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he deal and he'll throw in with Gornt and then 。。。
〃How did you hear about the guns？〃
〃We were informed by our office at Kai Tak this morning。〃
〃Nothing like this ever happened before？〃
〃Yes。〃 Dunross added lightly； 〃But there's no harm in smuggling or even a little gun…running … actually they're both very honorable professions … of course we do them elsewhere。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Wherever Her Majesty's Government desires。〃 Dunross laughed。 〃We're all pirates here； Mr。 Bartlett； at least we are to outsiders。〃 He paused。 〃Presuming I can make arrangements with the police； you're on for Taipei？〃
Bartlett said； 〃Casey's very close…mouthed。〃
〃I'm not suggesting she's not to be trusted。〃
〃She's just not invited？〃
〃Certain of our customs here are a little different from yours； Mr。 Bartlett。 Most times she'll be wele … but sometimes； well； it would save a lot of embarrassment if she were excluded。〃
〃Casey doesn't embarrass easily。〃
〃I wasn't thinking of her embarrassment。 Sorry to be blunt but perhaps it's wiser in the long run。〃
〃And if I can't 'conform'？〃
〃It will probably mean you cannot take advantage of a unique opportunity； which would be a very great pity … particularly if you intend a long…term association with Asia。〃
〃I'll think about that。〃
〃Sorry； but I have to have a yes or no now。〃
〃You do？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then go screw！〃
Dunross grinned。 〃I won't。 Meanwhile； finally： yes or no。〃
Bartlett broke out laughing。 〃Since you put it that way； I'm on for Taipei。〃
〃Good。 Of course I'll have my wife look after Miss Tcholok while we're away。 There'll be no loss of face for her。〃
〃Thank you。 But you needn't worry about Casey。 How are you going to fix Armstrong？〃
〃I'm not going to fix him； just ask the assistant missioner to let me be responsible for you； there and back。〃
〃Parole me in your custody？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How do you know I won't just leave town？ Maybe I was gun…running。〃
Dunross watched him。 〃Maybe you are。 Maybe you'll try … but I can deliver you back dead or alive； as they say in the movies。 Hong Kong and Taipei are within my fief。〃
〃Dead or alive； eh？〃
〃Hypothetically； of course。〃
〃How many men have you killed in your lifetime？〃
The mood in the room changed and both men felt the change deeply。
It's not dangerous yet between him and me； Dunross thought； not yet。
〃Twelve；〃 he replied； his senses poised； though the question had surprised him。 〃Twelve that I'm sure of。 I was a fighter pilot during the war。 Spitfires。 I got two single…seat fighters； a Stuka； and two bombers … they were Dornier 17's and they'd have a crew of four each。 All the planes burned as they went down。 Twelve that I'm sure of； Mr。 Bartlett。 Of course we shot up a lot of trains； convoys； troop concentrations。 Why？〃
〃I'd heard you were a flier。 I don't think I've killed anyone。 I was building camps； bases in the Pacific； that sort of thing。 Never shot a gun in anger。〃
〃But you like hunting？〃
〃Yes。 I went on a safari in '59 in Kenya。 Got an elephant and a great kudu bull and lots of game for the pot。〃
Dunross said after a pause； 〃I think I prefer to kill planes and trains and boats。 Men； in war； are incidental。 Aren't they？〃
〃Once the general's been put into the field by the ruler； sure。 That's a fact of war。〃
〃Have you read Sun Tzu's The Art of War？〃
〃The best book on war I've ever read；〃 Bartlett said enthusiastically。 〃Better'n Clausewitz or Liddell Hart； even though it was written in 500 B。C。〃
〃Oh？〃 Dunross leaned back； glad to get away from the killings。 I haven't remembered the killing for years； he thought。 That's not fair to those men； is it？
〃Did you know Sun Tzu's book was published in French in 1782？ I've a theory Napoleon had a copy。〃
〃It's certainly in Russian … and Mao always carried a copy that was dog…eared with use；〃 Dunross said。
〃You've read it？〃
〃My father beat it into me。 I had to read the original in characters … in Chinese。 And then he'd question me on it； very seriously。〃
A fly began to batter itself irritatingly against the windowpane。 〃Your dad wanted you to be a soldier？〃
〃No。 Sun Tzu； like Machiavelli； wrote about life more than death … and about survival more than war。 。。。〃 Dunross glanced at the window then got up and went over to it and obliterated the fly with a controlled savagery that sent warning signals through Bartlett。
Dunross returned to his desk。 〃My father thought I should know about survival and how to handle large bodies of men。 He wanted me to be worthy to bee tai…pan one day； though he never thought I'd amount to much。〃 He smiled。
〃He was tai…pan too？〃
〃Yes。 He was very good。 At first。〃
〃What happened？〃
Dunross laughed sardonically。 〃Ah； skeletons so early； Mr。 Bartlett？ Well； briefly； we had a rather tedious； long…drawn…out difference of opinion。 Eventually he handed over to Alastair Struan； my predecessor。〃
〃He's still alive？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Does your British understatement mean you went to war with him？〃
〃Sun Tzu's very specific about going to war； Mr。 Bartlett。 Very bad to go to war he says； unless you need to。 Quote： 'Supreme excellence of generalship consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting。' 〃
〃You broke him？〃
〃He removed himself from the field； Mr。 Bartlett； like the wise man he was。〃
Dunross's face had hardened。 Bartlett studied him。 Both men knew they were drawing battle lines in spite of themselves。
〃I'm glad I came to Hong Kong；〃 the American said。 〃I'm glad to meet you。〃
〃Thank you。 Perhaps one day you won't be。〃
Bartlett shrugged。 〃Maybe。 Meanwhile we've got a deal cooking … good for you； good for us。〃 He grinned abruptly； thinking about Gornt and the cooking knife。 〃Yes。 I'm glad I came to Hong Kong。〃
〃Would you and Casey care to be my guests this evening？ I'm having a modest bash； a party； at 8：30 odd。〃
〃Formal？〃
〃Just dinner jacket … is that all right？〃
〃Fine。 Casey said you like the tux and black tie bit。〃 Then Bartlett noticed the painting on the wall： an old oil of a pretty Chinese boat girl carrying a little English boy； his fair hair tied in a queue。 〃That a Quance？ An Aristotle Quance？〃
〃Yes； yes it is；〃 Dunross said； barely covering his surprise。
Bartlett walked over and looked at it。 〃This the original？〃
〃Yes。 You know much about art？〃
〃No； but Casey told me about Quance as we were ing out here。 She said he's almost like a photographer； really a historian of the early times。〃
〃Yes； yes he is。〃
〃If I remember this one's supposed to be a portrait of a girl called May…may； May…may T'Chung； and the child is one of Dirk Struan's by her？〃
Dunross said nothing； just watched Bartlett's back。
Bartlett peered a little closer。 〃Difficult to see the eyes。 So the boy is Gordon Chen； Sir Gordon Chen to be？〃 He turned and looked at Dunross。
〃I don't know for certain； Mr。 Bartlett。 That's one story。〃
Bartlett watched him for a moment。 The two men were well matched； Dunross slightly taller but Bartlett wider in the shoulders。 Both had blue eyes； Dunross's slightly more greenish； both wideset in lived…in faces。
〃You enjoy being tai…pan of the Noble House？〃 Bartlett asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃I don't know for a fact what a tai…pan's powers are； but in Par…Con I can hire and fire anyone； and can close it down if I want。〃
〃Then you're a tai…pan。〃
〃Then I enjoy being a tai…pan too。 I want in in Asia … you need an in in the States。 Together we could sew up the whole Pacific Rim into a tote bag for both of us。〃
Or a shroud for one of us； Dunross thought； liking Bartlett despite the fact that he knew it was dangerous to like him。
〃I've got what you lack； you've got what I lack。〃
〃Yes；〃 Dunross said。 〃And now what we both lack is lunch。〃
They turned for the door。 Bartlett was there first。 But he did not open it at once。 〃I know it's not your custom but since I'm going with you to Taipei； could you call me Linc and I call you Ian and we begin to figure out how much we're gonna bet on the golf match？ I'm sure you know my handicap's thirteen； officially； and I know yours's ten； officially； which probably means at least one stroke off both of us for safety。〃
〃Why not？〃 Dunross said at once。 〃But here we don't normally bet money； just balls。〃
〃I'm goddamned if I'm betting mine on a golf match。〃
Dunross laughed。 〃Maybe you will； one day。 We usually bet half a dozen golf balls here … something like that。〃
〃It's a bad British custom to bet money； Ian？〃
〃No。 How about five hundred a side； winning team take all？〃
〃U。S。 or Hong Kong？〃
〃Hong Kong。 Among friends it should be Hong Kong。 Initially。〃
Lunch was served in the directors' private dining room on the nineteenth floor。 It was an L…shaped corner room； with a high ceiling and blue drapes； mottled blue Chinese carpets and large windows from which they could see Kowloon and the airplanes taking off and landing at Kai Tak and as far west as Stonecutters Island and Tsing Yi Island； and； beyond； part of the New Territories。 The great； antique oak dining table which could seat twenty easily was laid with placemats and fine silver； and Waterford's best crystal。 For the six of them； there were four silent； very well…trained waiters in black trousers and white tunics embroidered with the Struan emblem。
Cocktails had been started before Bartlett and Dunross arrived。 Casey was having a dry vodka martini with the others … except for Gavallan who had a double pink gin。 Bartlett； without being asked； was served an ice…cold can of Anweiser； on a Georgian silver tray。
〃Who told you？〃 Bartlett said； delighted。
〃pliments of Struan and pany；〃 Dunross said。 〃We heard that's the way you like it。〃 He introduced him to Gavallan； deVille and Linbar Struan； and accepted a glass of iced Chablis； then smiled at Casey。 〃How are you？〃
〃Fine； thanks。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 Bartlett said to the others； 〃but I have to give Casey a message before I forget。 Casey； will you call Johnston in Washington tomorrow … find out who our best contact'd be at the consulate here。〃
〃Certainly。 If I can't get him I'll ask Tim Diller。〃
Anything to do with Johnston was code for： how's the deal progressing？ In answer： Diller meant good； Tim Diller very good； Jones bad； George Jones very bad。
〃Good idea；〃 Bartlett said and smiled back； then to Dunross； 〃This is a beautiful room。〃
〃It's adequate；〃 Dunross said。
Casey laughed； getting the underplay。 〃The meeting went very well； Mr。 Dunross；〃 she said。 〃We came up with a proposal for your consideration。〃
How American to e out with it like that … no finesse！ Doesn't she know business is for after lunch； not before。 〃Yes。 Andrew gave me the outline；〃 Dunross replied。 〃Would you care for another drink？〃
〃No thanks。 I think the proposal covers everything； sir。 Are there any points you'd like me to clarify？〃
〃I'm sure there will be； in due course；〃 Dunross said； privately amused； as always； by the sir that many American women used conversationally； and often； incongruously； to waiters。 〃As soon as I've studied it I'll get back to you。 A beer for Mr。 Bartlett；〃 he added； once more trying to divert business until later。 Then to Jacques； 〃？a va？〃
〃Oui merci。 A rien。〃 Nothing yet。
〃Not to worry；〃 Dunross said。 Yesterday Jacques's adored daughter and her husband had had a bad car accident while on holiday in France … how bad he was still waiting to hear。 〃Not to worry。〃
〃No。〃 Again the Gallic shrug； hiding the vastness of his concern。
Jacques was Dunross's first cousin and he had joined Struan's in '45。 His war had been rotten。 In 1940 he had sent his wife and two infants to England and had stayed in France。 For the duration。 Maquis and prison and condemned and escaped and Maquis again。 Now he was fifty…four； a strong； quiet man but vicious when provoked； with a heavy chest and brown eyes and rough hands and many scars。
〃In principle does the deal sound okay？〃 Casey asked。
Dunross sighed inwardly and put his full concentration on her。 〃I may have a counterproposal on a couple of minor points。 Meanwhile；〃 he added decisively； 〃you can proceed on the assumption that； in general terms； it's acceptable。〃
〃Oh fine；〃 Casey said happily。
〃Great；〃 Bartlett said； equally pleased； and raised his can of bee