"You say, Long Fang, that all is ready?"
"All, master. We only awaited your coming."
Then with a graceful gesture he asked, "Will you so far honor your humble servant?" as he indicated the way into another room.
Dora, followed by Paul and the Chinese, stepped through the portal and came to a Chinese temple.
It was a large room and the decorations, although equally well executed as those in the room they had just left, were actually terrifying. Flying dragons and serpents done in bronze hung from the ceiling, while on a raised dais at the farther end of the room was an enormous squatting figure of the seven-handed god. Before it, in braziers, fire gleamed, giving off a heavy, pungent odor that was almost overpowering to Occidental nostrils.
On either side of the huge image hung silken curtains, in all probability covering doorways into yet other chambers.
For the first time Dora showed signs of interest. With the shop and the first chamber she was already familiar, but this was something new, something to give the spur to her satiated, blasé nature. She moved about the place, fingering the rare tapestries, contemplating probably what gorgeous hangings they would make for her own apartment.
Dora's preoccupation gave Long Fang his opportunity to confer with Paul alone and he moved closer to him.
"Master," he nodded, "why not use the beautiful lady to lure the other one into our power?"
Paul shook his head negatively. He knew that Eva was aware that Dora was her enemy.