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ck to my office。 We will all witness the photocopying。 Two copies only。 One for Mr。 Sinders； one for Mr。 Rosemont。 Ian； I have been directly ordered by the Minister to give Mr。 Rosemont copies。〃
Dunross shrugged； desperately hoping that he still appeared unconcerned。 〃If that's what the minister wants； that's perfectly all right。 When you've photocopied the originals； sir； please burn them。〃 He saw them look at him but he was watching Crosse and he thought he saw an instant of pleasure。 〃If the files're so special then it's better they shouldn't exist … except in the correct hands； MI…6 and the CIA。 Certainly I shouldn't have a copy。 If they're not special … then never mind。 Most of poor old AMG was too far…fetched and now that he's dead I must confess I don't consider the files special so long as they're in your hands。 Please burn or shred them； Excellency。〃
〃Very well。〃 The governor turned his pale blue eyes on Roger Crosse。 〃Yes； Roger？〃
〃Nothing； sir。 Shall we go？〃
Dunross said； 〃I've got to get some corporate papers to check while I'm here。 No need to wait for me。〃
〃Very well。 Thank you； Ian；〃 Sir Geoffrey said and left with the other two men。
When he was quite alone Dunross went to another bank of boxes in the adjoining vault。 He took out his key ring and selected two keys； grimly aware that Johnjohn would have a coronary if he knew he had a duplicate master key。 The lock sprang back soundlessly。 This box was one of dozens the Noble House possessed under different names。 Inside were bundles of U。S。 100 notes； ancient deeds and papers。 On top was a loaded automatic。 As always； Dunross's psyche was unsettled； hating guns； hating Hag Struan； admiring her。 In her 〃Instructions to Tai…pans；〃 written just before her death in 1917； that was part of her last will and testament and in the tai…pan's safe； she had laid down more rules and one of them was that there should always be substantial amounts of secret cash for the tai…pan's use； on hand； and another that there should be at least four loaded handguns perpetually available in secret places。 She wrote： 〃I abhor guns but I know them to be necessary。 On Michaelmas Eve in 1916 when I was infirm and sick； my grandson Kelly O'Gorman； third tai…pan （in name only）； believing I was on my deathbed； forced me from my bed to the safe in the Great House to fetch the seal…chop of the Noble House … to assign to him absolute power as tai…pan。 Instead I took the gun that was secretly in the safe and shot him。 He lingered two days then died。 I am God…fearing and I abhor guns and some killing； but Kelly became a mad dog and it is the duty of the tai…pan to protect the succession。 I regret his death not a jot or tittle。 You who read this beware： kith or kin lust for power as others do。 Do not be afraid to use any method to protect Dirk Struan's legacy 。。。〃
A bead of sweat trickled down his cheek。 He remembered the hair on the nape of his neck rising when he had first read her instructions； the night he had taken over as tai…pan。 He'd always believed that Cousin Kelly … eldest son of the Hag's last daughter Rose … had died of cholera in one of the great waves that perpetually washed Asia。
There were other monstrosities she had written about： 〃In 1894； that most terrible of years； the second of Jin…qua's coins was brought to me。 That was the year plague had e to Hong Kong； bubonic plague。 Amongst our heathen Chinese； tens of thousands were dying。 Our own population was equally savaged and the plague took high and low； Cousin Hannah and three children； two of Chen…chen's children； five grandchildren。 Legend foretold that bubonic plague was wind…borne。 Others thought it was the curse of God or a flux like malaria； the killing 'bad air' of Happy Valley。 Then the miracle！ The Japanese research doctors Vitasato and Aoyama we brought to Hong Kong isolated the plague bacillus and proved the pest was flea…borne； and rat…borne； and that correct sanitation and the elimination of rats would cast out the curse forever。 The eyesore hillside of Tai…ping Shan that Gordon owns … Gordon Chen； son of my beloved tai…pan … where most of our heathen always lived was a stinking； festering； overcrowded； rat…breeding cauldron for all pestilences； and as much as the authorities cajoled； ordered and insisted； the superstitious inhabitants there disbelieved everything and would do nothing to improve their lot； though the deaths continued and continued。 Even Gordon； now a toothless old man； could do nothing … tearing his hair at his loss of rents； saving his energy for the four young women in his household。
〃In the stench of late summer when it seemed the Colony was once more doomed； with deaths mounting daily； I had Tai…ping Shan put to the torch by night； the whole monstrous stenching mountainside。 That some inhabitants were consumed is on my conscience； but without the cleansing fire the Colony was doomed and hundreds of thousands more doomed。 I caused Tai…ping Shan to be fired but thereby I kept troth with Hong Kong。 I kept troth with the Legacy。 And I kept troth with the second of the half coins。
〃On the twentieth of April a man called Chiang Wu…tah presented the half coin to my darling young cousin； Dirk Dunross； fourth tai…pan； who brought it to me； he not knowing the secret of the coins。 I sent for the man Chiang who spoke English。 The favor he asked was that the Noble House should grant immediate sanctuary and succor to a young； Western…educated Chinese revolutionary named Sun Yat…sen； that we should help this Sun Yat…sen with funds； and that we should help him as long as he lived； to the limits of our power in his fight to overthrow the alien Manchu Dynasty of China。 Supporting any revolutionary against China's ruling dynasty with whom we had cordial relations and on whom depended much of our trade and revenues was against my principles； and seemingly against the interests of the House。 I said no； I would not assist the overthrow of their emperor。 But Chiang Wu…tah said； 'This is the favor required from the Noble House。'
〃And so it was done。
〃At great risk I provided funds and protection。 My darling Dirk Dunross spirited Dr。 Sun out of Canton to the Colony and from there abroad to America。 I wanted Dr。 Sun to acpany young Dirk to England … he was leaving on the tide。 Master of our steamer Sunset Cloud。 That was the week I wanted to hand over to him as real tai…pan but he said； 'No； not until I return。' But he was never to return。 He and all hands were lost at sea somewhere in the Indian Ocean。 Oh how terrible my loss； our loss！
〃But death is a part of life and we the living have our duty to be done。 I do not yet know to whom I should hand over。 It should have been Dirk Dunross； who was named for his grandfather。 His sons are too young； none of the Coopers are adequate； or deVilles； Daglish is possible； none of the MacStruans are yet ready。 Alastair Struan perhaps but there's a weakness there that es down from Robb Struan。
〃I don't mind admitting to you； future tai…pan； that I am weary unto death。 But I am not yet ready to die。 Pray God I am given the strength for a few more years。 There is not one of my line or my beloved Dirk Struan's line worthy of his mantle。 And now there is this Great War to see through； the House to rebuild； our merchant fleet to refurbish … so far German U…boats have sunk thirty of our ships； almost our whole fleet。 Yes； and there is the favor of the second coin still to fulfill。 This Dr。 Sun Yat…sen must and will be supported until he dies and so retain our face in Asia。 。。。〃
And we did； Dunross thought。 The Noble House supported him in all his troubles； even when he tried to join with Soviet Russia； until he died in 1925 and Chiang Kai…shek； his Soviet…trained lieutenant； assumed his mantle and launched China into the future … until his old ally but ancient enemy； Mao Tse…tung； took the future away from him to mount the Dragon Throne in Peking with bloody hands； first of a new dynasty。
Dunross took out a handkerchief and mopped his brow。
The air in the vault was dusty and dry and a little caught in his throat and he coughed。 His hands were sweaty too and he could still feel the chill on his back。 He rummaged carefully to the bottom of the deep metal box and found his corporate chop that he would need over the weekend in case the Royal Belgium…First Central deal came to pass。 I certainly owe Casey more than one favor if the deal is made； he told himself。
His heart was thumping again and he could not resist making sure。 With great care he lifted the secret false bottom of the safety deposit box a fraction。 In the two…inch space beneath were eight blue…covered files。 AMG's real files。 Those that moments ago he had passed over to Sinders had been in the sealed package that Kirk and his wife had brought yesterday … those eight counterfeit files and a letter： 〃Tai…pan： I am terribly worried that both you and I are betrayed and that information contained in previous files may fall into the wrong hands。 The enclosed substitute files are safe and very similar。 They drop vital names and vital information。 You may pass these over if you are forced to do it； but only then。 As to the originals； you should destroy them after you have seen Riko。 Certain pages contain invisible writing。 Riko will give you the key。 Please excuse all these diversionary tactics but espionage is not for children； it deals in death； actual and in the future。 Our lovely Britain is beset with traitors and evil walks the earth。 Bluntly； freedom is under siege as never in history。 I beg you to emulate your illustrious ancestor。 He fought for freedom to trade； to live and to worship。 Sorry； but I don't think he died in a storm。 We'll never know the truth but I believe he was murdered； as I will be。 Not to worry； my young friend。 I've done very well in my life。 I've put a lot of nails in the enemy coffin； more than my fair share … I ask you to do the same。〃
The letter was signed； 〃With great respect。〃
Poor bugger； Dunross thought sadly。
Yesterday he had smuggled the counterfeit files into the vault； replacing the originals in the other box。 He would have liked to have destroyed the originals then but there was no way to do that safely and anyway he had to wait for his meeting with the Japanese woman。 Better and safer to leave them where they are for the moment； he said to himself。 Plenty of ti…
Suddenly he felt eyes。 His hand sneaked for the automatic。 When his fingers had grasped it； he looked around。 His stomach seemed to turn over。 Crosse was watching him。 And Johnjohn。 They were at the entrance to the vault。
After a moment Crosse said； 〃I just wanted to thank you for your cooperation； Ian。 Mr。 Sinders and I appreciate it。〃
Relief poured through Dunross。 〃That's all right。 Glad to help。〃 Trying to be casual he relaxed his hold on the automatic and let it slide away。 The false bottom fell silently into place。 He saw Crosse's scrutiny but shrugged it off。 From where the superintendent stood he did not think it possible for him to have seen the real files。 Dunross blessed his joss that had prevented him from taking one of the files out to leaf through it。 Carelessly he slammed the box shut and his breathing began again。 〃It really is quite stuffy in here； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 Again； Ian； thank you。〃 Crosse left。
〃How did you open that box？〃 Johnjohn asked coldly。
〃With a key。〃
〃Two keys； Ian。 That's against regulations。〃 Johnjohn held out his hand。 〃May I have our property please。〃
〃Sorry； old chum；〃 Dunross said calmly； 〃it's not your property。〃
Johnjohn hesitated。 〃We always suspected you had a duplicate master key。 Paul is right about one thing： you've too much power； you consider this bank yours； our funds yours and the Colony yours。〃
〃We've had a long and happy association with both； and it's only in the last few years when Paul Havergill's had some measure of power that I've had a hard time； me personally； and my House personally。 But worse than that； he's old…fashioned and I voted him out for that reason only。 You're not； you're modern。 You'll be fairer； far…seeing； less emotional and straighter。〃
Johnjohn shook his head。 〃I doubt it。 If I ever bee tai…pan of the bank I'm going to see it's wholly owned by its stockholders and controlled by directors appoi