The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood Page A

classics and an experimental turn of mind. How the young man got to be where he was found, that is for the remarkable Miss Fisher to explain.’
    They all beamed at Phryne. She was genuinely impressed. But while their research was ended, hers was about to begin.
    ‘Difficult. But possible. And what would you say was the date of death, gentlemen and Jane?’
    ‘Oh, we are in agreement about that too. Somewhere around the date of the newspaper, Miss Fisher. Look for your missing young man in about 1857,’ Ayers told her.
    ‘That’s the Gold Rush,’ said Jane.
    ‘So it is,’ said Phryne. ‘A very good time for a murder, and a very easy place in which to disappear.’

    In the thirteenth year of the reign of the glorious Emperor Lord of the Dragon Throne Kwong Sui of the Ching Dynasty, Mid Autumn festival, 15th day of eighth month.
    To his younger sister Sung Mai the ku’li Sung Ma sends greetings. We seem to be travelling so fast that the clouds trail behind us, trying vainly to keep up. I can hear the sailors shouting over a fantan game below, smell the stench of the rancid pork fat our fried cakes are being cooked in and the fish which the ship’s cat, whom I have named Dark Moon because of her black fur, has dragged out of the bilges and is now devouring on my bit of deck. The ropes which hold the sails are singing.
    There ought to be a poem in this.
    A small village, dinner is cooking, men are gambling.
    The sea gods noose it and sling it across the waves.
    Not one of my best. We have been thirty days at sea and they say that we will arrive before fifty days are gone.
    The elder brother bids farewell, with love, to the younger sister.

CHAPTER FOUR
    In her new dress, she comes from her vermilion towers;
The light of spring floods the palace.
    Liu Yuhsi, translated by Lin Yutang
    Phryne and Jane returned home with the ticket and pieces of newspaper carefully preserved between two sheets of glass. Jane was quiet all the way home in the Hispano-Suiza. Phryne wondered if anything was wrong. Delayed shock?
    Her fears were dissipated when Jane remarked, ‘Perhaps I might rather be a pathologist, like Professor Glaister.’
    ‘Perhaps,’ said Phryne. ‘Think about it when you have finished your medical training. Dr Treasure does say that it is one speciality where the patients don’t complain.’
    Jane chuckled. ‘Who is coming to dinner?’ she asked eagerly. ‘Did you say he was a dwarf, Miss Phryne?’
    ‘Yes. A very educated and dignified person, and I have to warn my sister not to insult him. I know you and Ruth too well to think that you might stare and giggle as silly Misses might do. Though, now I come to think of it, neither of you giggle much. And you may not ask him personal questions, Jane. I know that you would really like to and that you mean no offence, but he’s a guest and guests are not to be either anatomically examined or interrogated.’ Phryne paused. ‘Unless they want to be, of course,’ she added.
    Jane bit her lip. ‘You’re thinking about Mrs Behan, aren’t you?’ she asked. ‘I did apologise.’
    ‘I know, and that the question of the real colour of her hair was only to be expected if one insists on dyeing grey-brown hair that very metallic shade of red. But it’s a known middle-class fact that ladies do not dye their hair. Only actresses and prostitutes dye their hair. So your innocent question, “What dye do you use to get that lovely red colour?”, was loaded with social criticism. Conversation is a minefield until you learn the conventions, Jane dear.’
    ‘I’ll never learn all the rules,’ muttered Jane.
    ‘Yes, you will,’ said Phryne. ‘Then you can bend them. The best advice I would give you is, “If under attack, cause a diversion”.’
    ‘A diversion?’
    ‘Yes, trip over the dog, spill a glass of wine on your attacker, burst into song, challenge your attacker to a duel. And the angrier you get, the lower your voice should be. Never shout unless you are