Endacott turned towards the speaker, his thin lips protruding.
“Only by contrast with its fellow,” he retorted sharply. “It was the wish of the sculptor, a wish which has been zealously kept through the centuries, that the two statues shall never be separated. Each is the complement of the other. Body and Soul commingled make one life. The artist dragged aside the component parts and separated them. Here in this one we have all that is gross and evil, unredeemed by any strain of virtue, and in the other statue there is charity and spirituality without a trace of the defiling qualities. They are parted now, perhaps for ever. I cannot say that I regard with equanimity the action of the person responsible for this deed of vandalism.”
There was a moment’s silence. Endacott’s voice was contemptuous, almost provocative. Gregory was on the point of speech, but Claire’s fingers suddenly pressed his arm.
“Your point of view, Mr. Endacott,” Sir Bertram admitted courteously, “is easily understood. Yet I am afraid that the spirit of loot has been rampant in Englishmen throughout history, else the British Empire could scarcely have existed. And speaking of loot,” he went on, “we come to the one really serious question concerning our possession here. Do you honestly believe that at the present moment it is as it stands the receptacle for a portion of the jewels of the temple?”
“I certainly do,” was the curt reply.
Again silence; a little tremor of excitement amongst the group. Sir Bertram laid his long, slim fingers upon the broad, shining edge of the Image.
“But, my dear sir,” he pointed out, “what possible place of concealment could there be in, say, this particular Image? Examine it as carefully as you will, you cannot find any sign of a join or aperture.”
“The Chinese have with justice been called magicians,” Endacott observed drily. “At least, when they hide they hide. If there had been, as you remark, any aperture or join to be seen, theirs would have been a clumsy device at the best.”
“If the jewels are there,” Sir Bertram reflected, “and we can find no other way, then the statue must be broken up.”
Endacott turned towards his host. His manner and expression were alike displeasing. The glance which flashed from behind his heavy spectacles was one of utter contempt.