Shore of Pearls: A Novel of Murder, Plague, and the Prison Island of Hainan (T'ang Trilogy Book 2) by Altieri Daniel & Cooney Eleanor

Author:Altieri, Daniel & Cooney, Eleanor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eleanor Cooney and Daniel Altieri
Published: 2014-05-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Enigmas and Admonitions

Dee was hot and ill and out of breath, pushing himself to walk faster. He had heard that people had been gathering outside the constable’s office to read mysterious writing that appeared as if by magic whenever it rained. And he had been summoned from Madame Djamal’s by an incoherent Constable’s messenger to see it. The little man had been thoroughly worked up over this necromantic sign. The filthy part of town where they had to pass on their way to the Constable’s office was not good for Dee’s swimming head and queasy stomach, but it was the fastest way and Dee wanted to get there before it began to rain again.

Ten days had passed since the spectacle of the firewalker. Dee had nothing at all to work with in solving the murders, and no new heads had appeared. He found himself in the peculiar position of hoping for another murder. In the meantime, he and the physician dedicated themselves to witnessing as many “supernatural” events around the city as they could. Someone with rational sense should be present, they told themselves.

Abu Zeed took long strides to keep up. He was concerned about Dee, who had complained earlier of feeling not quite right.

“I don’t know why you give it or our little constable a second thought. He is worse than the most ignorant peasant. There’s nonsense writing showing up everywhere. And a thousand silly people to read each one, each in a thousand different ways. People are seeing pictures in the clouds and messages in bird shit. These are desperate times. And now the constable drags you out when you are not well and it is going to rain…well, Magistrate, I am bewildered.”

Dee had not felt well when they set out, and with each step he felt worse. Now his head was floating a long way above his feet. The two parts of him were separating with the fever, like a kite moving away from the ground. He had a hard time concentrating on what the physician was saying.

“Humor me, Abu Zeed. This is my job. And my instincts are often correct.” The narrow streets were muddy and rank. Here, the rains did not wash the air clear. They just moved Canton’s filth around, the hot sun baking it into the clay. The late morning sky threatened to repeat this. More rivers of mud and filth in the streets, buildings and walls drenched in the downpour. It was the rainy season and the rains came with uncanny precision. This charlatan, if there was anything to this writing, was a very clever fellow, planning his work around the weather.

They rounded a corner and came upon a wasted little mongrel sniffing and pawing at the earth. The sight touched Dee with revulsion and pity; he remembered an abused little dog he had come to love. The dog shoved its snout into a deep crevice in the road and pawed at the mud. Something bright and colorful and striped glided in the deep ruts.

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