mg.greeneyes-第5部分
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〃And you have never reported the Wu…Fan？〃
〃Never…outside of stating that such an order happened to be in existence。〃
〃Then you have sanctioned it？〃
〃Practically。 We have not censored it。〃
Cleve Branch arose and walked in short paces； hands in pockets。 He swung toward Joseph Darley and extended his hand。
〃Thanks； Mr。 Darley；〃 he said。 〃I have e to the right man。 I'm leaving now…and when you're ready…soon…I'll count on you taking me to see this chap Ling Soo。〃
〃That will be tomorrow；〃 responded Darley； with an agreeable smile。
〃Great！〃 said Branch。 〃I'll phone you at your office。〃
With that declaration； the government operative made his departure。 Joseph Darley was alone； smiling to himself； as he recalled the interview。 How vague； he thought； were the idea's of those who saw things from the outside。
If the visit were to be made tomorrow； Darley realized； it must be planned at once。 For the Chinese liked to arrange their affairs well in advance。
So Joseph Darley sat down at the telephone table in his apartment and called the Chinaman； Ling Soo； to tell him that he could expect visitors on the morrow。
CHAPTER IV
LING SOO
CHINATOWN was a splash of light the following evening； when Joseph Darley and Cleve Branch arrived there in the mitteeman's limousine。 To Darley； a visit to this district was scarcely more than a matter of routine。
Cleve Branch； although familiar with portions of the Chinese settlement； still found it unusual。 His observant eyes wandered here and there； peering toward the yellow faces of passing Celestials； noting carefully the appearance of Americans who were passing through the district。
Darley had purposely left the limousine on the border of Chinatown。 Now； he led the way along a narrow thoroughfare that was paratively level for this hilly portion of the city。
The two men passed by lighted Chinese shops。 They turned a corner； and encountered a gay scene。 On the right was the bizarre Mukden Theater； a playhouse which presented stars from the Orient。 Branch noted the billings…in English and Chinese…that announced the arrival of popular actors from Shanghai and Canton。
They were on the opposite side of the street from the theater； and Branch； glancing across； noted persons idling by the entrance to the playhouse。 Some were Chinese； others Americans。
Time moved slowly here in Chinatown； in this spot of the Orient dropped from its native soil。
Joseph Darley stopped at a door that lay diagonally across the street from the Mukden Theater。 It formed an unpretentious entrance between two shops。
The mitteeman led the way into this entrance。 They passed through a plain； lighted hall。 They reached a small elevator at the end of the passage。
Darley opened the door； and the men ascended in the lift。 It was an automatic elevator that moved in a solid shaft。
They reached a spot that Cleve Branch estimated as two stories above the street。 The elevator stopped。 They made their exit into a small anteroom。 The atmosphere was altogether Oriental now。 This silent spot seemed miles away from the street below。 For here； with the elevator behind them； both men sensed the exotic setting of China itself。
Darley…a man who was a traveler…remarked upon it as he drew a tasseled cord which hung from the door at the other side of the anteroom。
〃You are in China； now； Branch；〃 he said。 〃You will meet a man whose mind dwells in China。 Not content with keeping aloof from the realities about him； he desires to spread the customs and traditions of his native land。〃
THE door opened as Darley ceased speaking。 A crouching servant； garbed in Chinese robes； stepped back that the visitors might enter。 Cleve Branch eyed the man suspiciously。
A casual observer might have mistaken the man's stooped position for a bow。 Cleve realized that it was the Chinaman's natural posture。
He felt a revulsion toward this servant of Ling Soo。 The man seemed treacherous。 Those half…closed； slit…like eyes returned Cleve's glance。
If the impression of the servant was any forecast of the master； Ling Soo would be a man to watch。
The stooped Chinaman was gliding along a splendid hallway； with the two visitors traveling in his wake。 He reached a pair of doors faced with hammered brass。 Fantastic dragons writhed in bas…relief upon the panels。
The servant； as though performing a ceremony； bent low and touched his forehead with his fingertips。 The doors swung inward of their own accord。 The Americans walked through。
They were in a large； sumptuous reception room…large enough to be a meeting place。 It was furnished in pure Chinese style。 Oddly carved chairs were stationed about the room。
Cleve did not notice the decorations closely。 He was interested in the figure at the end of the room。 There； in a thronelike chair； rested a placid Chinaman。
The man's face was like fine yellow parchment。 He might have been fifty years old。 He might have been a hundred。 To estimate the antiquity of this blinking personage was impossible。
A living joss god； he sat in solemn state； while curls of strangely scented incense smoke rose languidly beside him from dragon…headed burners。
The face of this man…Ling Soo…was cryptic。 It had a kindly expression； yet was Sphinxlike in its solemnity。 The man's eyes…almost gentle…blinked mildly through large…rimmed spectacles。
He was like a character in a play； Ling Soo； yet Cleve； as he approached him； realized that this was all a natural and subtle personality。
In fact； the government man was somewhat at a loss。 He wondered how one began to treat with so unusual a character as Ling Soo。
Darley； as an act of courtesy； raised one forefinger and tapped his forehead。 Ling Soo responded with the same motion。 Now the Chinaman's eyes were upon Cleve； gently questioning。
Cleve responded in the manner that Darley had done。 The Chinaman returned the friendly salute。
This ceremony ended； Darley became businesslike。 He drew one of the near…by chairs toward Ling Soo's low throne； and motioned to Cleve to do the same。
LING SOO was the first to speak。 Cleve； despite his previous contact with intellectual Chinese； rather expected Ling Soo to talk in pidgin English； for the man； Cleve knew； was one who upheld Chinese customs。
But here Cleve was surprised。 Ling Soo； when he talked； displayed a marvelous facility with the English language。
〃Greetings； gentlemen；〃 he said； in calm； easily enunciated words。
〃Greetings； to my friend； Joseph Darley…and greetings to his friend…who shall be my friend。〃
〃Good evening； Ling Soo；〃 said Darley politely。 〃This is Mr。 Branch； one of my associates。 I deemed it wise to see you tonight； and Mr。 Branch kindly consented to acpany me。〃
〃His kindness does me honor；〃 mented Ling Soo。 〃He shall be wele here whenever he may choose to e。 Your friends； Mr。 Darley； are pleasant ones to meet。 They are what you say〃…he paused only momentarily…〃regular fellows。 Am I not right？〃
Darley laughed； and Branch joined in。 Ling Soo beamed with pleasure。 He seemed to pride himself upon his knowledge of American expressions。
〃I shall tell you why I have e here this evening；〃 said Darley briskly。
〃I want to talk with you about the Wu…Fan。 Changes take place in affairs everywhere…even here in the Chinese settlement。 You know it is my task to observe all that happens。
〃Tell me； Ling Soo。 Has there been any new development in the policy of your order？〃
〃The Wu…Fan never changes；〃 said Ling Soo solemnly。 〃It is the same always。 It shall be the same always。 The Wu…Fan is the spirit of my native land。 It continues the ancient and honorable customs that lived through so many ages。〃
〃I understand that；〃 replied Darley。 〃But I have to look at it from a different standpoint than you； Ling Soo。 I can't forget that China itself has undergone some radical changes during recent years。
〃Chinatown is a microcosm of China itself。 There can be changes here…as well as in your native land。〃
〃There is no change in the Wu…Fan；〃 reaffirmed Ling Soo solemnly。
〃But there may have been changes in those who oppose it；〃 declared Darley。
The mild eyes flashed。 Ling Soo's passivity vanished； for an instant。 Then it returned。 Cleve wondered at the change。 It had been in the dark eyes alone。
The face had given no different expression。
But with the return of Ling Soo's normal character； the thin； yellow lips parted in a broad smile； and from them came a long； cackling laugh。 Ling Soo was amused。
〃Would one question the lion；〃 he asked； 〃to learn what the jackal seeks to acplish？〃
〃Hardly；〃 smiled Darley。
〃The Wu…Fan；〃 cackled Ling Soo； 〃is mightier than an lion。〃 His voice and expression became solemn。 〃The symbol of the Wu…Fan is the ancient dragon …
greater than the lion。 But the enemies of the Wu…Fan…they are lower even than the jackal。〃
〃Then；〃 said Darley； 〃you believe that what I already know about the Wu…Fan is plete…that my previous report may remain unchanged？〃
〃Absolutely；〃 said Ling Soo； with an odd emphasis on the word。
〃Tell me；〃 resumed Darley； 〃is the progress of the Wu…Fan continuing uninterrupted？ Is your membership increasing？ Are the new initiates responding as the old have done？〃
〃All who join the Wu…Fan respond the same；〃 declared Ling Soo。 〃What I have told you of the Wu…Fan； I shall repeat。 It is the living spirit of old China…the Wu…Fan。 It seeks not to do harm。 It seeks only to do good。
〃Those who believe in it are trustworthy。 They rise higher in the order as they prove their worth。 They are distinguished by the different badges of membership。〃
〃One must not judge the Wu…Fan by a single member any more than one should judge a race by an individual。 There are traitors in the Wu…Fan； as there are traitors everywhere。〃
〃You punish them？〃
〃What does one mean by punishment？ That is a question。 We have no form of punishment embodied in our code。 We place a ban upon the traitor。 He is no longer allowed to mingle in the affairs of the Wu…Fan。 We make it impossible for him to continue in our service。 That is all。〃
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