Doctor Who_ Foreign Devils - Andrew Cartmel [8]
with a few souvenirs.'
The Doctor had drifted up to join him at the door. 'Tell me Mr Upcott, what do you see as the cause of the current tensions?' The smell of gunpowder wafted to them on a breeze from the garden. Upcott shrugged evasively. 'Oh, I'd say the Emperor is merely going through one of his periodic fads.' 'Fads?' said Zoe.
'Yes, trying to cast all foreigners out of the Celestial Kingdom. That sort of thing. He has even ordered his Chief Astrologer to do whatever he can.'
The Doctor's eyes brightened with interest. 'Presumably on the su
pernatural plane.'
'There and elsewhere.'
'What does that mean?' said Jamie. 'The supernatural plane?'
'Magic,' explained the Doctor briefly. He took Roderick Upcott by the arm and led him away, as if for a confidential conversation. Jamie padded over to join Zoe at the door. He peered out into the misty expanse of the garden. 'What's that?' he said, looking towards the stone gates.
'I don't know,' said Zoe. 'There's something odd about it, though. See the way it's built like a gate, but it's got that sort of stone screen thing inside, blocking the entrance. What's the use of a blocked gate?' On the other side of the room the Doctor was deep in conversation with Roderick Upcott. 'It seems odd,' he was saying, 'that there is such an apparent tang of gunpowder in the air, yet we aren't hearing any sounds.'
Upcott smiled. 'You mean sounds such as gunshots?'
'Or firecrackers going off. Something to create that smell, and that smoke.'
'The smell and the smoke are both the creations of the Imperial Chief Astrologer,' said Upcott. 'The fat little devil's burning a mixture of gunpowder and spices and letting the miasma from this unholy brew spread into the Concession's gardens.' He smiled grimly. 'Sort of an attempt to fumigate us; to smoke out the foreign pest. But we're not having any.' Upcott decisively lowered his rifle, his monkey springing from his shoulder as if following a cue. 'And it's not just the English who are coming in for the treatment.' He smiled indulgently as Sydenham scampered up to him with a long thin cleaning rod clutched in its small simian hands. He took the rod and proceeded to apply it to the barrel of his rifle. 'The Portuguese and other trade nations are all loading their guns and preparing for trouble.' There was a sudden cry from the door and the Doctor and Upcott turned to see Zoe come running into the room, her face pale. The Doctor hurried to her. 'What is it Zoe? Did you go outside?' 'Just for a moment. Jamie and I. We wanted a closer look at that thing. That gate . . . '
'The spirit gate,' said Roderick Upcott. He finished cleaning his gun
and began to reload it with smooth practised skill.
'Oh Doctor . . . Jamie's gone!'
'Gone?' Upcott frowned.
'What is this thing?' murmured the Doctor. 'Show me.'
Zoe led him out into the garden. The smoke was if anything denser now and it had begun to take on an odd pinkish hue. Roderick Upcott followed them out, carrying his rifle. He scowled through the pink haze. 'You see Doctor? The Astrologer's filthy smoke. Comes in fancy colours, too.'
'And it smells odd,' said the Doctor. 'As you said. Not just gunpowder. Something else. A spice. Ginger? Asafoetida?'
'And opium, I dare say,' murmured Upcott. 'What a waste.'
'This is it,' said Zoe, stopping well short of the black stone gate. It consisted of twin pillars and, set just beyond them, the circular stone screen. 'Curious thing,' said the Doctor. 'What is it?'
Upcott touched the black stone of the nearest pillar. 'As I said, a
spirit gate. A traditional Chinese structure, designed to keep demons
out.'
'How does it achieve that?'
'Can I interrupt?' said Zoe. 'Jamie has disappeared. This is no time for a discussion of ancient architecture.'
The Doctor flashed her a look that could have meant anything. 'I'm afraid I must disagree. I think this is precisely the time