XXV explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Cultural Clash and Orientalism

  Yeh Ling contrasts Chinese and Western religious symbols, criticizing church steeples and defending his pillars as meaningful monuments.

• Memory and the Past

  Yeh Ling's Pillar of Grateful Memories commemorates past kindnesses, and Ursula reflects on his long-held gratitude.

• Crime and Justice

  The ongoing investigation into Wellington Brown's murder continues, with Yeh Ling claiming to know the killer's identity.

Characters to notice

• Tab Holland

  Receives Rex at the flat, updates him on the burglary and murder, visits Yeh Ling's construction site, and discusses the case.

• Rex Lander

  Returns from his voyage, learns of the burglary, decides to wall up the vault, and enthusiastically begins overseeing the work.

• Yeh Ling

  Supervises the final touches on his house and the casting of the Pillar of Grateful Memories, discusses philosophy with Tab, and claims to know the murderer's identity.

• Ursula Ardfern

  Writes to Tab from Stone Cottage, describing her butler, target practice, and Yeh Ling's dedication of a pillar to her.

• Inspector Carver

  Mentioned as being visited by Rex and as being rattled but mysterious about the case.

• Wellington Brown

  Referred to as the victim of the second murder; Yeh Ling reveals he took Brown to an opium house at Trasmere's request.

Key passages

• “And as you decided to chuck me out, perhaps you will come and dine pretty frequently.”

  Since you've decided to kick me out, you might as well come over for dinner often.

  Rex jokingly suggests Tab will visit him regularly after being asked to leave the flat.

• “I have come back here and am entrenched against all mysterious Men in Black with an aged but active butler, who has served in the army and is acquainted with the use of lethal weapons.”

  I've returned to Stone Cottage and fortified myself against any mysterious intruders with an elderly but capable butler who has military experience and knows how to handle weapons.

  Ursula describes her defensive preparations in her letter to Tab.

• “It is the Pillar of Grateful Recollection, or something of the sort, and it is to be dedicated to—me.”

  It's called the Pillar of Grateful Recollection, or something like that, and it's going to be dedicated to me.

  Ursula shares that Yeh Ling is dedicating a pillar to her as a token of gratitude.

• “I am learning to shoot. Forgive this inconsequence, but my butler (how grand that sounds!) is very insistent, and I practice every day in the meadows behind the house.”

  I'm taking shooting lessons. Pardon the random topic, but my butler (it feels so fancy to say that!) insists on it, and I train daily in the fields behind the house.

  Ursula mentions her new hobby of target practice under her butler's guidance.

• “My Pillar of Grateful Memories will have a greater significance than all your steepples, than all your stained glass windows. It is to me what your War Memorial Crosses are to you, a concrete symbol (literally concrete) of an intangible sentiment.”

  My Pillar of Grateful Memories will mean more than all your church steeples and stained glass. To me, it's like your war memorial crosses—a physical representation of an abstract feeling.

  Yeh Ling explains the personal and cultural importance of his pillar to Tab.

• “I go always to the brook.”

  I always drink directly from the source.

  Yeh Ling uses a metaphor to describe his preference for direct spiritual experience over organized religion.