CHAPTER XXVIII
THE MANDARIN KI-MING
Nayland Smith strode up and down the little sitting-room, tuggingalmost savagely at the lobe of his left ear. To-night his increasinggrayness was very perceptible, and with his feverishly bright eyesstaring straightly before him, he looked haggard and ill, despite thedeceptive tan of his skin.
"Petrie," he began in his abrupt fashion, "I am losing confidence inmyself."
"Why?" I asked in surprise.
"I hardly know; but for some occult reason I feel afraid."
"Afraid?"
"Exactly; afraid. There is some deep mystery here that I cannot fathom.In the first place, if they had really meant you to remain ignorant ofthe place at which the episodes described by you occurred, they wouldscarcely have dropped you at the end of Portland Place."
"You mean ...?"
"I mean that I don't believe you were taken to the Chinese Legation atall. Undoubtedly you saw the mandarin Ki-Ming; I recognize him fromyour description."
"You have met him, then?"
"No; but I know those who have. He is undoubtedly a very dangerous man,and it is just possible----"
He hesitated, glancing at me strangely.
"It is just possible," he continued musingly, "that his presencemarks the beginning of the end. Fu-Manchu's health may be permanentlyimpaired, and Ki-Ming may have superceded him."
"But, if what you suspect, Smith, be only partly true, with whatobject was I seized and carried to that singular interview? What wasthe meaning of the whole solemn farce?"
"Its meaning remains to be discovered," he answered; "but that themandarin is amicably disposed I refuse to believe. You may dismiss theidea. In dealing with Ki-Ming we are to all intents and purposesdealing with Fu-Manchu. To me, this man's presence means one thing: weare about to be subjected to attempts along slightly different lines."
I was completely puzzled by Smith's tone.
"You evidently know more of this man, Ki-Ming, than you have yetexplained to me," I said.
Nayland Smith pulled out the blackened briar and began rapidly toload it.
"He is a graduate," he replied, "of the Lama College, or monastery, ofRache-Churan.
"This does not enlighten me."
Having got his pipe going well--
"What do you know of animal magnetism?" snapped Smith.
The question seemed so wildly irrelevant that I stared at him insilence for some moments. Then--
"Certain powers sometimes grouped under that head are recognized inevery hospital to-day," I answered shortly.
"Quite so. And the monastery of Rache-Churan is entirely devoted tothe study of the subject."
"Do you mean that that gentle old man----"
"Petrie, a certain M. Sokoloff, a Russian gentleman whose acquaintanceI made in Mandalay, related to me an episode that took place at thehouse of the mandarin Ki-Ming in Canton. It actually occurrd in thepresence of M. Sokoloff, and therefore is worthy of your close attention.
"He had had certain transactions with Ki-Ming, and at their conclusionreceived an invitation to dine with the mandarin. The entertainmenttook place in a sort of loggia or open pavilion, immediately in frontof which was an ornamental lake, with numerous waterlilies growingupon its surface. One of the servants, I think his name was Li,dropped a silver bowl containing orange-flower water for pouring uponthe hands, and some of the contents lightly sprinkled M. Sokoloff'sgarments.
"Ki-Ming spoke no word of rebuke, Petrie; he merely _looked_ at Li,with those deceptive, gazelle-like eyes. Li, according to myacquaintance account, began to make palpable and increasingly anxiousattempts to look anywhere rather than into the mild eyes of hisimplacable master. M. Sokoloff, who, up to that moment, hadentertained similar views to your own respecting his host, regardedthis unmoving stare of Ki-Ming's as a sort of kindly, because silent,reprimand. The behavior of the unhappy Li very speedily served todisabuse his mind of that delusion.
"Petrie--the man grew livid, his whole body began to twitch and shakeas though an ague had attacked him; and his eyes protruded hideouslyfrom their sockets! M. Sokoloff assured me that he _felt_ himselfturning pale--when Ki-Ming, very slowly, raised his right hand andpointed to the pond.
"Li began to pant as though engaged in a life and death struggle witha physically superior antagonist. He clutched at the posts of theloggia with frenzied hands and a bloody froth came to his lips. Hebegan to move backward, step by step, step by step, all the timestriving, with might and main, to _prevent_ himself from doing so!His eyes were set rigidly upon Ki-Ming, like the eyes of a rabbitfascinated by a python. Ki-Ming continued to point.
"Right to the brink of the lake the man retreated, and there, for onedreadful moment, he paused and uttered a sort of groaning sob. Then,clenching his fists frenziedly, he stepped back into the water andimmediately sank among the lilies. Ki-Ming continued to gaze fixedly--at the spot where bubbles were rising; and presently up came the lividface of the drowning man, still having those glazed eyes turned,immovably, upon the mandarin. For nearly five seconds that hideous,distorted face gazed from amid the mass of blooms, then it sankagain ... and rose no more."
"What!" I cried, "do you mean to tell me----"
"Ki-Ming struck a gong. Another servant appeared with a fresh bowl ofwater; and the mandarin calmly resumed his dinner!"
I drew a deep breath and raised my hand to my head.
"It is almost unbelievable," I said. "But what completely passes mycomprehension is his allowing me to depart unscathed, having once heldme in his power. Why the long harangue and the pose of friendship?
"That point is not so difficult."
"What!"
"That does not surprise me in the least. You may recollect that Dr.Fu-Manchu entertains for you an undoubted affection, distinctly Chinesein its character, but nevertheless an affection! There is no intentionof assassinating _you_, Petrie; _I_ am the selected victim."
I started up.
"Smith! what do you mean? What danger, other than that which hasthreatened us for over two years, threatens us to-night?"
"Now you come to the point which _does_ puzzle me. I believe I statedawhile ago that I was afraid. You have placed your finger upon thecause of my fear. _What_ threatens us to-night?"
He spoke the words in such a fashion that they seemed physically tochill me. The shadows of the room grew menacing; the very silencebecame horrible. I longed with a terrible longing for company, for thestrength that is in numbers; I would have had the place full tooverflowing--for it seemed that we two, condemned by the mysteriousorganization called the Si-Fan, were at that moment surrounded by theentire arsenal of horrors at the command of Dr. Fu-Manchu. I brokethat morbid silence. My voice had assumed an unnatural tone.
"Why do you dread this man, Ki-Ming, so much?"
"Because he must be aware that I know he is in London."
"Well?"
"Dr. Fu-Manchu has no official status. Long ago, his Legation deniedall knowledge of his existence. But the mandarin Ki-Ming is known toevery diplomat in Europe, Asia and American almost. Only _I_, and nowyourself, know that he is a high official of the Si-Fan; Ki-Ming isaware that I know. Why, therefore, does he risk his neck in London?"
"He relies upon his national cunning."
"Petrie, he is aware that I hold evidence to hang him, either here orin China! He relies upon one thing; upon striking first and strikingsurely. Why is he so confident? I do not know. Therefore I am afraid."
Again a cold shudder ran icily through me. A piece of coal droppedlower into the dying fire--and my heart leapt wildly. Then, in a flash,I remembered something.
"Smith!" I cried, "the letter! We have not looked at the letter."
Nayland Smith laid his pipe upon the mantelpiece and smiled grimly.From his pocket he took out square piece of paper, and thrust it closeunder my eyes.
"I remembered it as I passed your borrowed garment--which bear nomaker's name--on my way to the bedroom for matches," he said.
&
nbsp; The paper was covered with Chinese characters!
"What does it mean?" I demanded breathlessly.
Smith uttered a short, mirthless laugh.
"It states that an attempt of a particularly dangerous nature is to bemade upon my life to-night, and it recommends me to guard the door,and advises that you watch the window overlooking the court, and keepyour pistol ready for instant employment." He stared at me oddly. "Howshould you act in the circumstances, Petrie?"
"I should strongly distrust such advice. Yet--what else can we _do?_"
"There are several alternatives, but I prefer to follow the advice ofKi-Ming."
The clock of St. Paul's chimed the half-hour: half-past two.