Read Online (#26) The Clue of the Leaning Chimney by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online
Authors: Carolyn Keene
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Tallow smiled pleasantly. “It’s all written down in my ledger.”
Nancy pointed out the dragon vase in the case. “Would you mind telling me where that came from?” she asked.
“Not at all,” Mr. Tallow replied. “I bought that porcelain only yesterday from Mr. Carr.”
Nancy caught her breath. She had been sure the dragon vase had been stolen from Dick’s shop by John Manning. Were Carr and Manning the same person? Or had Manning sold the vase to Carr, who in turn had sold it to Sen-yung’s Oriental Gift Shop?
“I’m sorry to have to tell you,” Nancy said, “but this vase looks just like one that was stolen from a shop in River Heights.”
Mr. Tallow’s jaw dropped. “It can’t be true!”
“The dragon design is exactly the same as the pattern on a Ming vase that belonged to a Mr. Soong,” Nancy added.
“Mr. Soong!” the shopkeeper exclaimed. “I know him well! He is an old friend of Mr. Sen-yung! Oh, this is terrible!”
Mr. Tallow looked so worried that Nancy felt sorry for him and asked if she might examine the vase to see if it really were the same one.
“Of course, of course,” he agreed.
He unlocked the cabinet door and handed the piece to Nancy. She laid the vase on its side and studied the bottom. Clearly painted on the base were several Chinese symbols. They appeared to be exactly like one set of the markings that she had found in Manning’s room; the set Mr. Soong had said was on his vase.
Nancy translated the symbols. “Made in the studio of deep peace.” She looked at Mr. Tallow. “Is that correct?”
He nodded nervously.
At that moment the door of the shop opened and a short, round-faced Chinese gentleman came in. He took off his hat, exposing a completely bald head, and fanned himself vigorously.
Mr. Tallow hurried toward him. “Mr. Sen-yung! Thank goodness you’re back!”
After introducing his Chinese partner to Nancy, her aunt and the detective, Mr. Tallow repeated what Nancy had said about the dragon vase. Mr. Sen-yung’s face became grave. Taking a magnifying glass from his pocket, he examined the pottery. Suddenly he straightened and turned to his partner.
“When did you buy this vase?” he asked sharply.
“Yesterday,” Mr. Tallow replied.
“You should not have bought it without first consulting me!” Mr. Sen-yung told him heatedly.
“But you were ill!” his partner protested. “I didn’t want to disturb you!” He looked at the vase, then back at the Chinese. “Is anything wrong?”
“Everything!” Mr. Sen-yung exclaimed. “This vase is a fake—an imitation!”
Mr. Tallow stared at him, dumbfounded.
“How can you tell, Mr. Sen-yung?” Nancy asked.
“This vase is a fake—an imitation!”
Mr. Sen-yung exclaimed
He showed her the barely perceptible but unmistakable signs that had betrayed the vase to him. Under the magnifying glass the colors showed no signs of having softened with the years, and there was a scent of newness about the porcelain. But most particularly the marks on the bottom stood out a trifle too clearly.
“It is a clever imitation,” Mr. Sen-yung admitted. “Extremely expert.”
Had this copy of Mr. Soong’s vase been made in China and smuggled into the United States by David Carr?
Mr. Sen-yung asked his partner for the complete story of the purchase. Mr. Tallow said he had bought the dragon vase and also the one sold to Mr. Townsend from David Carr. The man had introduced himself as a sales representative of the West Coast Trading Company and shown credentials to prove his identity.
Knowing the fine reputation of the firm, Mr. Tallow had assumed the vases to be authentic. Now it seemed possible that the Townsend vase also was a fake.
“We must get the Townsend vase back at once,” Mr. Sen-yung said. “If it, too, is a reproduction, we’ll refund the money.”
“It has been stolen,” Nancy informed him. “That’s really what brought me to New York.” Then she asked Mr. Tallow, “What does David
Nancy pointed out the dragon vase in the case. “Would you mind telling me where that came from?” she asked.
“Not at all,” Mr. Tallow replied. “I bought that porcelain only yesterday from Mr. Carr.”
Nancy caught her breath. She had been sure the dragon vase had been stolen from Dick’s shop by John Manning. Were Carr and Manning the same person? Or had Manning sold the vase to Carr, who in turn had sold it to Sen-yung’s Oriental Gift Shop?
“I’m sorry to have to tell you,” Nancy said, “but this vase looks just like one that was stolen from a shop in River Heights.”
Mr. Tallow’s jaw dropped. “It can’t be true!”
“The dragon design is exactly the same as the pattern on a Ming vase that belonged to a Mr. Soong,” Nancy added.
“Mr. Soong!” the shopkeeper exclaimed. “I know him well! He is an old friend of Mr. Sen-yung! Oh, this is terrible!”
Mr. Tallow looked so worried that Nancy felt sorry for him and asked if she might examine the vase to see if it really were the same one.
“Of course, of course,” he agreed.
He unlocked the cabinet door and handed the piece to Nancy. She laid the vase on its side and studied the bottom. Clearly painted on the base were several Chinese symbols. They appeared to be exactly like one set of the markings that she had found in Manning’s room; the set Mr. Soong had said was on his vase.
Nancy translated the symbols. “Made in the studio of deep peace.” She looked at Mr. Tallow. “Is that correct?”
He nodded nervously.
At that moment the door of the shop opened and a short, round-faced Chinese gentleman came in. He took off his hat, exposing a completely bald head, and fanned himself vigorously.
Mr. Tallow hurried toward him. “Mr. Sen-yung! Thank goodness you’re back!”
After introducing his Chinese partner to Nancy, her aunt and the detective, Mr. Tallow repeated what Nancy had said about the dragon vase. Mr. Sen-yung’s face became grave. Taking a magnifying glass from his pocket, he examined the pottery. Suddenly he straightened and turned to his partner.
“When did you buy this vase?” he asked sharply.
“Yesterday,” Mr. Tallow replied.
“You should not have bought it without first consulting me!” Mr. Sen-yung told him heatedly.
“But you were ill!” his partner protested. “I didn’t want to disturb you!” He looked at the vase, then back at the Chinese. “Is anything wrong?”
“Everything!” Mr. Sen-yung exclaimed. “This vase is a fake—an imitation!”
Mr. Tallow stared at him, dumbfounded.
“How can you tell, Mr. Sen-yung?” Nancy asked.
“This vase is a fake—an imitation!”
Mr. Sen-yung exclaimed
He showed her the barely perceptible but unmistakable signs that had betrayed the vase to him. Under the magnifying glass the colors showed no signs of having softened with the years, and there was a scent of newness about the porcelain. But most particularly the marks on the bottom stood out a trifle too clearly.
“It is a clever imitation,” Mr. Sen-yung admitted. “Extremely expert.”
Had this copy of Mr. Soong’s vase been made in China and smuggled into the United States by David Carr?
Mr. Sen-yung asked his partner for the complete story of the purchase. Mr. Tallow said he had bought the dragon vase and also the one sold to Mr. Townsend from David Carr. The man had introduced himself as a sales representative of the West Coast Trading Company and shown credentials to prove his identity.
Knowing the fine reputation of the firm, Mr. Tallow had assumed the vases to be authentic. Now it seemed possible that the Townsend vase also was a fake.
“We must get the Townsend vase back at once,” Mr. Sen-yung said. “If it, too, is a reproduction, we’ll refund the money.”
“It has been stolen,” Nancy informed him. “That’s really what brought me to New York.” Then she asked Mr. Tallow, “What does David
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