eyeshade in the shape of a moon sickle, so that the judge could not see his eyes. He was impressed by the heavy, gray mustache and long whiskers, and the full white beard that covered the old man's breast in three thick strands. As the old Councilor let himself down slowly into the armchair behind the desk, the myna bird started to flutter in its silver cage. "Five thousand, cash!" it screeched suddenly. The old man made a move with his head. The secretary quickly hung his handkerchief over the cage.

The Councilor put his elbows on the table and let his large head hang forward. The stiff brocade stood out on both sides of his shoulders like two wings; as the judge saw his hunched shape outlined against the window it resembled that of a huge bird of prey come to roost. But his voice was weak and indistinct as he mumbled:

"Take a seat, Dee! I presume you are the son of my colleague, the late State Councilor Dee, eh?"

"Indeed, Excellency!" the judge answered respectfully. He sat down on the edge of one of the chairs against the wall. Liang Fen remained standing by his master's side.

"I am ninety, Dee!" the Councilor resumed. "Bad eyes, rheumatism… But what can one expect, at my age?"

His chin sank down deeper on his breast.

"This person," Judge Dee began, "offers his humble excuses for daring to disturb Your Excellency. I shall state my business as succinctly as possible. I find myself confronted with two baffling criminal cases. Your Excellency is doubtless aware of the fact that the citizens of Han-yuan are not very communicative. They-"

He saw that Liang Fen frantically shook his head at him. The young man came over to him quickly and whispered:

"The Councilor has fallen asleep! He is often taken that way of late; he will now sleep for hours on end. We'd better go to my study; I'll warn the servants."