AhChodidnotunderstandFrench。Hesatinthecrowdedcourtroom，verywearyandbored，listeningtotheunceasing，explosiveFrenchthatnowoneofficialandnowanotheruttered。ItwasjustsomuchgabbletoAhCho，andhemarvelledatthestupidityoftheFrenchmenwhotooksolongtofindoutthemurdererofChungGa，andwhodidnotfindhimatall。ThefivehundredcooliesontheplantationknewthatAhSanhaddonethekilling，andherewasAhSannotevenarrested。Itwastruethatallthecoolieshadagreedsecretlynottotestifyagainstoneanother；butthen，itwassosimple，theFrenchmenshouldhavebeenabletodiscoverthatAhSanwastheman。Theywereverystupid，theseFrenchmen。
AhChohaddonenothingofwhichtobeafraid。Hehadhadnohandinthekilling。Itwastruehehadbeenpresentatit，andSchemmer，theoverseerontheplantation，hadrushedintothebarracksimmediatelyafterwardandcaughthimthere，alongwithfourorfiveothers；butwhatofthat？ChungGahadbeenstabbedonlytwice。Itstoodtoreasonthatfiveorsixmencouldnotinflicttwostabwounds。Atthemost，ifamanhadstruckbutonce，onlytwomencouldhavedoneit。
SoitwasthatAhChoreasoned，whenhe，alongwithhisfourcompanions，hadliedandblockedandobfuscatedintheirstatementstothecourtconcerningwhathadtakenplace。Theyhadheardthesoundsofthekilling，and，likeSchemmer，theyhadruntothespot。TheyhadgottherebeforeSchemmer——thatwasall。True，Schemmerhadtestifiedthat，attractedbythesoundofquarrellingashechancedtopassby，hehadstoodforatleastfiveminutesoutside；thatthen，whenheentered，hefoundtheprisonersalreadyinside；andthattheyhadnotenteredjustbefore，becausehehadbeenstandingbytheonedoortothebarracks。Butwhatofthat？AhChoandhisfourfellow-prisonershadtestifiedthatSchemmerwasmistaken。Intheendtheywouldbeletgo。Theywereallconfidentofthat。Fivemencouldnothavetheirheadscutofffortwostabwounds。
Besides，noforeigndevilhadseenthekilling。ButtheseFrenchmenweresostupid。InChina，asAhChowellknew，themagistratewouldorderallofthemtothetortureandlearnthetruth。Thetruthwasveryeasytolearnundertorture。ButtheseFrenchmendidnottorture——biggerfoolsthey!ThereforetheywouldneverfindoutwhokilledChungGa。
ButAhChodidnotunderstandeverything。TheEnglishCompanythatownedtheplantationhadimportedintoTahiti，atgreatexpense，thefivehundredcoolies。Thestockholderswereclamouringfordividends，andtheCompanyhadnotyetpaidany；whereforetheCompanydidnotwantitscostlycontractlabourerstostartthepracticeofkillingoneanother。Also，thereweretheFrench，eagerandwillingtoimposeupontheChinagosthevirtuesandexcellencesofFrenchlaw。Therewasnothinglikesettinganexampleonceinawhile；and，besides，ofwhatusewasNewCaledoniaexcepttosendmentoliveouttheirdaysinmiseryandpaininpaymentofthepenaltyforbeingfrailandhuman？