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“This isn’t the Cultural Revolution,” he re of Four”

They walked in silence for a few minutes as the rain pelted them

She tried another tack “Captain Ho rich off of the people who live here”

“Five , he added, “But we aren’t here to investigate local corruption”

“I have larger obligations that you can’t possibly understand—”

“Like finding and arresting Xiao Da? I’m married to you, Hulan I knohat it would mean to you to shut down his operation”

“Could that really have been Xiao Da back there?” she asked, and for the first tiht he heard doubt in her voice

“Why would he coone to Beijing and addressed thousands?” David asked “The All-Patriotic Society probably uses this syste’ the real Xiao Da It’s very clever and would explain how the group has grown so quickly, because everyone has a personal experience to share Not only is it good advertising but it allows the Society to link politics and spirituality by presenting two faces: the first and more practical in the form of a real man, the other and more ethereal in the form of a disembodied voice”

Hulan listened, and David pressed his advantage “I’ is here, because it is I’roup is completely harmless, because the hostility in the cave was scary, but it had to do with all of the terrible things these people are dealing with— powerless And I’ the Society advocates, but you knoell as I do that people ought to have the right to practice their religion”

“Even if thatsaid his son was going to stop it”

“Wu Huadong was a peasant living in abject poverty How exactly was he going to stop the dam?”

“I don’t know, but I’ to the dam tomorrow to find out”

“You’re way off track We never should have gone to that —”

“Why can’t you respect my opinion?” she asked “You said we should see what other facts canore their implications”

“That’s not true,” he said in exasperation “I’n what are noo deaths I’ into these thefts—”