〃The truth！ I know all about you！〃
She peered at him without recognition。 〃What truth？ I've never seen you before in my life！〃
〃Don't you remember me？ In the poultry market？ You helped me buy a chicken and then we had tea。 Yesterday。 Don't you remember？ You told me about the Werewolves； how they were going to give you a huge reward 。。。〃
All three saw the momentary flash behind her eyes。 〃Werewolves？〃 she began querulously。 〃Impossible！ It was someone else！ You accuse me falsely。 Tell the Noble Lords I've never seen y… 〃
〃Quiet you old baggage！〃 Wu said sharply and cursed her roundly。 〃You worked for Wu Ting…top and your mistress's name was Fan…ling and she died three years ago and they owned the pharmacy at the crossroads！ I know the place well myself！〃
〃Lies 。。。 lies 。。。〃
〃She says it's all lies； sir。〃
〃Good。 Tell her we'll take her to the station。 She'll talk there。〃
Ah Tam began shaking。 〃Torture？ You'll torture an old woman？ Oh oh oh 。。。〃
〃When does this Werewolf e back？ This afternoon？〃
〃Oh oh oh 。。。 I don't know 。。。 he said he would see me but the thief never came back。 I lent him five dollars to get home an… 〃
〃Where was his home？〃
〃Eh？ Who？ Oh him； he 。。。 he said he was a relation of a relation and 。。。 I don't remember。 I think he said North Point 。。。 I don't remember anything 。。。〃
Armstrong and Smyth waited and probed and soon it was apparent that the old woman knew little though she ducked and twisted the probing； her lies being ever more flowery。
〃We'll take her in anyway；〃 Armstrong said。
Smyth nodded。 〃Can you handle it till I can send a couple of men？ I really think I ought to be getting back。〃
〃Certainly。 Thanks。〃
He left。 Armstrong told Wu to order the two women to sit down and be silent while he searched。 They obeyed； frightened。 He went into the kitchen and closed the door。 At once Ah Tam pulled at her long ratty queue。 〃Young Brother；〃 she whispered slyly； knowing her mistress did not understand Ning…tok； 〃I'm guilty of nothing。 I just met that young devil like I met you。 I did nothing。 People of the same village should stick together； heya？ A handsome man like you needs money … for girls or his wife。 Are you married； Honorable Younger Brother？〃
〃No； Elder Sister；〃 Wu said politely； leading her on as he had been told to do。
Armstrong was standing in the doorway of Ah Tam's tiny bedroom and he wondered for the millionth time why it was that Chinese treated their servants so badly； why servants would work in such miserable and foul conditions； why they would sleep and live and give loyal service for a lifetime in return for a pittance； little respect and no love。
He remembered asking his teacher。 The old policeman had said； 〃I don't know； laddie； but I think it's because they bee family。 Usually it's a job for life。 Usually their own family bees part also。 The servant belongs； and the how chew； the good points of the job are many。 It goes without saying all servants cream off a proportion of all housekeeping money； all foods； all drinks； all cleaning materials； all everything； however rich or poor； of course with the employers' full knowledge and approval providing it's kept to the customary level … how else can he pay them so little if they can't make extra on the side？〃
Maybe that's the answer； Armstrong thought。 It's true that before a Chinese takes a job； any job； he or she will have considered the how chew of the job very carefully indeed； the value of the how chew always being the deciding factor。
The room stank and he tried to close his nose to the smell。 Sprays of rainwater were ing through the vent； the sound of the rain still pelting down； the whole wall mildewed and water…stained from a thousand storms。 He searched methodically and carefully； all his senses tuned。 There was little space to hide anything。 The bed and bedding were relatively clean though there were many bedbugs in the corners of the bunk。 Nothing under the bed but a chipped and stinking chamber pot and an empty suitcase。 A few old bags and a tote bag produced nothing。 The chest of drawers contained a few clothes； some cheap jewelry； a poor quality jade bracelet。 Hidden under some clothes was an embroidered handbag of much better quality。 In it were some old letters。 A news cutting。 And two photographs。
His heart seemed to stop。
After a moment he went into the better light of the kitchen and peered at the photographs again but he had not been mistaken。 He read the news cutting； his mind reeling。 There was a date on the cutting and a date on one of the photographs。
In the honeybed basement of Police Headquarters； Ah Tam sat on a hard； backless chair in the center of a large soundproofed room that was brightly lit and painted white； white walls and white ceiling and white floors and a single； flush white door that was almost part of the wall。 Even the chair was white。 She was alone； petrified； and she was talking freely now。
〃Now what do you know about the barbarian in the background of the photograph？〃 Wu's flat； metallic Ning…tok voice asked from a hidden speaker。
〃I've told and told and there isn't 。。。 I don't know； Lord；〃 she whimpered。 〃I want to go home。 。。。 I've told you； I barely saw the foreign devil 。。。 he only visited us this once that I know of； Lord。 。。。 I don't remember； it was years ago； oh can I go now I've told you everything； everything。 。。。〃
Armstrong was watching her through the one…sided mirror in the darkened observation room； Wu beside him。 Both men were set…faced and ill…at…ease。 Sweat beaded Wu's forehead even though the room was pleasantly air conditioned。 A tape recorder turned noiselessly。 There were microphones and a bank of electronic equipment behind them。
〃I think she's told us everything we need；〃 Armstrong said； sorry for her。
〃Yes sir。〃 Wu kept his nervousness out of his voice。 This was the first time that he had ever been part of an SI interrogation。 He was frightened and excited and his head ached。
〃Ask her again where she got the purse。〃
Wu did as he was ordered。 His voice was calm and authoritative。
〃But I've told you again and again；〃 the old woman whimpered。 〃Please can I g… 〃
〃Tell us again and then you can go。〃
〃All right 。。。 all right 。。。 I'll tell you again。 。。。 It belonged to my Mistress who gave it to me on her deathbed； she gave it to me； I swear it and… 〃
〃The last time you said it was given to you the day before she died。 Now which is the truth？〃
Anxiously Ah Tam plucked at her ratty queue。 〃I 。。。 I don't remember； Lord。 It was on her 。。。 it was when she died 。。。 I don't remember。〃 The old woman's mouth worked and no sound came out and then said in a querulous rush； 〃I took it and hid it after she died and there were those old photos 。。。 I've no picture of my Mistress so I took them too and there was one tael of silver too and this paid for part of my journey to Hong Kong during the famine。 I took it because none of her rotten sons or daughters or family who hated her and hated me would give me anything so I took it when no one was 。。。 she gave it to me before she died and I just hid it it's mine； she gave it to me。 。。。〃
They listened while the old woman went on and on and they let her talk herself out。 The wall clock read 1：45。 They had been questioning her for half an hour。 〃That's enough for now； Wu。 We'll repeat it in three hours just for safety but I think she's told us everything。〃 Wearily Armstrong picked up a phone； dialed。 〃Armstrong … you can take her back to her cell now；〃 he said into the phone。 〃Make sure she's fortable and well looked after and have the doctor reexamine her。〃 It was normal SI procedure to give prisoners an examination before and after each interrogation。 The doctor had said that Ah Tam had the heart and the blood pressure of a twenty…year…old。
In a moment they saw the white； almost hidden door open。 A uniformed SI policewoman beckoned Ah Tam kindly。 Ah Tam hobbled out。 Armstrong dipped the lights； switched the tape recorder to rewind。 Wu mopped his brow。 〃You did very well； Wu。 You learn quickly。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃
The high…pitched whine of the tape recorder grew。 Armstrong watched it silently； still in shock。 The sound ceased and the big