Fragment 7 - Posted 27th December 2014

When Mistress' business and social obligations were fulfilled, there remained two weeks until the end of the licence, and Mistress declared a free-for all. In theory this meant that the running of the house went on as normal, but any of the staff could make use of White Ghost during any free time, if the custodians permitted. We asked the Mistress if she had any recommendations how we go about this. "I do," she said. "This specimen seems polite and friendly. I think you should let him off the leash during the mornings, and take him off to the park for recreation in the afternoons. No need to watch too closely – one of you on duty should be enough. He may need to rest in the afternoons." When the word went out, the house bubbled with a carnival atmosphere. Pairs of giggling young women were forever moving swiftly through parts of the house where they were not normally to be found. Rooms were found unaccountably locked for short periods. Cupboards resounded with squeals and strange thuds. Flushed maids tripped hastily back to their tasks, and Ma Chao was continually yelling at kitchen staff to wash their hands. Once I even caught Ma Peng pulling down her skirts with a twinkle in her eye. Through all this, White Ghost stumbled and reeled as if in a daze. No-one approached the custodians for permission. How their faces fell when we clipped on the leash and set out for the meadow! The atmosphere turned sombre when the day arrived that the licence expired. Breakfast was something spicy – I forget what – which was unusual. Faces were pale in the kitchen, and one girl fled into the courtyard in a fit of tears. Ma Chao had a set look about the face, and looked as though she had been crying too. She set a bowl before White Ghost and hastily turned away. No-one had much appetite, but we ate determinedly. It took longer than usual, but in time all the bowls were empty. White Ghost could see the mood was odd, but ate heartily. We knew to make ourselves scarce for the morning. As we opened the gate to the lane, Ma Chao appeared and wrapped her arms around White Ghost in a great hug. Without a word, she ran back to her kitchen. By the time we reached the meadow, White Ghost was showing signs of discomfort. We settled him under the trees and moved away. We were torn. Both of us wanted to stay with him, but neither of us wanted to watch. We crouched in the far corner of the meadow, gripping each other's hands and listening to groans and yells. As the sun rose higher in the sky we could see the maids approaching, carrying the stretcher, and we made our way back to White Ghost. He was pale – stark white – and sweating in a frightening way. He had emptied the contents of his stomach, and was still alive. We looked at each other in a mixture of relief and fear. "Now What?" asked Shrr Li. "Take him back, I suppose," I guessed, and that is what we did. There were four of us to manage the stretcher, and White Ghost moaned every time the stretcher shook. When we set the stretcher down in the servant's courtyard, Ma Chao came to look. When she saw he was alive, she ran for some cold water . We helped White Ghost to sit up to drink it, and that seemed to help. Ma Chao ran back to her kitchen and returned with some plain rice in a bowl. He did not want to eat, and vomited once or twice. Ma Chao encouraged him by eating some of the rice herself, and finally he consented to swallow some. We brought him into the garden courtyard, and set an awning over him for the heat of the day. By afternoon, some of his colour had returned. We had no idea what the Police would say. It was the same policewoman, and she was unperturbed. "This sometimes happens," she said. "The law is lenient in these cases. You have three days to arrange things, and after that it becomes a police matter. Three days' grace, three days' leeway." We left the gate of the servant's courtyard open that evening, which I thought was ridiculous. Everyone studiously looked away, but White Ghost ignored it quite much as they did. White Ghost had no notion of the hints and opportunities that were offered to him. Shrr Li wondered how he could be so stupid. "This is the only home he knows here, " I pointed out. "Why is he going to walk away from that? In the state he is in he won't be able to go far anyway." Nobody had any better ideas. We talked to Meng Chu in her study. Ma Chao was apologetic. "I followed the instructions to the letter, Mistress," she swore. "what was in that bowl would have felled an ox." "Have you any more of it?" Meng Chu inquired. Ma Chao looked sour. "Yes I do," she replied smartly, "but don't ask me to use any more on this poor creature, because I won't. You can call the police if you like but I won't do it." "Be easy, Ma Chao, " Meng Chu assured her, "The responsibility is mine. All we can do is leave this to the police." That was my cue. "There is something else that could be done, Mistress," I said. "It may not work, but it is worth a try." Mistress heard me out and considered for a while. Then she gave her consent. "We lose nothing by this. The licence has already expired. The police may consider you culpable, but that is the risk you run. You had best begin as soon as possible."