A great deal of that reserve which had irritated me at the beginning of our acquaintance returned. I was glad, however, that he and Joliffe were on better terms.

When Joliffe wanted us to give a dinner party he always included Adam and he would say: “Is there anyone you want to ask? Let’s make it a family affair.” This was typical of Joliffe’s free and easy nature, and consequently Adam was often at The House of a Thousand Lanterns.

One night a rather disturbing thing happened.

I opened one of my drawers and inside found an object I had not seen before. Puzzled, I took it out and examined it.

It was a number of old coins in each of which a square hole had been made; they were held together by a piece of iron which was shaped like a sword with a cross hilt.

I could not understand who had put it there.

As I sat turning it over and examining it, Lottie came in.

She said: “You wish to wear your blue silk dress tomorrow. I wash…”

Then she stopped short and stared at the object in my hand.

“What’s the matter, Lottie?” I asked.

She stood staring; then she hunched her shoulders and giggled, but it was the giggle I had come to associate with horror or fear.

“You have money sword,” she said. “Who gave?”

“It was in my drawer. Who put it there and what is it? What does it mean?”

She shook her head once and turned her face to the wall.

“Oh Lottie,” I said impatiently, “what is it all about?”

“Someone put,” she said.

“Undoubtedly someone has put it into my drawer. Do you know anything about it?”

She shook her head.

“It must have been one of the servants.”

“It for luck,” she said. “Should hang over bed.”

I looked at the wall. “I don’t think so,” I said. “But I’d like to know who put it there.”

Lottie picked up the money sword gingerly and looked at the coins.

“You see date on coin. If these hung over bed the Emperor who reign when coins made will watch over you. Keep evil spirits away.”

“That’s interesting,” I said.

She nodded. “These always in houses where death come. If there is murder in the house… or someone take own life… then there must be a money sword to keep evil spirit away and protect.”

“In a house where there has been murder or suicide… But…”

Lottie shook her head. “There are bad spirits when someone takes life… his own or someone else. So in such a house there is money sword. It protect.”

“There has been no murder or suicide in this family.”

Lottie was silent.

“All right,” I said. “I’ll wear the silk tomorrow. Good night Lottie.”

She lingered. “You hang over bed,” she said. “Keep good here, evil out.”

I shook my head. “It’s an interesting piece. I wonder who put it into my drawer?”


* * *

I told Joliffe about it.

“Joliffe, have you ever heard of a money sword?”

“Of course. Fascinating things. The Chinese are very superstitious about them.”

“Lottie told me something about it.”

“The old ones fetch quite a price. It depends on the date of the coins of course. They hang them up over their beds as a sort of charm. They’re used in houses where there has been violent death and particularly in case of suicide.”

“One was put in my drawer. I wonder who put it there? You didn’t, Joliffe, did you?”

“My dear, if I was going to make you a present of such a thing I wouldn’t have hidden it in a drawer.”

“But who could have put it there?”

“Did you ask Lottie?”

“She knew nothing. She was quite upset though. Apparently it’s a sort of talisman.”

“Interesting,” said Joliffe.

Then we forgot it for we could not yet overcome the sense of excitement which being together brought us. I thought of the talisman later though.


* * *

We were to give a dinner party and had decided that it should be in the Chinese manner. All day long dishes were being prepared and there was a pleasant bustle of excitement among the servants.

Joliffe was eager that the dinner should be a success, and when Adam promised to take our guests to Chan Cho Lan’s house afterwards for a dancing display, he was delighted.

“You’ll meet the Langs,” said Adam. “He’s an old friend of mine. His wife died recently and he’s remarried. It’ll be her very first visit to China. She’s said to be rather charming but a little emptyheaded. She’ll be enthralled with everything.”

Toby and his sister were invited and so there would be a certain amount of business talk. I was apprehensive to contemplate that the two men who had hoped to marry me would be there with my husband.

As I dressed for dinner in a green silk gown I looked at myself critically in the mirror and tried to see myself as Joliffe saw me. I was neither bad nor good-looking; I had a certain vitality and a good deal of poise—acquired since my marriage to Sylvester and heightened during my year of widowhood. In the last months I had softened a little; I had become vulnerable, as one always must be when one loves.

I considered this as I studied my reflection. To love was perhaps a mixed blessing. One could not have love without fear because one must always fear for the loved one. If Jason suffered from some childish ailment I suffered agonies in my imagination seeing him dead and following his coffin to the grave. All because I loved. And now Joliffe… I was terrified when he was not at my side. I visualized all sorts of dangers that could befall him in this country. To love was to suffer. I was indeed vulnerable.

And this ordinary-looking… no perhaps that was not fair to myself, perhaps I should say this tolerably attractive though not devastatingly so young woman, had had three suitors—all men of ability and some charm.

I saw the faint turn up of my lips; the flash of cynicism in my eyes. But then I was a woman of great means. I had so much more to offer than myself.

And yet I could not believe that these men were mercenary… not entirely so. Joliffe loved me; he had told me so a hundred times. And Adam and Toby? They told me too in a different way. Adam’s aloof dismay and suppressed anger showed me; Toby’s sad resignation.

It’s strange, I said to myself. I’m sure they have some regard for me but my fortune may tip the balance in my favor.

In such a mood I went down to dinner.

Adam was right about Mrs. Lang’s being a little featherbrained. She was a very pretty woman with fair fluffy hair; and she talked incessantly in disjointed sentences many of which she failed to finish.

Hong Kong was marvelous. She had heard of course… but had not guessed how truly wonderful. Darling Jumbo… that was her husband… had said she would be enchanted and, my dears, she was. All those boats! What a sight! Mind you she wouldn’t want to live on a boat… And the little babies on their mothers’ backs! It was a wonder they didn’t fall off…

She was inclined to dominate the conversation with her insouciant chatter which must have been very trying for those who were interested to talk of more serious matters.

Mrs. Lang had known Joliffe in London and was quite clearly more interested in him than in the other guests. She tried to talk to him all the time across the table.

I was trying to listen to Jumbo who was telling me about a vase he had found. It was of porcelain decorated in green and black enamel and might be of the Ch’ing Dynasty. At the same time Mrs. Lang was saying to Joliffe: “My dear, what a terrible time it was… Poor, poor woman. And all that fuss. So distressing for you…”

Joliffe said: “It’s in the past. It’s best to forget it.”

“You are so right. It’s always best to forget such unpleasant things. And now you have this marvelous wife… But my poor, poor Joliffe… So sorry I was for you. All that in the papers… and people being so unpleasant. They always are, I mean they always want to blame somebody, don’t they? And if it’s a wife… or a husband… the first thing they do is suspect the other one…”

I must have shown clearly that I was not listening to the description of the Ch’ing vase, for Jumbo said: “My dear Lilian, you talk too much.”

“Darling Jumbo, I do, don’t I? But I had to tell Joliffe how desolate I was… That terrible time… It’s past now and he’s happily married and I’m so… so happy for him.”

Joliffe was looking intently at me. I lowered my eyes. I was afraid. There was something I did not know and it was about Bella.

The man called Jumbo must have become accustomed to rectifying his wife’s blunders; he said smoothly: “I was explaining about this Ch’ing vase. I must show it to you sometime, Joliffe. I think I’m going to place it with the Comte de Grasse. He is most interested. Have you seen his collection?”

“Yes,” answered Joliffe. “Magnificent.”

“This will be a fine addition.”

I looked up and met Joliffe’s eyes. He was trying to sooth me. It was an expression I knew well. It meant: I can explain.

I had seen it before.


* * *

There was never such a long party. The guests came back to the house after the dancing display and it seemed hours before the last rickshaw had departed.

In our bedroom I waited for Joliffe. He seemed long in coming.

As soon as he came in I said: “What was that woman implying?”

“That Lang woman. What a stupid featherbrained creature she is! I wonder at Jim Lang’s marrying her. He should know better at his time of life.”