“He not come you; you come him. He gleat man. He speak all—come. I show where.”
“Where is he?” asked the Coroner.
The Chinaman did not reply for a moment. Then he said: “He sacrifice before you take him. He gleat man—come.” He slip-slopped towards the door as though confident he would be followed.
Two minutes afterwards the Coroner, Orlando, the Young Doctor, Nolan Doyle and the rest stood at the low doorway of what looked like a great grave. It was, however, a big root-house used for storing vegetables in the winter-time. It had not been used since Mazarine arrived at Tralee. Into this place, nor far from the house, Li Choo and his two fellow countrymen had gone the day before, when Mazarine, in his rage, had come forth with the horsewhip to punish the “Chinky,” as Li Choo was familiarly known on the ranch.
As they arrived at the vault-like place in the ground, which would hold many tons of roots, another Chinaman came to the doorway. He was one of the two who, in their sudden coming and going, had seemed like magic people to Mazarine the day before. He made upward and downward motions of respect with clasped hands in the blue sleeves, and presently, in perfect English, he said:
“In one minute Li Choo will receive you. It is the moment of sacrifice. You wish him to die for the death of Mazarine. So be it. It is right for him to die. You will hang him; that is your law. He will not prevent you. He has told the truth, but he is making the sacrifice. When that is done you will enter and take him to prison.”
The two constables standing beside the Coroner made a move forward, as though to show they meant to enforce the law without any palaver.
The Chinaman raised the palms of both hands at them. “Not yet,” he said. Then he looked at the Coroner. “You are master. Will you not prevent them?”
The Coroner motioned the constables back. “All right,” he said. “You seem to speak good English.”
“I come from England-from Oxford University,” answered the Chinaman with dignity. “I have learned English for many years. I am the son of Duke Ki. I came to see my uncle, the brother of Duke Ki. He is making sacrifice before you take him.”