All it would take from you is a word.'
The figure was silent.
'I see.'
The figure was silent.
'When was the last time you were in the shop, Mr Tam?'
Mr Tam said softly, 'I have not left this room for the last three years.' He said, 'I am provided for by the profits from the business.' He said softly, 'I have received nothing for three months now.'
Feiffer said—
The thin voice said, 'It doesn't matter.'
'Did you make the bomb?'
There was a strange note in the voice. The voice said, 'The cemetery is closed now, but there is a place reserved there for me.' The voice said, 'I used most of the profits to endow in a small way, an orphanage.' The voice said, 'So.'
'So there will be people to mourn you and tend your grave.'
The voice said, 'Yes.' There was a quickened note in the tone, 'Yes.' He said, 'The most important thing in life is to be buried properly.' He said, 'That is a Chinese view.'
'Yes, I know.'
Mr Tam said, 'I have not killed anyone. I have done a few little things of merit and nothing much that is too bad.' He said, 'I am hopeful that my meritorious works will be enough.' He said sadly, 'I can do no more now in any event.'
Feiffer drew a breath. Something pushed against his ribs. It was the butt of his gun. He moved his hand down to the holster and slipped the retaining leather loop over the hammer to secure it. 'Mr Leung's widow seems to think you are a very evil man.'
Mr Tam did not reply.
Feiffer said, 'She claims you are a pariah.'
Mr Tarn's head nodded.
Feiffer said, 'Plague-poxed.' He said, 'Dog's diarrhoea. Rat-turd. Leper. Vermin-infested.' He told the figure, 'She accused you over the body of her husband.' He asked, 'Have you any idea what gelignite does to a human body at close range?'
Mr Tam said, 'No.'
'She claims you and her husband were equal partners in the business and that you were content to sit back and take the profits while he put in the work. She feels that you will now take the entire business and her income will cease.' He said evenly, 'I think you'll admit that it makes a very convincing motive.'
The figure was still.
Feiffer said, 'Wouldn't you say so?'
The figure nodded. The thin voice said, 'She may have the business.'
'Pardon?'
'If she wants the business she may have it.' The thin voice said, 'It is of no use to me.' He said to Feiffer, 'Do you know what feng shui is?' He added quickly, 'Of course, you must.'
Feiffer said, 'Wind and water. They're supposed to be the propitious elements for a house or a grave, or whatever.'
The figure nodded.
Feiffer asked, 'How is the feng shui in that cemetery you can see?'
'It is the best in Hong Kong.' The figure said, 'The cemetery was built in the middle of the last century. It was one of the first on the island, so there were any number of sites to choose from.' He said, 'A feng shui diviner was brought from Canton to locate the best site.' He said, 'A tomb has belonged there to my family for generations. I am the last of my family to use it.' He said, 'It will not be very long.' He said, 'I am waiting.'
' Did you make the bomb that killed Mr Leung ?'
Mr Tam said, 'The last. I am one of the last. The cemetery has been closed for over twenty years and I am one of the very last.' He said, 'A man was brought all the way from Canton to divine the spot.' He said, 'I am one of the very last.' He said, 'I have been waiting for ten years, but it will be soon.' He said, They said on the island that it will be soon.' He told Feiffer, 'They brought me over.' He asked him, 'They wouldn't do that if it wasn't soon would they?' He reassured himself, 'No.'
'Which island?'
'Oh, the—' Mr Tam said, 'Hei Ling Chau Island.' Mr Tam said, 'A long time ago I used to carve ivory. I could have made something then.' He said, 'That was a long time ago.' Feiffer was very aware of the smell. He knew what it was. There was a silence.
The figure said, 'Mr Feiffer?'
'Yes.' Feiffer stood up. He went to the window. He could see the cemetery on
The figure was silent.
'I see.'
The figure was silent.
'When was the last time you were in the shop, Mr Tam?'
Mr Tam said softly, 'I have not left this room for the last three years.' He said, 'I am provided for by the profits from the business.' He said softly, 'I have received nothing for three months now.'
Feiffer said—
The thin voice said, 'It doesn't matter.'
'Did you make the bomb?'
There was a strange note in the voice. The voice said, 'The cemetery is closed now, but there is a place reserved there for me.' The voice said, 'I used most of the profits to endow in a small way, an orphanage.' The voice said, 'So.'
'So there will be people to mourn you and tend your grave.'
The voice said, 'Yes.' There was a quickened note in the tone, 'Yes.' He said, 'The most important thing in life is to be buried properly.' He said, 'That is a Chinese view.'
'Yes, I know.'
Mr Tam said, 'I have not killed anyone. I have done a few little things of merit and nothing much that is too bad.' He said, 'I am hopeful that my meritorious works will be enough.' He said sadly, 'I can do no more now in any event.'
Feiffer drew a breath. Something pushed against his ribs. It was the butt of his gun. He moved his hand down to the holster and slipped the retaining leather loop over the hammer to secure it. 'Mr Leung's widow seems to think you are a very evil man.'
Mr Tam did not reply.
Feiffer said, 'She claims you are a pariah.'
Mr Tarn's head nodded.
Feiffer said, 'Plague-poxed.' He said, 'Dog's diarrhoea. Rat-turd. Leper. Vermin-infested.' He told the figure, 'She accused you over the body of her husband.' He asked, 'Have you any idea what gelignite does to a human body at close range?'
Mr Tam said, 'No.'
'She claims you and her husband were equal partners in the business and that you were content to sit back and take the profits while he put in the work. She feels that you will now take the entire business and her income will cease.' He said evenly, 'I think you'll admit that it makes a very convincing motive.'
The figure was still.
Feiffer said, 'Wouldn't you say so?'
The figure nodded. The thin voice said, 'She may have the business.'
'Pardon?'
'If she wants the business she may have it.' The thin voice said, 'It is of no use to me.' He said to Feiffer, 'Do you know what feng shui is?' He added quickly, 'Of course, you must.'
Feiffer said, 'Wind and water. They're supposed to be the propitious elements for a house or a grave, or whatever.'
The figure nodded.
Feiffer asked, 'How is the feng shui in that cemetery you can see?'
'It is the best in Hong Kong.' The figure said, 'The cemetery was built in the middle of the last century. It was one of the first on the island, so there were any number of sites to choose from.' He said, 'A feng shui diviner was brought from Canton to locate the best site.' He said, 'A tomb has belonged there to my family for generations. I am the last of my family to use it.' He said, 'It will not be very long.' He said, 'I am waiting.'
' Did you make the bomb that killed Mr Leung ?'
Mr Tam said, 'The last. I am one of the last. The cemetery has been closed for over twenty years and I am one of the very last.' He said, 'A man was brought all the way from Canton to divine the spot.' He said, 'I am one of the very last.' He said, 'I have been waiting for ten years, but it will be soon.' He said, They said on the island that it will be soon.' He told Feiffer, 'They brought me over.' He asked him, 'They wouldn't do that if it wasn't soon would they?' He reassured himself, 'No.'
'Which island?'
'Oh, the—' Mr Tam said, 'Hei Ling Chau Island.' Mr Tam said, 'A long time ago I used to carve ivory. I could have made something then.' He said, 'That was a long time ago.' Feiffer was very aware of the smell. He knew what it was. There was a silence.
The figure said, 'Mr Feiffer?'
'Yes.' Feiffer stood up. He went to the window. He could see the cemetery on
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