The Lacquer Screen

'Describe that man, madam!' Judge Dee interrupted her.

'He had wound a thin blue veil all around his head, Your Honour. He was tall and thin and he was wearing — I can hardly remember, I was so frightened — yes, I believe he wore a blue jacket and trousers, as workmen do . . .'

The judge nodded and she continued:

'Standing very close to me, he hissed: "One sound and . . ." He pressed the point of the knife against my breast. "Soon your husband will come in," he went on in that hor­rible, muffled voice. "Talk to him, do whatever he says." Just then I heard footsteps in the passageway that leads to the terrace. The man quickly jumped towards the door and pressed his back against the wall next to it. My husband entered, saw me, opened his mouth to speak . . . Then the man suddenly struck him down from behind . . .'

She buried her face in her hands and began to sob. On Judge Dee's sign the headman gave her a bowl of strong tea. She greedily drank it. Then she went on:

'I must have fainted. When I came to, my husband wasn't there, I saw only his robe and cap lying on a chair. The man put them on. That face, that terrible masked face, above the familiar robe of my husband ... And the blood, the veil was soaked with blood ... The man whispered: "Your husband is dead, he killed himself, you understand? If you ever open your mouth, I'll cut your throat!" He pushed me roughly towards the door. I stumbled through the empty corridor to my boudoir. I had barely sunk down on my couch when I heard loud cries in the garden outside. The servants were shouting that my husband had drowned himself, thrown himself into the river. I wanted to tell the truth, Your Honour, I swear I wanted to! But, just as I had made up my mind to go to this tribunal, I saw again that fearful mask, covered with blood . . . and I dared not. I know I am guilty, Your Honour, but I didn't dare . . .'

Again she burst out sobbing.

'You may rise and stand back, madam!' Judge Dee spoke. The matron helped Mrs Ko up. She remained standing against the desk of the clerk, to the left of the bench, staring vacantly ahead. Judge Dee bent over to Magistrate Teng and said:

'Have Hsia Liang called now, please.'

Two constables brought a young man before the bench. He was clad in a jacket, open at the neck, and blue baggy trousers. Judge Dee thought he looked as sullen as when he had seen him first, in the taproom of the Phoenix Inn. When the Student saw the judge he stiffened. Then his eye fell on Mrs Ko, who gave him a cold stare. Slowly he knelt down.

'State your name and profession!' the judge ordered.

'This person is called Hsia, named Liang,' the young man replied in a steady voice. 'Graduate of the town school.'

'Dare you announce your literary grade?' Judge Dee barked at him. 'You who have brought shame on the literary class and committed the sordid crime you stand accused of? That woman has just made a full confession!'

'This person,' the Student said calmly, 'doesn't know what crime Your Honour refers to. And he never saw that woman before.'

Judge Dee was vexed. He had counted on the Student breaking down when he saw him sitting behind the bench, and was confronted unexpectedly with Mrs Ko. Apparently he had underrated the youngster's presence of mind. He said curtly:

'Rise, Hsia Liang, and face that woman! 'Then he asked Mrs Ko: 'Do you recognize this man as the murderer of your husband?'

Mrs Ko looked steadily at the Student. For one brief moment their eyes met. Then she said, slowly and very clearly:

'How could I? I told Your Honour that the intruder wore a mask!'

'In deference to your late husband,' Judge Dee spoke, 'this court wished to give you full opportunity for clearing your­self. Although it is up to the accused to prove his innocence, this court even brought forward a suspect for you to identify. Since the explanation you gave is evidently a false story, the court now formulates its case. You stand accused of having murdered your husband, Mrs Ko, together with an accom­plice as yet unknown. Headman, you can release the witness Hsia Liang!'

'Wait! Let me think, please!' Mrs Ko cried out. She again looked at the Student, biting her lips. After some hesitation she went on: 'Yes, the build seems similar . . . But I can't tell about the face, of course . . ."

'That is not enough, madam!' the judge said quickly. 'You must supply concrete proof!'

'Yes,' Mrs Ko said in a faltering voice, 'since there was all that blood, on the veil . . .' Suddenly she looked up at the judge and said: 'If he is the murderer, he must have a wound on his head!'

Judge Dee gave a sign to the headman. He grabbed the young man by his shoulders and roughly pulled his head back. The forelock fell away, and a badly healed cut became visible at the root of his hair.

'It is he,' Mrs Ko said, very softly. She buried her face in her hands.