That was the beginning of a drinking bout that was talked about in that quarter for many months afterwards.

Woo complained that he was far behind the others. He emptied half a jar of strong white liquor in a rice bowl, and drank it down in one gulp. The wine had as little effect on him as if it had been water.

Then he shared a pint with Ma Joong, and told a long but very amusing story.

Ma Joong began to notice the influence of the wine. He racked his brain and told a rowdy tale. With some difficulty he reached the end of his narration.

Woo shouted his approval. He emptied three cups in rapid succession., Then he pushed his turban back from his forehead, placed his elbows on the table and started to tell a string of queer stories about events in the capital, pausing only to drink some more.

THE DRINKING BOUT IN THE ETERNAL SPRING WINE SHOP

This he did with great relish, emptying his cup always in one draught.

Ma Joong kept him faithful company. He thought vaguely that Woo was a very companiable man. He remembered that he wanted to ask him something but could not think what it was. Ma Joong proposed another round.

The two loafers were the first to pass out. The proprietor had them carried home by some friends of the neighbourhood. Ma Joong concluded that he was getting very drunk. He started to tell a spicy story but somehow or other he got mixed up when he approached the end. Woo emptied another cup and told a ribald joke that made the proprietor howl with mirth. The point of the tale had escaped Ma Joong but he still thought it a remarkably funny one and laughed loudly. He drank another toast to Woo.

Woo's face had turned red and perspiration trickled down his brow. He took off his turban and threw it in a corner.

From that moment on the conversation was very confused. Ma Joong and Woo talked both at the same time. They paused only for clapping their hands and drinking more.

It was past midnight when Woo announced that he wanted to go to bed. He rose with difficulty from his chair and succeeded in reaching the bottom of the stairs, all the time haranguing Ma Joong about their eternal friendship. As the proprietor helped Woo to climb up Ma Joong reflected that the wine shop was a very pleasant and hospitable place. He quietly slid to the floor and immediately started to snore uproariously.

The next morning when Tao Gan was crossing the main courtyard on his way to the judge's private office, he saw Ma Joong sitting hunched on a stone seat, his head in his hands.

Tao Gan stood still and looked for a moment at this silent figure. Then he asked:

"What is wrong with you, my friend?"

Ma Joong made a vague gesture with his right hand. Without looking up he said in a hoarse voice:

"Go away, brother, I am resting. Last night I had a few drinks with Woo. Since it had grown late I decided to stay overnight in that wine shop, hoping that I would learn more about Woo's activities. I walked back here half an hour ago."

Tao Gan gave him a doubtful look. Then he said impatiently:

"Come along! You must hear my report to His Excellency and see what I have brought here!"

As he spoke he showed Ma Joong a small package wrapped up in oil paper.

Ma Joong reluctantly rose from his seat. They left the courtyard and entered Judge Dee's private office.

The judge was sitting behind his desk absorbed in a document. Sergeant Hoong was sitting in a corner sipping his morning tea. Judge Dee looked up from his papers.

"Well, my friends", he said, "did our painter go out last night?"

Ma Joong rubbed his big hand over his forehead.

"Your Honour", he said unhappily, "my head feels as if it were full of stones. Tao Gan will be able to present our report!"

Judge Dee shot a searching look at Ma Joong's gaunt features. Then he turned to listen to Tao Gan.

Tao Gan related in detail how he had followed Woo to the "Hermitage of the Three Treasures", and about his curious behaviour there.

When he had finished, Judge Dee remained silent for a while, a deep frown furrowing his brow. Then he exclaimed:

"So the girl did not turn up!"

Sergeant Hoong and Tao Gan looked astonished and even Ma Joong evinced some interest.

The judge took the picture that Woo had given him. He rose and unrolled it on the desk, placing a paper weight on either end.

Then Judge Dee took a few sheets of writing paper and covered the picture up in such a way that only the face of the goddess Kwan Yin was visible.

"Look carefully at this face!", he ordered.

Tao Gan and the sergeant rose. They bent their heads over the picture. Ma Joong was going to leave his footstool also but he sat down again quickly with a look of pain.

Tao Gan said slowly:

"This certainly is an unusual face for a goddess, Your Honour! Buddhist female deities are always depicted with a serene, quite impersonal face. This, however, rather seems a portrait of a living young girl!"

Judge Dee looked pleased.

"That is exactly what it is!", he exclaimed. "Yesterday when I looked over Woo's pictures it struck me that all his paintings of Kwan Yin show the same, very human face.

I concluded that Woo must be deeply in love with a certain girl. Her image is continually in his mind. Thus whenever he paints a female deity he gives it the features of this girl, probably without realizing it himself. Since Woo undoubtedly is a great artist, this picture must be a good portrait of that mysterious girl. It shows a definite personality.

I am convinced that this girl is the explanation why Woo did not leave Lan-fang. She may provide the clue that links him with the murder of General Ding!"

"It should not be too difficult to trace this girl", Sergeant Hoong observed. "We might have a look around in the neighbourhood of that Buddhist temple."

"That", Judge Dee said, "is a very good idea. All three of you will imprint this picture on your memory!"

Ma Joong rose with a groan and had a look at the picture too.

He pressed his hands against his temples and closed his eyes.

"What ails our wine bibber?", Tao Gan inquired nastily.

Ma Joong opened his eyes.

"I am sure", he said slowly, "that I have met that girl once. Somehow or other her face is familiar to me. But try as I may I cannot remember when and where I saw her!"

Judge Dee rolled the scroll up again.

"Well", he said, "when your head is clear it may come to your mind. Now what have you brought there, Tao Gan? "

Tao Gan opened the package with great care. It contained a wooden board with a small square sheet of paper pasted on its surface.

He put it in front of the judge saying:

"Your Honour please be careful! The thin paper is still moist and will easily tear. Early this morning as I was peeling off the lining of the Governor's painting, I discovered this sheet pasted behind the lining of the brocade mounting. This is the testament of Governor Yoo!"

The judge bent forward over the small writing.

Then his face fell. He leaned back in his chair and angrily tugged at his whiskers.

Tao Gan shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, Your Honour, appearances often prove deceptive. That Mrs. Yoo has been trying to fool us."

The judge pushed the board over to Tao Gan.

"Read it aloud!" he ordered curtly.

Tao Gan read:

"I, Yoo Shou-chien, feeling the end of my days draw near, hereunder state my last will and testament.