Held by Chinese Brigands, Page 2

  CHAPTER II--OF AH WU'S OPIUM DEN

  The small river-launch steamed away from the narrow creek which dividesCanton city from the island of Shamien. The Chinaman at the wheelnavigated the little craft into the very midst of the clusteredshipping, the mass of junks and river-boats that thronged the entranceto the creek. Her prow cutting the water in a long, arrow-shaped,feathery wave, the launch gained the fairway of the main river, andthence worked up-stream. Seated in a comfortable chair in the bows, acigar in his mouth and a pair of field-glasses in his hand, was MrHennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A.

  Sir Thomas Armitage drew a basket-chair into the shade afforded by anawning. There he produced his spectacles and, opening a book, settledhimself to read. His nephew, with his coat off and his sleeves rolledup, was occupied with an oil-bottle in the little engine-room.

  In the stern of the launch stood Yung How, with folded arms. His darkface was expressionless. For all that, his eyes were fixed upon thenorthern bank of the river, where the houses of the city were soclose-packed that a man standing with outstretched arms in one of thenarrow streets could have touched with his finger-tips the walls oneither side.

  At the extremity of one of these dark, stifling lanes stood a Chinaman,wearing a faded scarlet coat. This man was an old man, with a grey tuftof hair upon his chin, and a queue that was white and short and thin asa monkey's tail. He stood motionless, shading his eyes with the palm ofa hand and looking out across the river. As the launch hove into sighthe drew back a little, hiding himself in the doorway of an adjacenthouse. The launch passed within fifty yards of the shore.

  He observed Mr Waldron and he observed Sir Thomas Armitage, who wasengrossed in his reading. Moreover, he observed Yung How, who slowlyraised his right hand and laid it upon the shaven forepart of his head.

  At that the man disappeared. He vanished into the gloom of an evennarrower side street. Five minutes afterwards he appeared in the openspace on the western side of the Temple of the Gods. Here a coolie wasstanding, holding the bridle of a thick-necked, short-legged Mongolianpony, of the breed common in the north of China but seldom seen in thesouth. The man with the faded scarlet coat flung himself into thesaddle.

  "It is the West River!" he cried, and he was off like the wind, ridingdue north, leaving the suburbs of the great city to his right.

  Such an extraordinary incident stands, perhaps, in need of explanation.The judge's party had spent a week in Canton, during which time MrWaldron had inspected the Five-Story Pagoda, the Water Clock, thetemples of the Five Genii and the Five Hundred Gods; he had witnessedtheatrical performances and a public execution; he had smelled thesmells of Canton.

  As for Yung How, he also had not been idle. He had gone by night to acertain opium den in the vicinity of the Mohammedan mosque--the opiumden of Ah Wu. Thither we must accompany him if we are to make head ortail of the narrative that follows.

  Yung How had appeared before Sir Thomas Armitage. "Master," said he, "Ihave a brother in Canton."

  The judge smiled. He had lived many years in China. He knew thatChinese servants always have brothers and aunts and grandmothers.

  "And you want a day's leave, Yung How?" he asked.

  "No, master," said Yung How. "Go away to-night, after dinner-time. Comeback to-morrow morning."

  Sir Thomas guessed that Yung How's "brother" was nothing more or lessthan an opium pipe. He knew, however, that it would be useless torefuse the man leave. Yung How was sadly addicted to opium; inHong-Kong he often appeared in the morning with the pupils of his eyesno bigger than pinheads. And Sir Thomas knew also that, once a Chinesehas become a slave of the opium pipe, nothing will ever cure him. Thejudge shrugged his shoulders.

  "Very well, Yung How," said he, "you can go."

  "Thank you, master," said Yung How. And he stalked in a majestic mannerfrom the dining-room of the Shamien Hotel, where the judge and his partywere staying.

  Yung How crossed the little bridge of boats that connects the islandwith the main part of the city to the north. He found himself innarrow, twisting streets densely packed with people, the majority ofwhom were of the coolie class and wore little or no clothes. The shopsand booths were ablaze. Everyone was shouting at once, swearing,wrangling, bargaining till they were hoarse. The heat was insufferable,the atmosphere humid. The foul smells of the city would have sickened aEuropean, but they did not seem to affect the Oriental nostrils of YungHow, the Cantonese.

  He walked slowly with long strides, turning to the left, then to theright, then to the left again. He was evidently familiar with the city.Brushing past half-naked, gesticulating coolies, and thrusting childrenaside, he came presently upon a great sow, sleeping in the middle of thestreet. Since there was no room to pass on either side he kicked theanimal violently. As the pig got grunting to its feet, Yung How sweptpast with an expression of contempt upon his face.

  He found himself, at last, outside the Mohammedan Mosque. Crossing whatthe Europeans call "West Street," he entered a dark thoroughfare, ablind alley, at the end of which was a solitary, blood-red Chineselantern, suspended above a door.

  Yung How did not knock. He walked straight in and found himself in thepresence of Ah Wu.

  Now Ah Wu was a notorious character; he was also a notorious scoundrel.He was a little, fat man, with a round, smiling, cherubiccountenance--except that there was nothing cherubic about his eyes,which were small and evil, and glittered like those of a snake.

  "Ha!" he exclaimed, the moment he set eyes upon Yung How. "You havereturned to Canton! Ah Wu bids you welcome. If he eats rice under theroof-tree of Ah Wu, Yung How shall have of the best. He shall smoke thefinest Chung-king opium."

  "I desire none of these things," said Yung How.

  Ah Wu looked disappointed, for Yung How was a rich man as Chinamen went,who paid for his night's entertainment in brand new Hong-Kong dollars.

  "Ah Wu," said Yung How, in a low voice, "I desire to speak with you upona matter which is private. It will be worth your while to help me ifyou can."

  Ah Wu's eyes glistened. He rubbed his hands together. "Come with me,"said he.

  He drew aside a heavy, richly embroidered curtain and, passing through,they found themselves in the opium den. This was a room of two stories,with a flight of stairs in the middle leading to the upper story, whichwas a kind of balcony. All around the walls, both upstairs anddownstairs, were couches, and by the side of each couch was a smalllacquer table. Upon every table was an opium pipe, a small bowlcontaining a substance that resembled treacle, and a little spirit-lamp.And upon each couch was a man, stretched at full length, wearing no moreclothes than a kind of towel tied around his waist, for the heat of theroom was like that of a Turkish bath.

  Some of these men were engaged in smoking, rolling the opium into littlepills, holding these pills over the flame of the spirit-lamp until theyfrizzled in the heat. Some were lying flat upon their backs, with theirarms folded behind their heads, staring with eyes wide open at theceiling. Others were motionless, insensible, asleep--drugged intooblivion. The room reeked with the pungent smell of the drug.

  Yung How, taking no notice of the occupants of the den, followed theproprietor into a small room under the stairs. There a paraffin lamp ofEuropean manufacture burned upon a table. Ah Wu offered his guest achair and seated himself on the opposite side of the table. He produceda matchbox from the sleeve of his coat, struck a match, and lighted asmall spirit-lamp. This, together with a bowl of opium and a largeivory pipe, he shoved across the table.

  "You will smoke?" he asked.

  Yung How could not resist the temptation. He snatched up the littleskewer and dived it into the brown glutinous substance.

  "Thank you," said he. "I can think better when I smoke. The matter ofwhich I have to tell you, Ah Wu, is of some importance. It may be veryprofitable to me, and also, in some degree, to you--if you are able toassist me."

  Ah Wu's little almond-shaped eyes glistened
more than ever. His facebecame wreathed in smiles. He got to his feet and went to a cupboard,from which he produced his own opium pipe. Then he seated himself againat the table, and with their heads very close together these two sleek,shaven, unmitigated rascals rolled their little pills and filled theroom with bitter-smelling smoke.

  And as they fell under the influence of the wonderful and subtle drugthat holds sway over the whole of the Far East, from Shanghai to Bombay,they discussed in low voices the affairs of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, ofParadise City, Nevada, U.S.A.

  "Tell me," asked Yung How, "do you ever see anything of Cheong-Chau, therobber?"

  "He himself," said Ah Wu, "comes often to Canton. He invariably stayshere. He is a great smoker. He smokes opium by day and walks abroad bynight. He will not show himself in the streets by daylight, in case heshould be recognised by the soldiers of the Viceroy."

  "He is a brave man," said Yung How--avoiding, after the manner of theEast, the point at issue.

  "He fears not death," said Ah Wu. "But the day will come when he willbe led to his execution, to the Potter's Yard, where they will cut offhis head, and the heads of all his followers."

  "How many men has he?" asked Yung How.

  Ah Wu shrugged his shoulders.

  "Some say twenty," said he; "some say thirty. Men-Ching, hissecond-in-command, is always here. He is one of my oldest patrons." AhWu nodded his head towards the door. "He is in there now," he added,"sound asleep. I saw him as we passed."

  It is not the custom of a Chinese to convey surprise, satisfaction ordispleasure, or any other emotion, upon the features of his face. YungHow's countenance remained expressionless. He did not raise an eyebrow.And yet he was delighted. He was in luck's way, and he knew it.

  "What sort of a man is this Men-Ching?" he asked.

  "He is an old man," said Ah Wu, "a grandfather. He wears a small greybeard, and his pigtail is almost white."

  Yung How leaned across the table and whispered in Ah Wu's ear:

  "I know of a party of Europeans," said he, "who are going up one of therivers--I am not sure which. I have not yet discovered theirdestination. They are rich men. How much will Cheong-Chau give, do youthink, if I deliver them into his hands?"

  Ah Wu chuckled. Then, very carefully, he rolled another opium pill andpuffed the smoke from his mouth.

  "This can be arranged," said he, rising to his feet. "I will fetchMen-Ching. He returns to Pinglo to-morrow."

  Ah Wu entered the opium den and, ascending the stairs, awakened a manwho was sleeping upon one of the couches. This was an old man with asmall grey beard and so little hair upon his head that his pigtail wasnot six inches long.

  Men-Ching listened to Ah Wu's apologies, and then got slowly to hisfeet. He put on his faded scarlet coat and followed the proprietor downthe stairs. In the little room below, he was introduced to Yung How,and a Chinese introduction is a serious and ceremonious occasion. Forthe better part of five minutes the two men paid each other compliments,which were neither the truth nor intended to be such. Then all threeseated themselves at the table, and presently the smoke from three opiumpipes, instead of two, was filling the room with the bitter, pungentsmell.

  They discussed the matter in every detail; they regarded it from everyaspect. They calculated the risk and speculated upon their own share ofthe plunder. They tried to estimate the illimitable wealth of MrHennessy K. Waldron. Perhaps Ah Wu had visions of retiring frombusiness and settling down in his native town of Chau-chau, on the banksof the Han river, where the rice is the best in China.

  At all events they were three great scoundrels, and although Cheong-Chauhimself may have been a greater one, there was a certain man who--evenwhilst they were closeted together--had entered the opium den, who waswithout doubt the greatest villain in all the thirteen provinces, in allthat land of thieves and knaves and cut-throats, from the Great Wall ofChina to the Shan States, upon the borderland of Burmah.

  And this man was Ling. He burst into the opium den with such violencethat the outer door was in danger of being broken from its hinges. Hethrust aside the embroidered curtains so roughly that several of thewooden rings that secured them at the top were broken. Once inside theroom, he bellowed for Ah Wu, the proprietor of the establishment, andhis voice was so great that he awakened many of the sleepers.

  Being informed that Ah Wu was privately engaged, he strode into thelittle room beneath the stairs, and there found himself confronted byMen-Ching, whom he knew well by sight and reputation, and Yung How, whomhe had never seen before.

  For some moments he stood regarding the three men. Then helaughed--just as a jackal laughs.

  "What's this?" he cried. "Three such heads were never brought togetherto discuss Confucius or the writings of the learned Lao Tzu. An oldfox, Ah Wu--one of Cheong-Chau's paid assassins, and a smooth-facedHong-Kong 'boy'! Vulgar men, all three, who breathe from their throats,and walk in fear and trembling. Fetch me a pipe, Ah Wu, and take usinto your council. I have a mind to learn the reason of thesewhisperings."

  We have said that the Oriental does not betray his innermost feelingsupon his features. We have stated that the Chinese countenance isincapable of expression. The case was overstated, for all three ofthem, the moment they set eyes upon this self-confident intruder, becamevisibly alarmed. It is true that to no small extent the personalappearance of Ling may have been responsible for this.

  The man was a giant. Yung How was a tall man; but when he stood at hisfull height, the shaven top of his head was not level with the shouldersof the new-comer, who must have been at least six feet eight inches inheight. His complexion was so sallow as to be almost green; his cheekswere hollow like those of a human skull. At the same time, he hadenormous features: a great hooked nose; a square, massive chin; a mouththat almost reached to his ears when he grinned. He had coal-blackeyebrows which met upon the bridge of his nose, and slanted slightlyupwards. Upon his upper lip was a long black moustache, the ends ofwhich hung down below his chin. His bones were mammoth-like; he hadenormous fists; and when he walked, his great shoulder-blades could beseen moving under his long blue silken robe. Ah Wu looked up at him,with the glint of fear in his little fox-like eyes.

  "We were discussing the rice crop," said he.

  "_Liar!_" roared Ling.

  And he brought down his fist upon the table with such force that theopium bowls jumped, and one of the spirit-lamps went out.

  "Liar!" he repeated. "Fetch me a pipe, as I bid you, and speak truetalk. This is a human affair and concerns me as much as you. Were it aquestion of divine philosophy, I should be the last to intrude. Come, Ipropose to give you advice."

  Thereupon, without the least warning, he seized Yung How by the scruffof his neck, and lifted him bodily out of his chair.

  "This foreign devil's flunkey shall increase the wisdom of the mightyLing," he shouted. "He shall tell me in his Hong-Kong jargon why heholds conference with one of Cheong-Chau's bandits, and one who hasgrown so old in wickedness, and so rich in ill-gotten gains, that hiseyes are sunk in the wrinkled fat of his face."

  He dumped Yung How back into his chair, and for once the habitualexpression of serene dignity had departed from that gentleman'scountenance. Indeed, he looked terribly frightened--but not more sothan Ah Wu himself, who now came forward, holding in his trembling handan opium pipe, which he offered politely to this gigantic Orientalswashbuckler.

  Ling examined the pipe critically; and then, apparently satisfied withthe appearance of it, proceeded to roll opium pills in his huge,flat-tipped fingers.

  "I smoke," said he, "not like fools, to dream. I smoke to fight, tothink, and to make fools of others."

  As he said these words he flung off his long coat. Underneath he waswearing a thin vest of the finest Chifu silk. Around his waist was abelt, attached to which was a great knife--a Malay _kris_--the handle ofwhich was studded lavishly with jewels.