Achmed Abdullah

“ And yet the thing which had stirred them so profoundly was only a face—that of an old man, wrinkled, brown, immobile on a scrawny neck, which was like the stalk of some poisonous, incredible jungle flower, the body, arms and legs wrapped in layers of thin muslin, sitting upright on a great chair of carved rosewood that was filled with a profusion of pillows in embroidered imperial Chien-lung silk. ”

“ And so, crouched on the floor of the carriage, they were carried past the soldiers, away from the Temple of Horrors, out into the heart of Canton.
“Out again, in again!” whispered Marie.
“Right-o!” rejoined the sailor. He closed his eyes. “Wyke me up when we gets to Piccadilly!”
The cortège ambled on for about ten minutes, and then, thanks to the practical side of the Chinese nature, the two got another chance. For while it is a laudable deed to honor a deceased guild-brother by sending empty carriages in sign of mourning, there is no use of piling up expenses. ”

“ War—yes—it could not be helped. But they came to China to bring civilization and trade—because they take an interest in the destinies of China, of Asia——”
“So?” sneered the Chuen to yan. “I have been told that it is dangerous for the yellow man if the white man takes an interest in his affairs. There is Hongkong; there is French Indo-China; there is—hayah!—they came to trade, to—ah—civilize. And they remained to rule, to rob! But you must forgive me. I am rude, tactless. For you yourself are a Westerner—you are white.”
“Am I?” Once more Marie decided to play boldly. ”

“ Dogs both!”
“Yes—but clever dogs. They have lots of people in their employ, haven’t they?”
“They employ many spies. Why?”
“Well, if I were you, I would tell those soldiers not to walk alongside of me and my servant, but to follow us at quite a distance. No use drawing attention to us—to show the way to d’Acosta’s and Sun Yu-Wen’s spies——”
The Chinese bowed.
“A cobra and a woman for shrewdness!” he remarked admiringly. “You are right.”
Again he spoke to the captain, who saluted and walked up to Marie, drawing a handkerchief from his tunic, while a soldier stepped up to Higginson. ”

“ And my servant, too—he is still in his working-clothes——”
“The Buddha once remarked that vanity is woman’s most human illusion,” he replied, with a laugh. “Very well. Over there”—he pointed to a huge chest in the corner—“you will find what you want.”
And when, a few minutes later, half a dozen stalwart Chinese soldiers, led by an officer, entered, Marie and Higginson were transformed, at least in externals, into fair imitations of two Chinese, in embroidered robes, mutton-pie caps and neat, black-velvet slippers with padded soles. ”

“ Marie looked up. “The people of your blood,” the man had said—and what had he meant?
“But——” She stopped, uncertain how to proceed without showing her ignorance.
“You have always been our enemies,” the man continued. “You came as foreigners, conquering barbarians! You never assimilated with us—with the black-haired race. ”

“ They all walked slowly, ceremoniously, but without the slightest indication of piety. Why should they? Canton is old. China is old. Many had died; many more will die. And the women in the mourners’ coaches at the tail-end of the procession seemed to know it. ”

“ A lot them chinks cared! They build new ’ouses.” He looked for a cigarette and a match, found, lit up, and looked questioningly at Marie Campbell. “And now, lydy, wot?”
She thought rapidly. She had no idea where she might find d’Acosta or Sun Yu-Wen. But she recalled that the dying Manchu woman had told her about the “friend” to whom she should go, and he, she had figured out, must be Prince Pavel Kokoshkine; she recalled, too, the American consul having told her where the Russian lived—on the other side of the river, not far from the Nan-Hai prison. She gave Higginson the address. ”