mg.greeneyes-第6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　change