Necklace and Calabash
- Автор: ван Гулик Роберт Ханс
- Серия: Judge Dee #15
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Другие детективы
Электронная книга - «Necklace and Calabash». Краткое содержание книги:
Due to its proximity to the Water Palace, the summer residence of the Emperor's favorite daughter, Riverton lies within a Special Area administered by the military. To Judge Dee, returning to his district of Poo-yang, the peaceful town promises a few days' fishing and relaxation. But it is not to be. A chance meeting with a Taoist recluse, a gruesome body fished out of the river, strange guests at the Kingfisher Inn, a princess in distress--before long the judge is facing one of the most intricate and baffling mysteries of his career.
The godown was empty but for a few bales piled up in a corner and a wooden bench in front of some pillars to the right. The light came from a candle in a niche in the wall. The judge turned round and saw now the leader of the ruffians. He was a hulking man as tall as himself, with a coarse face framed by a stubbly ring-beard. He carried a long sword. The two others, one wielding a pike and the second a sword, were mean-looking, powerfully built fellows. The judge went slowly to the centre of the room, watching for a chance to wrench a weapon from his captors. But they were evidently experienced men, for they kept him at a safe distance, their arms at the ready.
Master Gourd came hobbling inside, followed by the second pike-wielder. The old man made straight for the bench and sat down. Putting his crutches between his knees, he told the judge:
'Have a seat too, Doctor! You might as well be comfortable.'
Judge Dee sat down. If he made it look as if he had given up, he would stand a better chance of catching his enemies off guard. The leader was standing in front of the judge and Master Gourd; two others had taken up positions to the right and left of the bench; the fourth was standing behind Judge Dee, his sword ready. Testing the point of his sword with his thumb, the bearded leader said earnestly:
'Me and my friends want you to know that we have nothing against you two. We do what we are paid to do, because that's the only way we can make our living.'
The judge knew that this was the death sentence. Low-class scoundrels were superstitious; they always said this before killing their man, so as to prevent his ghost from haunting them afterwards and bringing them bad luck.
'We quite understand that,' Master Gourd said quietly. Then he lifted one of his crutches and pointed it at the leader with a trembling hand. 'What I don't understand is why they chose an ugly brute like you for the job!’
'I'll make you shut up, old wreck!’ the bearded man shouted angrily.
He stepped up to Master Gourd. 'First I'll...'
At that moment the crutch suddenly became steady; it shot out, and its point bored deep into the bearded man's left eye. With a howl of pain he let his sword drop. Judge Dee dived to the floor and grabbed it, the weapon of the man behind him grazing his shoulder. The judge was on his feet in a second. He turned round and drove his sword into the breast of the other, who was about to stab Master Gourd from behind. Pulling the sword out of his opponent's sagging body, the judge saw the bearded leader rush at Master Gourd, cursing obscenely. Judge Dee just had time to see Master Gourd's crutch shoot out again with lightning speed and land right in the giant's midriff, when he had to jump back and parry the blow the second swordsman aimed at his head. There was one pike-wielder left. He raised his weapon to throw it at the judge, but Master Gourd hooked the crooked end of his crutch round the man's ankle. He toppled to the floor, dropping his pike, which the old man drew towards him with a deft movement of the crutch. The bearded giant was rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach and emitting strangled sounds.
The judge found that his opponent was an experienced swordsman. He had to do his very best to counter the man's confident attack. The judge's borrowed sword lacked the fine balance of his own weapon, the great blade 'Rain Dragon', but as soon as he had become accustomed to it he drove his opponent back into a position from where he himself could keep an eye on the other two ruffians. For the moment, however, he had to concentrate on his own fight, for his opponent was executing a series of clever feints, alternated with dangerous thrusts.
When the judge had gained the advantage again, he cast a quick look at Master Gourd. The old man was still sitting on the bench, but now he had a sword in his hand. He was parrying the thrusts of his attacker with astonishing skill. The bearded giant was staggering to his feet, trying to support himself against the wall. Judge Dee's opponent was quick to utilize the moment of inattention. He penetrated Judge Dee's guard with a long thrust to the chest. Before the judge could side-step, the point of the sword grazed his forearm. It would have pierced his side, but the flat leather box which the judge had stuffed into his robe caught the blow and saved his life.
The judge stepped back, his sword shot out, and with a series of swift feints he succeeded in regaining the offensive. But blood was trickling down from the wound in his forearm, and his lack of training began to make him short of breath. Now he would have to finish off his opponent as quickly as possible.
Lightning-quick, he shifted his sword from his right hand to his left. Like all superior swordsmen he was ambidextrous. Momentarily confused by the new angle of the attack, his opponent dropped his guard and the judge planted his sword in his throat. As the man fell backwards, Judge Dee rushed to help Master Gourd, shouting at the attacking swordsman to turn and defend himself. But suddenly the judge froze. Dumbfounded, he stared at what was an amazing spectacle.
The swordsman was leaping furiously about the seated man, showering him with lightning thrusts. But Master Gourd, leaning with his back against the pillar, parried every blow accurately, in a relaxed, unhurried manner. Whether the attack was aimed at his head or his feet, the old man's sword was always there just in time. Suddenly he lowered his sword, gripping the hilt with both hands. As his attacker lunged at him, he brought the sword up again, holding the hilt against the bench between his knees. The man could not check himself. As he fell forward, the old man's sword buried itself deep in his midriff.
The judge turned round. The bearded leader was coming for him, a crazed look in his one remaining eye. He had picked up a pike, and now aimed a sweeping thrust at Judge Dee's head. The judge ducked and drove his sword up into the other's breast. As the bearded leader sank to the floor, the judge bent over him and barked:
'Who sent you?'
The giant looked up at the judge with his one rolling eye. His thick lips twitched.
'How ...' he began. A stream of blood came gushing from his mouth, his huge body was shaken by a convulsive shudder, and then he lay still. Judge Dee righted himself. Wiping his streaming face, he turned to Master Gourd and said panting:
'Thanks very much! That brilliant first move of yours put their leader out of action and saved the day!’
Master Gourd threw the sword into the corner. 'I hate weapons.'
'But you handle them with amazing skill! You met your opponent's thrusts so accurately, it seemed as if the points of your swords were joined by an invisible chain!’
'I told you I am only an empty shell,' the old man said testily. 'Being empty, my opponent's fullness flows automatically over into me. I become him, so I do exactly as he does. Fencing with me is like fencing with your own reflection in a mirror. And as pointless. Come over here; your arm is bleeding. A sick doctor is a sorry sight.'
The old man tore a piece of cloth from the dead giant's robe. Having expertly bandaged Judge Dee's forearm, he said, 'Better have a look outside, Doctor. See where we are, and whether our late lamented friends were expecting anyone!’
The judge went outside, his sword ready.
The donkey was grazing peacefully in the clearing, bleak in the pale moonlight. There was no one about. When he had inspected the building opposite, he found there were other godowns behind it. Having rounded the corner of the last one in the row, he saw the river before him. They were at the extreme east end of the quay. Slinging his sword, he walked back.
About to enter the godown, his eye fell on the inscription over the door: 'Property of Lang's Silk Firm'.
Pensively he smoothed his long beard. His bathroom acquaintance owned a silk shop in Rivertown. Since Lang was not a common name, the godown must belong to that inquisitive gentleman. Master Gourd came hobbling outside on his crutches.