Exalted self be insignificantly warned
by person of no intelligence, Li Ho."
Farther down, in a corner of the sheet was this sentence:
"Permit to notably add that respected lady departed life Jan. 14."
Li Ho had certainly surpassed himself. The bewildered professor
forgot about the time-table entirely. What Chinese meaning lay
behind this jumble of dictionary words? That they were not used at
haphazard Spence knew. Li Ho had some distinct meaning to convey--
had indeed already conveyed it in the one outstanding word "danger."
For an instant the professor's mind sickened with that weakness
which had been his dreadful legacy of war. But it passed
immediately. Something stronger, deeper in, took quiet command.
Desire was in danger! Shock has a way at times of giving back what
shock has taken.--Spence became his own man once more--cool, ready.
With infinite care he went over the Chinaman's disjointed sentences.
They had been written under stress.
That much presented no difficulty. Li Ho, the imperturbable, had
permitted himself a fit of nerves . . . Something must have
happened. Something new. Something which threatened a danger not
sufficiently emphasized before. In his former letter Li Ho had
indeed intimated that a return was not desirable, but it had been an
intimation based on general principles only. This was different.
This had all the marks of urgent warning. "No more safe being
married as per inclosed.
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