"My father was a very conscientious man, Your Honour," the poet said apologetically. "He wouldn't dream of taking any official steps before he had ascertained all the facts. Since during his visits to the monastery Jade Mirror had never referred to those matters, and since the abbot was over seventy, he reckoned with the possibility that the old man was perhaps seeing things that weren't there. His mind was none too clear, sometimes. My father thought nothing ought to be done before Jade Mirror's vague allegations had been verified. He didn't even want to consult Master Sun without tangible proof. Unfortunately my father fell ill just at that time, and he died before he could do anything about it. But on his death-bed he enjoined me to go and make discreet inquiries here."
Tsung Lee heaved a sigh, then went on: "After my father's demise I was fully occupied for several months with putting the family affairs in order. I am the eldest son, you know. Then there arose a complicated dispute about some land we own, and the lawsuit dragged on for months. Thus one year passed by before I could come here and start my investigation. I have been at it now for two weeks, but I can't say I have made any progress. Three girls died here, but as you doubtless know, these deaths had a natural explanation. There's not the slightest indication that those young women were used for any unholy experiments. As regards the death of Jade Mirror, I was hampered in my work by the fact that the area north of the temple is closed to visitors. And I wanted especially to visit the crypt to have a look at the papers the dead abbot left. At last I decided I would try to frighten the abbot, in the forlorn hope that if he were guilty he would give himself away, or take some imprudent steps against me. Hence my poem about the ‘deadly shades of night,' and about the two abbots. You'll have noticed, sir, that the abbot was very annoyed."
"So was I," Judge Dee remarked dryly, "and I haven't the murder of an abbot on my conscience. That doesn't mean anything." He thought for a moment, then resumed: "During the banquet True Wisdom gave me a brief account of the manner in which the old abbot died. Tell me all you know about that!"
Tsung Lee cast a longing look at the wine cup in Judge Dee's hand.
"Give him a cup!" the judge said sourly to Tao Gan. "The wick is dry, so the lamp needs oil, it seems."
The poet gratefully took a long draught, then continued: "Since Jade Mirror's death was considered a miraculous event, all details have been placed on record, to be incorporated in the history of this monastery. About one year ago, on the sixteenth day of the eighth moon, Jade Mirror stayed in his room all morning. He was alone, and presumably he had been reading the scriptures, as he often did in the morning. He took his noon meal in the refectory, together with True Wisdom, Sun Ming, and the other monks. Thereafter he returned to his own room, together with True Wisdom, for a cup of tea. Soon after that, True Wisdom came out and told the two monks who were standing in the corridor outside that the abbot wanted to devote the afternoon to painting a picture of his cat."
"Master Sun showed me that picture," Judge Dee said. "It is hanging now in the side hall of the temple."
"Yes, sir. The old abbot was very fond of cats, and he liked painting them. True Wisdom returned to the temple. The two monks knew that the old abbot didn't like to be disturbed when he was painting. Since they were on duty that day in the abbot's quarters, they remained waiting outside his door to be on hand if he should call them. For an hour or so they heard the abbot humming some of his favourite religious chants, as was his wont when he was painting and the work got on well. Then he began to speak loudly, as if he was engaged in a dispute with someone. As his voice grew louder and louder, the monks became worried and went inside. They found the abbot sitting in his armchair, an exalted look on his face. He had left the picture lying on his desk, nearly finished. He ordered the monks to summon Master Sun, the prior, the almoner and the twelve eldest monks. He said he had an important message for them.
"When all had assembled before the abbot, he smiled happily and announced that Heaven had revealed to him a new formulation of the Truth of Tao, and that he wanted to impart that to them. Sitting upright in his chair with his cat on his lap, he then delivered with flashing eyes a very mystic sermon, couched in strange, obscure language. Later the text was published together with an extensive commentary by the Chief Abbot from the capital, who elucidated all the obscure expressions and proved that this was indeed a masterly summing up of the deepest mysteries. Sermon and commentary are now used as a basic text in all the monasteries of this province.
"The abbot spoke for more than two hours. Then suddenly he closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. His breathing became irregular, then ceased altogether. He was dead.
"All present were deeply moved. Seldom had there been so perfect an example of a Taoist adept of his own will peacefully translating himself from this world to the next. The Chief Abbot in the capital declared Jade Mirror a holy man. His body was embalmed and enshrined in the crypt with magnificent ceremonies that lasted three days and were attended by thousands of people.
"So you see, sir," Tsung Lee concluded dejectedly, "that there were more than a dozen witnesses who can attest that the old abbot died a natural death, and that he did not once refer to his life having been threatened, by True Wisdom or anybody else. I am more and more inclined to think that when the old man wrote his last letter, his mind was wandering. I told you that he was more than seventy years old, and it was known that he behaved a bit strangely, at times."
Judge Dee made no comment. He remained silent for a long while, playing with his side-whiskers. It was very quiet in the room, the only sound heard was the soft snoring of the director. At last the judge spoke: "We must remember that the old abbot suggested in his letter that True Wisdom was planning to poison someone with the seeds of the nightshade. Now our medical books state that this poison will bring the victim into a state of extreme exaltation before the coma sets in and he dies. The behaviour of the abbot during his last hours could conceivably be interpreted from this angle. The old abbot might well have ascribed his exaltation to the inspiration of Heaven, and forgotten all about his suspicions of True Wisdom. The only objection to this theory is that the abbot, before summoning the others to hear his last sermon, had been quietly working an hour or so on that picture of his cat. We shall investigate this immediately. Do you know how to get to the crypt, Tsung?"
"I studied a sketch map my father once made, Your Honour. I know the way, but I also know that all doors in the corridors leading there are kept securely locked!"
"My assistant will take care of that," Judge Dee said rising. "Mr. Kuan won't miss us. Let's be on our way!"
"Who knows whether we might not find Mo Mo-te or the one-armed girl in that closed part of the monastery!" Tao Gan said hopefully.
He took the lantern from the corner table, and they went out. Kuan was still snoring peacefully.
XIII
At this late hour the monastery was deserted. They met no one on the ground floor, or on the stairs leading to the latticed landing over the temple hall.
Judge Dee had a quick look at the passage leading to the store-room but no one was there.
Tsung Lee took them in the opposite direction, through the long passage leading to the tower on the south-west corner, where Sun Ming had his quarters. When they arrived in the small hall that gave access to the landing in front of Sun's library, Tsung Lee pulled the narrow door on the right open and went down a flight of stairs. They found themselves before a spacious portal. Pointing to the pair of high, double doors, lavishly decorated with wood carving, the poet whispered: