“Only yesterday I myself was pinched on street by Western soldiers.”
“Pinched?”
“Seized and arrested. Taken up.”
Brachey raised his eyebrows; but Mr Po smiled easily on.
“Oh, yes! They called me secondary Christian. They ran me in before low woman, a courtesan. They have told Kang that this courtesan is second-sighted.”
“Clairvoyant?”
“Yes, that is now firm belief of Kang on mere say-so of cheap skates. This courtesan has been conveyed to treasurer's yamen where with eunuchs and concubines to attend and soldiers to stand sentry-go she now holds forth to beat the Dutch. All perfectly absurd!”
“And this creature sat in judgment over you?”
“Oh, yes! Not a day since.”
“What was her decision?”