when old hai ask what he have be do that day , trinket tell he that he have be help supervise the confiscation of oboi 's estate .
he conclude he account — which of course omit any mention of the dagger and various other valuable that he have pocket for himself — by tell he about the two copy of the sutra in forty-two section that have be discover in oboi 's house .
the old eunuch jump up in surprise .
' do you say there be two copy at oboi 's place ? '
' yes , ' say trinket .
' we be tell to look for they by the empress dowager ; otherwise i could have bring they to you without anyone know . '
old hai 's face fall , but he soon recover he composure .
' hm , in the empress dowager 's hand now , be they ? ' he say grimly .
' well , it could be worse . '
shortly after this they evening meal be bring in from the imperial kitchen .
after eat barely half a bowl of rice , the old eunuch sit back , turn up he pale , unseeing eye towards the ceiling , and appear to be lose in thought .
when he have finish he own meal , trinket decide to get a little sleep in before go to he midnight assignation with the maid-in-waiting .
not wish to disturb the old eunuch , who be still sit motionless in he chair , he slip over to he bed , lay down on it fully clothe , and be soon asleep .
after sleep fitfully for what must have be several hour , he get up silently , stuff the box of cake inside he breast pocket , and make he way on tiptoe across the room , pause at each step for fear the old eunuch might waken .
then , slowly and gently , he slide back the door-bar and open one of the leaf of the door .
at that very moment he hear the old eunuch 's voice call out from behind he .
' laurie , where be you go ? '
' i be . . . i be go out for a piss . '
' why can not you piss in the pot ? '
' i can not get to sleep , ' say trinket .
' i think i would walk around in the garden for a bit . '
no point in stand there talk , he think ; better get off quickly , before the old devil could stop he .
but just as he foot cross the threshold , he feel a tighten around the throat .
' ow ! ' he holler .
the old eunuch have he by the collar and be propel he back into the room .
' damn ! ' think trinket , ' damn ! ' as the old man throw he down on the bed .
the old devil know i want to go and see that little maid and now he be go to stop i . '
' be this to test my reaction , goong-goong ? ' he say , force a laugh .
' it be a long time since you have teach i any kungfu .
what do you call that grip ? '
' catch a turtle in a jar , ' say the old eunuch .
' little turtle ! '
' turtle yourself ! ' think trinket , but do not dare say it out loud .
he eye be dart all round he , look for some means of escape ; but the old eunuch sit himself down beside he on the bed and begin address he in a low , almost mournful voice .
' you be bold but not careless , ' he say .
' you be a sharp , intelligent lad .
you have not show much willingness to exert yourself , but if i could have take you in hand and knock you into some sort of shape , you might have make quite a promising little fighter .
it seem such a pity . '
' what do , goong-goong ? '
trinket ask .
' what seem a pity ? '
the old eunuch ignore he question and heave a sigh .
after a pause he say : ' you peking accent be almost perfect now .
if you voice have sound like this a few month ago , without a trace of the yangzhou twang in it , i might have be take in . '
shock raise the fine hair on trinket 's body .
a uncontrollable shiver take possession of he and he tooth begin chatter .
nevertheless he manage a nervous laugh .
' g-g-goong-goong , you be speak very — ha ha ! — s-strangely tonight . '
the old eunuch heave another sigh .
' how old be you , child ? '
he be speak so calmly that trinket 's terror be somewhat allay .
' about fourteen , i think . '
' if you be thirteen , you be thirteen ; if you be fourteen , you be fourteen .
what do you mean , you " think " ? '
' my mother 's not sure herself , ' say trinket .
' i can not say exactly . '
this be true .
he mother have always be vague when ask about he age .
the old eunuch nod and cough for a bit .
' a few year ago i overtax my body in some way while i be training .
it bring on this cough which just seem to get worse and worse .
this last year i have begin to realize there be no hope for i . '
' oh , i do not know , ' say trinket , not quite sure where this conversation be head .
' i think you cough be get a bit better lately . '
' better ? ' say the old eunuch shake he head .
' it be not the least bit better .
i have get a terrible pain in my chest all the time .
what would you know about it ? '
' what be it like at the moment ? ' say trinket .
' would you like i to get you some of you medicine ? '
again the old man sigh .
' i have already lose my eyesight .
medicine have to be take in the proper dose . '
trinket almost stop breathing .
do this mean that the old devil have guess about that as well ?
' you have get a lucky streak , ' the old eunuch continue .
' get yourself into the emperor 's grace like that — it could have be very useful .
you have not be purify , of course , but that be no problem .
i could have do the cut for you .
ah , it be a pity .
too late . just too late . '
trinket have no idea what ' purify ' mean ; but everything the old eunuch be say tonight seem to have something odd about it .
' goong-goong , ' he say , ' it be very late .
should not you be get some sleep ? '
' sleep ? ' say the old eunuch .
' sleep ?
there be plenty of sleep to come : sleep all day , sleep all night , sleep and never wake up again .
no more get up in the morning , no more pain in the chest , no more cough .
what do you think , boy ?
do not you think it would be nice ? '
trinket be too frightened to answer .
tell i , boy , ' say the old eunuch , ' who else be there besides you in you family ? '
the question be straightforward enough and seem to have be ask without sinister intent , yet trinket do not know how to answer it .
he have not the faintest idea what family the late laurie have have and fear that almost any answer he give be likely to betray he ignorance ; yet he have to say something .
he settle for a modify version of the truth , hope that old hai himself know nothing about laurie 's family .
' my mother 's the only one at home , ' he say .
' what be happen to the rest of the family during these past few year , i would rather not say . '
' only a mother , ' say the old eunuch .
' and what word do you use for " mother " in the fujian dialect ? '
here be another surprise for trinket .
' could the real laurie have be a fujianese ? ' he wonder .
' i think he say just now that i use to have a yangzhou accent .
perhaps . . . perhaps he do know that i blind he . '
some seconds elapse while he brain race through a number of possibility .
he final response be a lame one .
' i. . . i — why do you ask ? '
there be another sigh from the old eunuch .
' so young and yet so wicked !
i wonder where you get it from .
who do you most resemble , you father or you mother ? '
' i do not think i be like anyone , ' say trinket .
' anyway , i be not all that bad .
i may not be very good , but i do not think i be wicked . '
' i have not always be a eunuch , ' the old man say after a few more cough .
' i be already a grown man when i be purify . '
trinket be horrify .
' so that be what be " purify " mean : have you piss-pipe and the other bit cut off .
i hope he do not think he be go to purify i .
holy ding-a-ling dong ! '
but the old man 's thought be on another track .
' i have a son once , ' he say .
' unfortunately he die when he be only eight year old .
if he would live , i might have have a grandson today of about you age .
tell i , be that whiskers mao you father ? '
' no. .
no , he be not .
hot-piece momma , of course he be not ! '
' i do not think he be , ' say the old eunuch .
' if you be my son and you be trap here in the palace , i would find the means of get you out somehow , whatever the danger . '
trinket force a smile .
' pity you be not my father , ' he say .
' i could do with a nice , kind father like you . '
' those two kind of martial art i be teach you , the greater catch-can and the merciful guanyin , ' say the old eunuch , ' — i would only start you on they : you could not be say to have more than a smattering of either . '
' you ought to teach i they properly , goong-goong , ' say trinket .
' you be a world champion .
you ought to have someone to carry on the tradition when you be go .
teach i , so that one day i can make you famous : that be what you ought to do . '
the old man shake he head .
' i be not a " world champion " .
there be any number of kungfu master in the world as highly qualify as i be .
in any case , you could not master my two kind of kungfu if you spend a whole lifetime study they . '
after a moment he say : ' put you finger on you belly about three inch to the left of you navel and press .
hard .
tell i what you feel . '
trinket do as he say .
a pain shot through he vitals , so intense that he cry out loud .
he find himself panting , and the sweat stand out on he brow .
as a matter of fact , for several week now he have from time to time be conscious of a slight pain in he left side which he put down to indigestion .
since it have invariably go away after a bit , he have not pay it much attention .
he have certainly never imagine that pressure on the source of this pain could produce such agony .
' interesting , be not it ! ' say the old eunuch with ill-disguised satisfaction .
trinket curse he inwardly : ' hateful old devil !
stinking old turtle ! '
but all he say be : ' it hurt a bit .
i would not have say it be interesting exactly . '
' every morning when they deliver we food from the kitchen , you be still not back from gamble with you friend or wrestle with the emperor , ' say the old eunuch .
' i notice some time ago that the soup they serve be in need of seasoning , so every day i have be get out one of the little bottle from my medicine chest and tip a little of the powder in the soup to give it a bit of flavour .
only a tiny bit .
too much of the poison would have too obvious a effect .
a smart lad like you do not miss much ; but as i have be careful never to take soup myself anyway , you do not suspect anything . '
trinket could feel he skin crawl .
' but . . . but ...
i think you do not like soup , ' he say .
' you say it make you cough . '
' i be very fond of soup as a matter of fact , ' say the old eunuch , ' but when the soup 's poison , even if there be only a minute amount of poison in it , the effect of drink it day after day could in the end become a little dangerous , do not you think ? '
' i should say it could ! ' say trinket indignantly .
' you think of everything , goong-goong , do not you ! '
' oh , i do not know , ' say the old eunuch with a sigh .
' i would originally be plan to let " you take the poison for about three month and then set you free so that it would have a nice long time to work on you .
to start with you would just have about half-an-hour 's pain every day , not very severe .
then , as time go by , it would get gradually worse and the period when you feel it would get longer .
after about a year you would be in pain continuously , night and day , and the pain would get so terrible that in the end you would be dash you head against wall and tear the flesh of you arm and leg with you tooth , '
he sigh again .
' unfortunately my health be get so bad that i doubt if i can wait that long .
now then , no one else have a antidote for this poison but i , so why do not you be a good little boy and tell i who you be work for ?
who be it that put you up to blind i ?
if you will give i a honest answer to that question , i promise to give you the antidote this minute . '
the question be unanswerable because there be no such person ; but trinket , though young , be not so naive as to believe that the old eunuch would spare he life even if he answer it .
' the person i be work for ? ' he say .
' you would get a nasty shock if i tell you .
so you know all along that i be not laurie and you think this trick up to make i suffer ?
well — ha ha ha ! — you be the one who be be trick .
ha ha ha !
you have be have good and proper . '
he keep up the artificial laughter in order to cover up the wriggle of he body .
while he be talk and laugh he have manage to draw up he right leg so that he could get he hand on the dagger in he boot and draw it from its sheath .
any slight sound that this operation might have give rise to be mask by he idiotic cachinnation .
' what do you mean ? ' say the old eunuch .
' how have i be have ? '
trinket have to go on talk in order to keep the old man 's attention distract .
any old nonsense would do .
' i could tell there be something funny about that soup the very first day i taste it , ' he say .
' i ask misty about it and he tell i you be try to poison i . . . '
the old eunuch be clearly startle by this .
' the emperor know this ? '
' of course he do , ' say trinket , ' — though i do not realize at the time that he be the emperor .
misty advise i not to let on that i know .
he say pretend to drink the soup but do not swallow it ; then afterwards you can spit it back in the bowl .
so that be what i do .
it be not very difficult to fool you because you could not see . '
all the while he be say this , he be raise the dagger inch by inch and aim it at the pit of the old man 's stomach .
he know that in order to succeed he would have to kill he instantly .
even a correctly aim blow , if it do not kill he at once , would cost he he own life .
the old eunuch be not sure whether to believe he or not .
' if you do not drink the soup , ' he say , ' how be it that it hurt so badly when you press you belly ? '
trinket affect a sigh .
' i suppose it be because i do not rinse my mouth after spit it out .
some of the poison must still have get into my stomach . '
while he be say this he manage to move the dagger a few inch nearer .
' good ! ' say the old eunuch .
the important thing be , there be no cure ; so though you have have a lighter dose , all that mean be that the poison will act more slowly and you will have that much longer to suffer . '
trinket begin laugh loudly again .
under cover of he laughter he make a tremendous stab , concentrate all the strength of he body into he right arm and aim at a place he have choose just beneath the old man 's rib .
he have work out in advance that , after drive the dagger home , he would roll towards the corner of the bed , crawl out from under the foot of it , and make for the still open door .
but at that very moment the old eunuch sense a slight coldness of the air cause by the proximity of the metal .
surprised but , because of a lifetime of training , never totally off he guard , he raise he left hand almost automatically to fend off a attack — though of what nature , he have no time to think — while he right hand follow with a blow of such giant force that it knock trinket fly through the papered lattice of the bedside window and into the garden outside .
almost at the same time the old eunuch become aware of a agonizing pain in he left hand .
the dagger have sever all four of the finger on it .
the old man calculate that the blow must have kill trinket instantaneously and that he be probably already dead when he crash through the window .
' pity ! ' he mutter to himself , smile grimly .
the little devil do not deserve to die so quickly . '
when he have recover somewhat from the shock of he own gruesome accident , he go to he medicine chest and get out some wound-powder to put on the bleeding stump ; then he tear a strip off the bed-sheet to bind up he left hand with , continue to mutter to himself as he do so .
' where on earth could the little devil have get hold of a blade like that ?
i have never come across anything so sharp in my life before . '
force himself to endure the excruciating pain in he hand , he jump through the break window into the garden , grope he way to the place where he think trinket must have fall , and begin feel around for this extraordinary weapon ; but though he search for a long time , he could not find it .
because he have come to know the garden so well while he still have he sight , he retain a clear memory of where each rock and shrub be situate .
accord to he calculation , trinket must have fall into the bed of peony .
he could understand that the weapon might have fly from he hand and be lie at quite some distance away , but where be the body ?
the blow that trinket sustain have knock all the air out of he lung and cause a agonizing pain in he chest , couple with the feeling that every bone in he body have be break .
when he hit the ground , he very nearly faint ; but somewhere at the back of he fading consciousness there be a awareness that to lie where he be would mean certain death , for the old eunuch have not be kill and would certainly come after he to finish he off .
make a supreme effort , he struggle to he foot , but after stagger no more than a couple of step , he leg give way and he collapse once more onto the ground .
fortunately the place where he have fall be the beginning of a fairly steep declivity in a open part of the garden , so instead of lie where he fall , he begin roll downward .
if the old eunuch have not be so distract by pain , he would probably have hear something ; though so certain be he that the boy be dead , that even if he have , he would probably have attribute the sound to some other cause .
the slope be a long one and trinket must have roll a dozen yard or more before he body come to rest .
he struggle to he foot and begin walk again in the same direction .
this time , though he whole body hurt unbearably , he do not fall .
incredibly , he be still hold the dagger tightly in he hand .
' i think i must have a lucky streak , ' he say to himself when he become aware of this .
' after be knock through the window and roll down the bank and everything , it be a miracle i do not cut myself . '
he stop for a moment to put the dagger back inside he boot .
' well , the cat 's really out of the bag now , ' he think .
' if the old devil know i be not what i be pretend to be , i can not stay in the palace a moment longer .
pity about that half a million tael though .
fancy win all that money in a single go and then lose the lot in a evening !
that be what i call real style ! '
a few minute before this he have be nearly dead , but now , after a little boasting , he be on top of the world .
' that little maid will be wonder what be become of i , ' he think .
' i can not get out of the palace anyway in the middle of the night , so i might as well still go and see she . — aiyo ! '
fishing it out from inside he gown , he find that the box of honey-cake have , as he fear , be squashed completely flat .
' better take this as evidence , in case she be feel cross because i have keep she waiting so long , ' he think .
' i 'll tell she i have a fall .
ha !
some fall !
it be turn the cake into a cow-pat . '
he sample a small piece of the sticky mess .
' hot-piece tamardy , this be really nice !
have you ever eat a piece of cow-pat ?
do try some , it be delicious ! '
as he start walk again , this time in the direction of the hall of maternal tranquillity , the empress dowager 's compound , he be feel so cock-a-hoop that he be step out at quite a pace .
the result be a most frightful pain in he chest which at once slow he down to a shuffle .
when he reach he goal , however , he find the gate tightly close .
' damn ! ' he think .
' i do not think this one would be shut .
now how the devil be i go to get inside ? '
just as he be wonder what to do next , the gate suddenly open a bit and a girl 's head pop out which he recognize in the moonlight as blossom 's .
she smile at he and beckon to he to come in .
he comply happily , and when he have slip inside , she fasten the gate after he .
' i think i would better wait here in case you have trouble get - in , ' she say softly in he ear .
' i have be wait ever such a long time . '
' i know , i be late , ' trinket whisper back , ' but i have a fall on the way .
i trip over a horrible old turtle . '
' i do not know there be any in the palace , ' say blossom .
' i have never see one .
do you hurt yourself ? '
the effort of get to this appointment have absorb so much of he attention that it have almost take he mind off the pain ; but as soon as she ask the question he become aware that he be hurt dreadfully all over and groan in spite of himself .
blossom seize he hand in she own .
' where do it hurt ? ' she ask in a anxious whisper .
as trinket be on the point of answer she , a shadow appear on the ground and he look up to see a dark figure like a great eagle float down from the top of the garden wall and softly alight at the foot of it .
he be so startle that he almost call out .
while he watch , the monstrous bird-shape transform itself into a much taller , thinner shape which he could see now , in the light of the moon , be no eagle but a man — a tall , thin man with hunch shoulder and a round back : none other , in fact , than old hai the eunuch .
blossom , who have she face towards trinket and away from the wall , have not see this apparition ; but when trinket fall silent and turn to stare at something with a startled look on he face , she turn to look as well .
the next moment trinket have he hand over she mouth , hold it perhaps rather tighter than be necessary for fear she might cry out .
at the same time he signal to she with he other hand to keep quiet .
when she nod to show that she understand , he slowly withdraw the hand from she mouth , though all the time keep he eye on the old eunuch .
old hai have now straighten himself up and be stand rather stiffly with he head cock to one side as if listen for something .
after a while he begin , very slowly , to move forwards .
trinket breathe a silent sigh of relief when he see that he be not walk in he direction .
' who would have think the old turtle would be able to follow i all the way here in spite of be blind ? ' he think .
' still , provide neither of we make any noise , he be not likely to find i . '
after take a few step forwards , the old eunuch make a sudden leap sideways which bring he right in front of trinket ; then , shoot out he right arm , he grasp blossom round the neck .
she try to scream , but because of the pressure on she throat , it be only a little smother sound that come out .
' it be i he be after , not this girl , ' think trinket .
' i do not think he 'll kill she . '
he be only a couple of foot away from the old man and so scared that he be nearly wet himself , but he dare not budge a inch , know that if he make the slightest movement he would be hear .
' do not make any noise , ' the old eunuch hiss to blossom .
' if you do not do as i tell you , i shall strangle you .
now tell i , but keep you voice down , who be you ? '
' i. . . i. . . ' blossom begin .
the old eunuch run he hand over she head , then over she face .
'' you be one of the maids-in-waiting , be not you ? ' he say .
' yes , ' say blossom in a little voice .
' so what be you do out here in the middle of the night ? '
' i be just . . . just play , ' say blossom .
a faint smile appear on the face of the old eunuch which the dim moonlight transform into a ghastly leer .
' who be here with you ? '
he cock he head to listen .
what have enable he to tell where blossom be stand be the fact that she do not know how to control she breathing and have be breathe rather heavily because she be frighten .
he have not be aware of trinket 's presence because trinket 's breathing be more restrain .
when trinket hear the old eunuch 's question , he want to signal to blossom not to let on that he be there , but dare not risk even move he hand .
fortunately blossom 's quick wit have already sense that the old man be blind and she say ' no one ' without need to be tell .
' where be the empress dowager 's room ? ' say the old eunuch .
' take i to she ! '
' goong-goong , please , ' say blossom pleadingly , ' please do not tell she .
i. . . i promise never to do this again . '
she assume that he intend to report she for be catch wander outside at a unauthorized hour .
' no use bleating , ' say the old eunuch .
take i to she , or i 'll strangle you this minute . '
he increase the pressure on she throat so that she could no longer breathe and she face become swollen and purple .
trinket be so frightened that he lose control of he bladder and piss soak through he trousers and begin fall drip after drip on the ground .
fortunately the faint sound it make be not detect by the old eunuch ; or if it be , he must have assume that it be the little maid of honour who be wet herself .
he release the pressure on she throat .
' come on !
take i there ! '
blossom have no choice but to obey , but before they go , she shoot a look full of tenderness at trinket which seem to say , ' go , quickly !
i promise i will not give you away . '
that be the empress dowager 's bedroom , over there , ' she whisper , temporarily forget that the old man could not see .
she begin walk , very slowly , in i direction she have indicate .
the old eunuch walk beside she , he right hand still encircle she throat .
' the old devil 's go to tell the empress dowager about i , ' think trinket .
' he 'll tell she everything — how i kill laurie and dress up in he clothes , and how i make he blind , and he 'll ask she to have i arrest .
but i wonder why he do not tell the emperor ?
i suppose it be because he know the emperor like i and be afraid he might not do anything about it .
oh help !
what be i go to do ?
i have to get out of this palace as quickly as possible .
aiyo , i can not though !
the gate will have be shut long ago .
it will not be long now before the empress dowager give order for my arrest .
i sha not get away then , even if i grow wing . '