The Monkey and the Tiger

'This means that I can set your father free at once, and arrest you as suspect in his stead! For you have just proved beyond doubt that, whereas your father could not have committed the murder, you yourself had every opportunity!'

The youngster stared dumbfounded at the judge.

'I didn't do it!' he burst out. 'I can prove it! I have a witness who ...'

'Just as I thought! You weren't alone. A young man like you doesn't go out for a solitary walk in the forest at night. It's only when you have reached a riper age that you discover that enjoyment. Speak up, who was the girl?'

'My mother's chambermaid,' the young man replied with a red face. 'We can't see much of each other inside the house, of course. So we meet now and then in the hut, down the slope. She can bear out my statement that we went into the forest together, but she can't give more information about the people I saw, because I was walking ahead and she didn't see them.' Giving the judge a shy look he added:

'We plan to get married, sir. But if my father knew that we ...'

'All right. Go to the chancery, and let the senior clerk take down your statement. I shall use it only if absolutely necessary. You may go!'

As the youngster made to take his leave, Tao Gan asked:

'Could that smaller figure you saw have been a girl?'

Young Leng scratched his head.

'Well, I couldn't see them very well, you know. Now that you ask me, however ... Yes, it might have been a woman, I think.'

As soon as young Leng had gone, Tao Gan began excitedly:

'Everything is clear now, sir! I ...'

Judge Dee raised his hand.

'One moment, Tao Gan. We must deal with this complicated case methodically. I shall first tell you the result of my routine check. First, that clerk of Leng's is a disgusting specimen. Close questioning proved that, after he had seen the girl place the ring on the counter, Leng told him to make himself scarce. Other customers came in between them, and later he only saw the girl snatch up the ring and go out. The whispering bit he made up, in order to prove that his boss is a lecher. And as to his boss being guilty of tax-evasion, he could only quote vague rumours. I dismissed the fellow with the reminder that there's a law on slander, and sent for the master of the Bankers' Guild. He told me that Mr Leng is a very wealthy man who likes to do himself well. He is not averse to a bit of double-dealing, and one has to look sharp when doing business with him, but he is careful to keep on the right side of the law. He travels a lot, however, passing much of his time in the neighbouring district of Chiang-pei; and the guildmaster did not, of course, know anything about his activities there. Second, Leng did indeed have a heavy drinking bout with his friend the goldsmith. Third, the headman has located two of the young hoodlums who jeered at Leng. They said that this was obviously the first time Leng had seen the old tramp, and that no girl was mentioned during their quarrel. Leng did push the old man, but he was on his feet again directly after Leng had been carried off in his chair. He stood there cursing Leng for a blasted tyrant, then he walked off. Finally, those boys made one curious remark. They said that the old man didn't speak like a tramp at all, he used the language of a gentleman. I had planned to ask Mr Wang whether Mr Leng was really drunk when he came home, but after what his son told us just now, that doesn't seem necessary any more.'

The judge emptied his teacup, then added: 'Tell me now how it went down town!'

'I must first tell you, sir, that young Leng questioned the guards thoroughly about the discovery of the body in the hut, prior to seeing you. However, that seems immaterial now, for I have proof that he did not make up the story about the two people he saw in the forest.'

Judge Dee nodded.

'I didn't think he was lying. The boy impressed me as very honest. Much better than that father of his!'

'The people he saw must have been a gangster called Seng Kiu, and his sister — a remarkably beautiful young girl. The Chief of the Beggars directed me to the inn where they were staying, together with another plug-ugly called Chang. There was a fourth man, but he had left. I heard Seng Kiu scolding his sister for having spoiled what he called "the affair of Uncle Twan", and for having failed to obtain his emerald ring. Evidently that Uncle Twan is our dead tramp. All three are from another district, but they know a gangster boss called the Baker here. I had them locked up in jail, all three of them.'

'Excellent!' Judge Dee exclaimed. 'How did you get them here so quickly?'

'Oh,' Tao Gan replied vaguely, 'I told them a story about easy money to be made here, and they came along gladly. As to my theory about Mr Leng, sir, you were quite right in calling it premature! Leng had nothing to do with the murder. It was pure coincidence that the gangsters crossed his path twice. First when the girl wanted the ring appraised, and the second time when the old tramp took offence at Leng's high-handed way of dealing with the young hoodlums.'

The judge made no comment. He pensively tugged at his moustache. Suddenly he said:

'I don't like coincidences, Tao Gan. I admit they do occur, now and then. But I always begin by distrusting them. By the way, you said that Seng Kiu mentioned a gangster boss called the Baker. Before I interrogate him, I want you to ask our headman what he knows about that man.'

While Tao Gan was gone, the judge poured himself another cup from the tea basket on his desk. He idly wondered how his lieutenant had managed to get those three gangsters to the tribunal. 'He was remarkably vague when I asked him,' he told himself with a wry smile. 'Probably he has been acting the part of confidence man again — his old trade! Well, as long as it is in a good cause ...'

Tao Gan came back.

'The headman knew the Baker quite well by name, sir. But he is not of this town; the scoundrel is a notorious gangster boss in our neighbouring district, Chiang-pei. That means that Seng Kiu is from there too.'

'And our friend Mr Leng often stays there,' the judge said slowly. 'We are getting too many coincidences for my liking, Tao Gan! Well, I shall interrogate those people separately, beginning with Seng Kiu. Tell the headman to take him to the mortuary — without showing him the dead body, of course. I'll go there presently.'

When Judge Dee came in he saw the tall figure of Seng Kiu standing between two constables, in front of the table on which the corpse was lying, covered by the reed mat. There hung a sickly smell in the bare room. The judge reflected that it wouldn't do to leave the body there too long, in this hot weather. He folded the mat back and asked Seng Kiu:

'Do you know this man?'

'Holy Heaven, that's him!' Seng shouted.

Judge Dee folded his arms in his wide sleeves. He spoke harshly:

'Yes, that's the dead body of the old man you cruelly did to death.'

The gangster burst out in a string of curses. The constable on his right hit him over his head with his heavy club. 'Confess!' he barked at him. The blow didn't seem to bother the giant much. He just shook his head, then shouted:

'I didn't kill him! The old fool was still alive and kicking when he left the inn last night!'

'Who was he?'

'A rich fool, called Twan Mou-tsai. Owned a big drugstore, in the capital.'

'A rich drug dealer? What was his business with you?'

'He was gone on my sister, the silly old goat! He wanted to join us!'

'Don't try to foist your stupid lies on me, my friend!' Judge Dee said coldly. The constable hit out at Seng Kiu's head again, but he ducked expertly and blurted out:

'It's the truth, I swear it! He was crazy about my sister! Even wanted to pay for being allowed to join us! But my sister, the silly wench, she wouldn't take one copper from him. And look at the trouble the stubborn little strumpet has got us in now! A murder, if you please!'