"I am quite certain of it. First of all I don't suppose I shall get the best class—I mean the upper and more confidential servants who ascend the tower itself—for I understand there's a very rigid system of grades. But little by little they will come also. It will take us weeks, maybe months, but it will be done."
"If it takes me half a lifetime I'll go through with it," I said savagely.
"My sentiments, also," he replied, lighting a cigarette. "By the way, I hope you're not incommoded in any way by my—er—odor!"
"Good Heaven! What do you mean?"
"The Chinaman smells quite different to the European, though not necessarily unpleasantly. It's taken me quite a lot of trouble to attain the essential perfume!"
He grinned impishly as he said it, and there certainly was a sort of stale, camphory smell, now he mentioned it.
"You're a great artist, Rolston, and I don't know what I should do without you, oh, Mandarin from Yün-Nan!"
"That's another point," he said quickly. "You wouldn't guess why I'm supposed to come from Yün-Nan, where I actually did spend some years of my childhood?"
"Not in the least."
"It's the principal opium producing Province in China," he replied, with a quick look at me. "Now, Sir Thomas, I've let the cat out of the bag. You see how I propose to attract the Chinese here, and get into their confidence."