"'Not bad!" Judge Dee remarked. "I had thought that-"

But the orchestra was starting up another deafening piece. Two men dressed in robes glittering with gold were now kneeling before judge Yü. Each waved in his hands a piece of paper, covered with small writing and with large red seals impressed on it. Judge Dee gathered from their recital that they were two noblemen. Their prince had left each of them half of a large estate, land, houses, slaves and valuables as specified on the papers they were presenting. Each claimed that the division was unjust, and that the other had received more than his proper share.

Judge Yü looked at them, showing the white of his eyes. He angrily shook his head, making the glittering ornaments on his cap dance in the garish light of the lampions. The music grew very soft; there was an atmosphere of tension that communicated itself to Judge Dee.

"Say your piece!" the fat man shouted impatiently.

"Shut up!" Judge Dee heard himself bark, much to his own amazement.

There was a loud clanging of gongs. Judge Yü rose. He grabbed the documents from the hands of the two plaintiffs, then handed to each the other's paper. He raised his hands signifying that the case had been decided. The two noblemen stared perplexedly at the documents in their hands.

A deafening applause rose from the audience. The fat man turned round in his seat. He began in a patronizing tone, "At least you got this, didn't you? You see, those two-"

His voice trailed off. He looked with open mouth at the judge. He had recognized him.

"I understood perfectly, thank you!" the judge said primly. He rose, shook the orange rinds from his lap and started to make his way through the crowd. Sergeant Hoong followed him, casting a last wistful look at the stage, where the actress who had led them to their seats was now appearing before the bench.

"This is the case of a young woman posing as a man, your honor," he said. "Quite a good story!"

"We really must go back now, Hoong." the judge said firmly.

While they were walking through the crowded street, Judge Dee suddenly said, "Things usually turn out to be quite different from what one expected, Hoong! I must tell you that when I was still a student, I had envisaged the work of a magistrate to be more or less like that of our old Judge Yü as we saw him just now in action on the stage. I thought I would be behind my bench, condescendingly listening to all kinds of long, confused stories, complicated lies and conflicting statements brought forward by the people before me. Then I would suddenly pounce on the weak point, and deliver judgment then and there, shattering the confused criminal! Well, Hoong, now I know better."

They laughed and continued their stroll back to the tribunal. Returned to the tribunal, judge Dee took the sergeant straight to his private office. He said, "Make me a cup of good strong tea, Hoong! And have one yourself too. Then you can lay out my ceremonial robes for the celebration in the White Cloud Temple. It's a nuisance we have to go there. I'd much prefer to stay here and review with you the position regarding our murder case. But it can't be helped!"

When the sergeant had brought the tea, the judge slowly took a few sips. Then he spoke.

"I must say, sergeant, that I now understand your interest in the theatre better. We must go there more often. At first all seems very confused, then the key sentence is spoken, and suddenly a11 becomes crystal clear. I wish it were the same with our murder case!" The judge pensively tugged at his mustache.

"That last ease," Sergeant Hoong said as he carefully took judge Dee's ceremonial cap from its leather box, "I have secn before. It concerns the impersonation of-"

Judge Dee didn't seem to have listened. He suddenly hit his fist on the desk.

Hoong, lie exclaimed, "I think I've got it! August heaven, if that is right, I should have seen it much sooner!"

He thought a few moments, then said, "Get me the district map!"

The sergeant quickly unrolled the large pictorial map for him on the desk. Judge Dee scanned it eagerly, then he nodded.

He jumped up and started pacing the floor, his hands on his back and his shaggy eyebrows knitted in a deep frown.

Sergeant Hoong looked at him tensely. But it was not until the judge had crossed the room scores of times that at last he stood still and said, "That is it! It all fits! Now we must set to work, Hoong. There is much to do, and very little time!"

THE Rainbow Bridge outside the east gate was illuminated by a row of large lanterns, their colored lights reflected in the dark water of the creek. The road leading to the White Cloud Temple was lined by garlands of gaily colored lamps hung from high poles that had been erected on both sides of the road, and the temple itself was brilliantly lighted by torches and oil lamps.

When Judge Dee's palanquin was being carried over the bridge he saw that there were only very few people about. The hour set for the ceremony had arrived; the citizens of Peng-lai had already assembled inside the temple compound. The judge was accompanied only by his three assistants and two constables. Sergeant Hoong sat opposite him inside the palanquin, Ma Joong and Chiao Tai followed on horseback, and the two constables led the way, carrying on long poles lampions with the inscription "The Tribunal of Peng-lai."

The palanquin was carried up the broad marble stairs of the gatehouse. The judge heard the sounds of cymbals and gongs that punctuated the monotonous chant of the monks, who were singing a Buddhist litany in chorus. Through the gate came the heavy scent of Indian incense.

The main courtyard of the temple was filled by a dense multitude. Overlooking the crowd, on the high terrace in front of the main hall, the abbot was sitting cross-legged on his thronelike seat of red lacquer. He was clad in the violet cassock of his high office, and had a stole of gold brocade round his shoulders. On his left sat the shipowner Koo Meng-pin, the warden of the Korean quarter, and two guild masters, all on lower chairs. The high chair on the abbot's right, the seat of honor, was unoccupied. Next to it sat a captain sent by the commander of the fort, in shining armor and carrying a long sword. Then came Dr. Tsao and two other guild masters.

In front of the terrace a raised platform had been built, and thereon was erected a round altar, richly decorated with silk scarves and fresh flowers. There was enthroned the cedarwood copy of the statue of the Lord Maitreya, under a purple canopy, supported by four gilded pillars.

Round the altar were sitting about fifty monks. Those on the left played various musical instruments, the others formed the chorus. The platform was surrounded by a cordon of lance-knights with shining mail coats and helmets. All around them thronged the crowd; those who had not succeeded in finding a place were precariously perched on the high socles of the pillars that lined the front of the side buildings.

Judge Dee's palanquin was set down at the entrance to the court. A deputation of four elderly monks, resplendent in robes of yellow silk, came to greet him. As the judge was being conducted through the narrow roped-off path leading to the terrace, he noticed among the crowd of onlookers many Chinese and Korean sailors who had come to worship their patron saint.

The judge ascended the terrace, and made a slight bow in front of the small abbot. He told him that pressing official business had caused a delay. The abbot nodded graciously, took his aspersorium and sprinkled the judge with holy water. Then Judge Dee sat down, his three assistants behind his chair. The captain, Koo Meng-pin and the other leading citizens rose and bowed deeply in front of the judge. When they had resumed their seats the abbot gave a sign and the orchestra struck up. The monks of the chorus began chanting a solemn hymn in praise of Buddha.