The Phantom of the Temple

'Look here, this is the main hall, right in the middle. That's where we start.'

Ma Joong studied the floor-plan. It corresponded exactly to the description Judge Dee and Sergeant Hoong had given him.

'You did that very well indeed, Princess!'

'What do you think? I am an old hand at making floor-plans. Hire myself out as maid in a big house, and make a plan. Just so that a couple of father's friends don't get lost when they pay a visit there in the dark. You memorize this plan over by the candle there, brother Shao. We still have an hour or so, for we can't leave before the Abbess is asleep.'

Folding the paper up, Ma Joong said, with a grin, I'd like to use that hour to improve upon our acquaintance a bit, Princess! Don't start on a job before you know your partner well, they say!'

'Business before pleasure,' she said determinedly. 'Get off the bed and study the floor-plan! In the meantime I'll change. Keep your back to me, and your eyes on that paper!'

Ma Joong stepped down and stood himself in front of the dressing-table, his back to the plank bed. She slipped out of her nightdress, and rummaged on her knees behind the bed until she had found a pair of dark-blue trousers and a jacket. About to put them on, she hesitated and gave Ma Joong's broad back a speculative look. With a faint smile she laid the clothes aside, knelt on the night-robe and began to do her hair. She thought that now she made a rather attractive picture, and called out, 'Don't turn round yet!'

'Why should I?' Ma Joong asked. 'I am doing fine with the mirror here. You looked very nice from behind, too!'

'You mean bastard!' She jumped from the bed and went for him, trying to scratch his face. He folded her in his arms.

When she had dressed she took the small lantern down from the shelf.

'We can light it only when we are inside the temple,' she said. 'This afternoon I saw a couple of fellows hang­ing about near the gate, and they looked like thief-catchers, posted there after your cousin's murder. So the fellow who did him in won't be around tonight. We might meet the ghost, though.'

'Don't try to be funny, Princess!'

'I don't. There is a ghost about there. Saw her a couple of times myself, with my own eyes. Floating about the trees, she was. A tall woman, in a creepy white shroud. I don't like ghosts, but this one means no harm. Once I nearly bumped into her. She didn't do a thing, just looked at me with her large sad eyes and drifted on.'

'Sad or not, I don't like to meet her. Let's be on our way! I'll get you past those guards. I was in the "green woods" in my younger days.'

She blew out the candle and opened the door a crack.

'Funny!' she whispered. 'There's still a light in the old bitch's room!’

'She'll be reading her holy books!’

'And aloud too, by the sound of it. Well, we'll go anyway. If she discovers I am out, I'll give her notice. Let her pink another girl's behind!’

They crossed the yard on tiptoe. She carefully lifted the crossbar, opened the gate and put a few pebbles under­neath so that it remained ajar. They walked down the path through the forest. Arrived at the edge, he told her to stay close behind him, and do exactly as he did. He studied the trees at the top of the staircase, trying to locate the constable on duty. It would be awkward if the man spotted them. Yes, there he was, the lazy dog! Asleep under that cypress tree! Well, it made things easier, anyway. About to drag Spring Cloud along, he suddenly stiffened. There was something strange about the man's drawn-up knees and his outflung arms. He quickly went over to the prostrate figure and bent over it.

'Is ... is he dead?' she whispered behind him.

'Strangled from behind with a thin cord,' he muttered grimly. 'Go back home, Princess. From now on this is strictly a man's job. The murderer has come back.'

She clasped his arm.

'I'll stay with you. I have been in scraps before. If you come to grips with him, I can always bash his head in with a brick.'