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sy today。 I've… 〃
〃You just don't want your poor Daughter anymore。 I'll have to throw myself in the harbor or find another person to cherish me oh oh oh。 。。。〃
His blood pressure soared at the sound of her tears。 〃Listen； Little Oily Mouth； I'll see you this evening at ten。 We'll have an eight…course feast at Wanchai at my fav… 〃
〃Ten's too late and I don't want a feast I want a steak and I want to go to the penthouse at the V and A and drink champagne！〃
His spirit groaned at the danger of being seen and reported secretly to his tai…tai。 Oh oh oh！ But； in front of his friends and his enemies and all Hong Kong he would gain enormous face to escort his new mistress there； the young exotic rising star in TV's firmament； Venus Poon。
〃At ten I'll call f… 〃
〃Ten's too late。 Nine。〃
Rapidly he tried to sort out all his meetings tonight to see how he could acmodate her。 〃Listen； Little Treasure； I'll se… 〃
〃Ten's too late。 Nine。 I think I will die now that you don't care anymore。〃
〃Listen。 Your Father has three meetings and I th… 〃
〃Oh my head hurts to think you don't want me anymore oh oh oh。 This abject person will have to slit her wrists； or 。。。。〃 He heard the change in her voice and his stomach twisted at the threat； 〃Or answer the phone calls of others； lesser than her revered Father of course； but just as rich nonetheless and m… 〃
〃All right； Little Treasure。 At nine！〃
〃Oh you do love me don't you！〃 Though she was speaking Cantonese Venus Poon used the English word and his heart flipped。 English was the language of love for modern Chinese； there were no romantic words in their own language。 〃Tell me！〃 she said imperiously。 〃Tell me you love me！〃
He told her； abjectly； then hung up。 The mealy…mouthed little whore； he thought irritably。 But then； at nineteen she's a right to be demanding and petulant and difficult if you're almost sixty and she makes you feel twenty and the Imperial Yang blissful。 Eeeee； but Venus Poon's the best I've ever had。 Expensive but； eeee； she's got muscles in her Golden Gulley that only the legendary Emperor Kung wrote about！
He felt his yang stir and scratched pleasantly。 I'll give that little baggage what for tonight。 I'll buy an extra specially large device； ah yes； a ring with bells on it。 Oh oh oh！ That'll make her wriggle！
Yes； but meanwhile think about tomorrow。 How to prepare for tomorrow？
Call your High Dragon friend。 Divisional Sergeant Tang…po at Tsim Sha Tsui and enlist his help to see that his branch and all branches in Kowloon are well policed。 Phone Blacs and Cousin Tung of the huge Tung Po Bank and Cousin Smiler Ching and Havergill to arrange extra cash against the Ho…Pak's securities and holdings。 Ah yes； phone your very good friend Joe Jacobson； VP of the Chicago Federal and International Merchant Bank … his bank's got assets of four billion and he owes you lots of favors。 Lots。 There're lots of quai loh who're deeply in your debt； and civilized people。 Call them all！
Abruptly Richard Kwang came out of his reverie as he remembered the tai…pan's summons。 His soul twisted。 Nelson Trading's deposits in bullion and cash were huge。 Oh ko if Nels…
The phone jangled irritably。 〃Uncle； Mr。 Haply's on the line。〃
〃Hello； Mr。 Haply； how nice to talk to you。 Sorry I was engaged before。〃
〃That's all right； Mr。 Kwang。 I just wanted to check a couple of facts if I may。 First； the riot at Aberdeen。 The police w… 〃
〃Hardly a riot； Mr。 Haply。 A few noisy； impatient people； that's all；〃 he said； despising Haply's Canadian…American accent； and the need to be polite。
〃I'm looking at some photos right now； Mr。 Kwang； the ones that're in this afternoon's Times … it looks like a riot all right。〃
The banker squirmed in his chair and fought to keep his voice calm。 〃Oh … oh well I wasn't there so 。。。 I'll have to talk to Mr。 Sung。〃
〃I did； Mr。 Kwang。 At 3：30。 Spent half an hour with him。 He said if it hadn't been for the police they'd've torn the place apart。〃 There was a hesitation。 〃You're right to play it down； but； say； I'm trying to help； and I can't without the facts； so if you'll level with me 。。。 How many folks wanted their money out at Lan Tao？〃
Richard Kwang said； 〃18；〃 halving the real figure。
〃Our guy said 36。 82 at Sha Tin。 How about Mong Kok？〃
〃A cupful。〃
〃My guy said 48； and there was a good 100 left at closing。 How about Tsim Sha Tsui？〃
〃I haven't got the figures yet； Mr。 Haply；〃 Richard Kwang said smoothly； consumed with anxiety； hating the staccato questioning。
〃All the evening editions're heavy with the Ho…Pak run。 Some're even using the word。〃
〃Oh ko。 。。。〃
〃Yeah。 I'd say you'd better get ready for a real hot day tomorrow； Mr。 Kwang。 I'd say your opposition's very well organized。 Everything's too pat to be a coincidence。〃
〃I certainly appreciate your interest。〃 Then Richard Kwang added delicately； 〃If there's anything I can do 。。。〃
Again the irritating laugh。 〃Have any of your big depositors pulled out today？〃
Richard Kwang hesitated a fraction of a moment and he heard Haply jump into the breach。 〃Of course I know about Four Finger Wu。 I meant the big British hongs。〃
〃No； Mr。 Haply； not yet。〃
〃There's a strong rumor that Hong Kong and Lan Tao Farms's going to change banks。〃
Richard Kwang felt that barb in his Secret Sack。 〃Let's hope it's not true； Mr。 Haply。 Who're the tai…pans and what big bank or banks？ Is it the Victoria or Blacs？〃
〃Perhaps it's Chinese。 Sorry； I can't divulge a news source。 But you'd better get organized … it sure as hell looks as though the big guys are after you。〃
21
4：25 P。M。：
〃They don't sleep together； tai…pan；〃 Claudia Chen said。
〃Eh？〃 Dunross looked up absently from the stack of papers he was going through。
〃No。 At least they didn't last night。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Bartlett and your Cirrannousshee。〃
Dunross stopped working。 〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 Separate rooms； separate beds； breakfast together in the main room … both neat and tidy and dressed in modest robes which is interesting because neither wears anything in bed。〃
〃They don't？〃
〃No； at least they didn't last night。〃
Dunross grinned and she was glad that her news pleased him。 It was his first real smile of the day。 Since she had arrived at 8：00 a。m。 he had been working like a man possessed； rushing out for meetings； hurrying back again： the police； Phillip Chen； the governor； twice to the bank； once to the penthouse to meet whom she did not know。 No time for lunch and； so the doorman had told her； the tai…pan had arrived with the dawn。
She had seen the weight on his spirit today； the weight that sooner or later bowed all tai…pans … and sometimes broke them。 She had seen Ian's father withered away by the enormous shipping losses of the war years； the catastrophic loss of Hong Kong； of his sons and nephews … bad joss piling on bad joss。 It was the loss of Mainland China that had finally crushed him。 She had seen how Suez had broken Alastair Struan； how that tai…pan had never recovered from that debacle and how bad joss had piled on bad joss for him until the Gornt…mounted run on their stock had shattered him。
It must be a terrible strain； she thought。 All our people to worry about and our House； all our enemies； all the unexpected catastrophes of nature and of man that seem to be ever present … and all the sins and piracies and devil's work of the past that are waiting to burst forth from our own Pandora's box as they do from time to time。 It's a pity the tai…pans aren't Chinese； she thought。 Then the sins of the past would be so much gossamer。
〃What makes you sure； Claudia？〃
〃No sleep things for either … pajamas or filmy things。〃 She beamed。
〃How do you know？〃
〃Please； tai…pan； I can't divulge my sources！〃
〃What else do you know？〃
〃Ah！〃 she said； then blandly changed the conversation。 〃The Nelson Trading board meeting's in half an hour。 You wanted to be reminded。 Can I have a few minutes beforehand？〃
〃Yes。 In a quarter of an hour。 Now；〃 he said with a finality she knew too well。 〃What else do you know？〃
She sighed； then importantly consulted her notepad。 〃She's never been married。 Oh； lots of suitors but none have lasted； tai…pan。 In fact； according to rumors； none have 。。。〃
Dunross's eyebrows shot up。 〃You mean she's a virgin？〃
〃Of that we're not sure … only that she has no reputation for staying out late； or overnight； with a gentleman。 No。 The only gentleman she goes out socially with is Mr。 Bartlett and that's infrequently。 Except on business trips。 He； by the way； tai…pan； he's quite a gadabout … swinger was the term used。 No one lady bu… 〃
〃Used by whom？〃
〃Ah！ Mr。 Handsome Bartlett doesn't have one special girl friend； tai…pan。 Nothing steady as they say。 He was divorced in 1956； the same year that your Cirrrannnousshee joined his firm。〃
〃She's not my Ciranoush；〃 he said。
Claudia beamed more broadly。 〃She's twenty…six。 She's Sagittarius。〃
〃You got someone to snitch her passport … or got someone to take a peek？〃
〃Very good gracious no； tai…pan。〃 Claudia pretended to be shocked。 〃I don't spy on people。 I just ask questions。 But 100 says she and Mr。 Bartlett have been lovers at some time or another。〃
〃That's no bet； I'd be astounded if they weren't。 He's certainly in love with her … and she with him。 You saw how they danced together。 That's no bet at all。〃
The lines around her eyes crinkled。 〃Then what odds will you give me they've never been lovers？〃
〃Eh？ What d'you know？〃 he asked suspiciously。
〃Odds； tai…pan？〃
He watched her。 Then he said； 〃A thousand to 。。。 I'll give you ten to one。〃
〃Done！ A hundred。 Thank you tai…pan。 Now； about the Nels… 〃
〃Where'd you get all this information？ Eh？〃
She extracted a telex from the papers she was carrying。 The rest she put into his in tray。 〃You telexed our people in New York the night before last for information on her and to recheck Bartlett's dossier。 This's just arrived。〃
He took it and scanned it。 His reading was very fast and his memory almost photographic。 The telex gave the information Claudia had related in bald terms without her embroidered interpretation and added that K。 C。 Tcholok had no known police record； 46；000 in a savings account at the San Fernando Savings and Loan； and 8；700 in her checking account at the Los Angeles and California Bank。
〃It's shocking how easy it is in the States to find out how much you've got in the bank； isn't it； Claudia？〃
〃Shocking。 I'd never use one； tai…pan。〃
He grinned。 〃Except to borrow from！ Claudia； just give me the telex next time。〃
〃Yes； tai…pan。 But isn't my way of telling certain things more exciting？〃
〃Yes。 But where's it say about the nakedness？ You made that up！〃
〃Oh no； that's from my own source here。 Third Toiletma… 〃 Claudia stopped just too late to avoid falling into his trap。
His smile was seraphic。 〃So！ A spy in the V and A！ Third Toiletmaid！ Who？ Which one； Claudia？〃
To give him face she pretended to be annoyed。 〃Ayeeyah！ A spymaster may reveal nothing； heya？〃 Her smile was kindly。 〃Here's a list of your calls。 I've put off as many as I can till tomorrow … I'll buzz you in good time for the meeting。〃 He nodded but she saw that his smile had vanished and now he was lost in thought again。 She went out and he did not hear the door close。 He was thinking about spymasters and AMG and his meeting with Brian Kwok and Roger Crosse this morning at ten； and the one ing at six o'clock。
The meeting this morning had been short； sharp and angry。 〃First； is there anything new on AMG？〃 he had asked。
Roger Crosse had replied at once； 〃It was； apparently； an accident。 No suspicious marks on the body。 No one was seen nearby； no car marks； impact marks or skid marks … other than the motorcycle。 Now； the files； Ian … oh by the way we know now you've got the only copies existent。〃
〃Sorry but I can't do what you asked。〃
〃Why？〃 There had been a sour edge to the policeman's voice。
〃I'm still not admitting one way or the other that they exist but y… 〃
〃Oh for chrissake； Ian； don't be ridiculous！ Of course the copies exist。 Do you take us for bloody fools？ If they didn't； you'd've e out with it last night and that would have been that。 I strongly advise you to let us copy them。〃
〃And I strongly adv