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〃I'll give you 10 for every 1 that old fornicator loans you！〃
〃If I go down the toilet the Ching Prosperity Bank won't be far behind。〃
〃Don't threaten me！〃 the old man said angrily。 His lips had a flick of saliva permanently in the corners and then they worked over his teeth once and fell apart again in his grimace。 〃If you go down it won't be my fault … why wish your rotten joss on family？ I've done nothing to hurt you … why try and pass your bad joss on to me？ If today 。。。 ayeeyah； if today your bad joss spills over and those dog bone depositors start a run on me I won't last the day！〃
Richard Kwang momentarily felt better that the Ching empire was equally threatened。 Good； very good。 I could use all his business … particularly the Bangkok connection。 Then he saw the big clock over the totalizator and groaned。 It was just past six now and at ten； banks would open and the stock market would open and though arrangements had been made with Blacs； the Victoria and the Bombay and Eastern Bank of Kowloon to pledge securities that should cover everything and to spare； he was still nervous。 And enraged。 He had had to make some very tough deals that he had no wish to honor。 〃e on； Cousin； just 50 million for ten days … I'll extend the 17 million for two years and add another 20 in thirty days。〃
〃50 million for three days at 10 percent interest a day； your present loan to be collateral and I'll also take deed to your property in Central as further collateral！〃
〃Go fornicate in your mother's ear！ That property's worth four times that。〃
Smiler Ching shrugged and turned his binoculars back on Pilot Fish。 〃Is the big black going to beat Butterscotch Lass too？〃
Richard Kwang looked at Gornt's horse sourly。 〃Not unless my weevil…mouthed trainer and jockey join together to pull her or dope her！〃
〃Filthy thieves！ You can't trust one of them！ My horse's never e in the money once。 Never。 Not even third。 Disgusting！〃
〃50 million for one week … 2 percent a day？〃
〃5。 Plus the Central pro… 〃
〃Never！〃
〃I'll take a 50 percent share of the property。〃
〃6 percent；〃 Richard Kwang said。
Smiler Ching estimated his risk。 And his potential profit。 The profit was huge if。 If the Ho…Pak didn't fail。 But even if it did； the loan would be well covered by the property。 Yes； the profit would be huge； provided there wasn't a real run on himself。 Perhaps I could gamble and pledge some future shipments and raise the 50 million。
〃15 percent and that's final；〃 he said knowing that he would withdraw or change by noon once he saw how the market was； and the run was … and he would continue to sell Ho…Pak short to great profit。 〃And also you can throw in Butterscotch Lass。〃
Richard Kwang swore obscenely and they bargained back and forth then agreed that the 50 million was on call at two o'clock。 In cash。 He would also pledge Smiler Ching 39 percent of the Central property as added collateral； and a quarter share in his mare。 Butterscotch Lass was the clincher。
〃What about Saturday？〃
〃Eh？〃 Richard Kwang said； loathing the grimace and buck teeth。
〃Our horse's in the fifth race； heya？ Listen； Sixth Cousin； perhaps we'd better make an acmodation with Pilot Fish's jockey。 We pull our horse … she'll be favorite … and back Pilot Fish and Noble Star for safety！〃
〃Good idea。 We'll decide Saturday morning。〃
〃Better to eliminate Golden Lady too； eh？〃
〃John Chen's trainer suggested that。〃
〃Eeeee； that fool； to get himself kidnapped。 I'll expect you to give me the real information on who's going to win。 I want the winner too！〃 Smiler hawked and spat。
〃All gods defecate； don't we all！ Those filthy trainers and jockeys！ Disgusting the way they puppet us owners。 Who pays their salaries； heya？〃
〃The Turf Club； the owners； but most the punters who aren't in the know。 I hear you were at the Old Vic last night for foreign devil food。〃
Richard Kwang beamed。 His dinner with Venus Poon had been an enormous success。 She had worn the new knee…length Christian Dior he had bought for her； black clinging silk and gossamer underneath。 When he had seen her get out of his Rolls and e up the steps of the Old Vic his heart had turned over and his Secret Sack had jiggled。
She had been all smiles at the effect her entrance had on the entire foyer； her chunky gold bracelets glittering； and had insisted on walking up the grand staircase instead of using the elevator。 His chest had been tight with suppressed glee and terror。 They had walked through the formal； well…groomed diners； European and Chinese； many in evening dress … husbands and wives； tourists and locals； men at business dinners； lovers and would…be lovers of all ages and nationalities。 He was wearing a new； Savile Row dark suit of the most expensive lightweight cashmere wool。 As they moved toward the choice table that had cost him a red … 100 dollars … he had waved to many friends； and groaned inwardly four times as he saw four of his Chinese intimates with their wives； bouffant and overjeweled。 The wives had stared at him glassily。
Richard Kwang shuddered。 Wives really are dragons and all the same； he thought。 Oh oh oh！ And your lies sound false to them even before you've spoken them。 He had not gone home yet to face Mai…ling who would have already been told by at least three very good friends about Venus Poon。 He would let her rant and scream and weep and tear her hair for a while to release her devil wind and would say that enemies had filled her head with bile … how can she listen to such evil women？ … and then he would meekly tell her about the full…length mink that he had ordered three weeks ago； that he was to collect today in time for her to wear to the races Saturday。 Then there would be peace in the house … until the next time。
He chortled at his acumen in ordering the mink。 That he had ordered it for Venus Poon and had； this morning； just an hour ago in the warmth of her embrace； promised it to her tonight so she would wear it to the races on Saturday did not bother him at all。 It's much too good for the strumpet anyway； he was thinking。 That coat cost 40；000 HK。 I'll get her another one。 Ah； perhaps I could find a secondhand one。 。。。
He saw Smiler Ching leering at him。 〃What？〃
〃Venus Poon； heya？〃
〃I'm thinking of going into film production and making her a star；〃 he said grandly； proud of the cover story he had invented as part of his excuse to his wife。
Smiler Ching was impressed。 〃Eeee； but that's a risky business； heya？〃
〃Yes； but there are ways to 。。。 to insure your risk。〃 He winked knowingly。
〃Ayeeyah； you mean a nudie film？ Oh！ Let me know when you set the production； I might take a point or two。 Venus Poon naked！ Ayeeyah； all Asia'd pay to see that！ What's she like at the pillow？〃
〃Perfect！ Now that I've educated her。 She was a virgin when I fir… 〃
〃What joss！〃 Smiler Ching said； then added； 〃How many times did you scale the Ramparts？〃
〃Last night？ Three times … each time stronger than before！〃 Richard Kwang leaned forward。 〃Her Flower Heart's the best I've ever seen。 Yes。 And her triangle！ Lovely silken hair and her inner lips pink and delicate。 Eeeee； and her Jade Gate 。。。 her Jade Gate's really heart…shaped and her 'one square inch' is a perfect oval； pink； fragrant； and the Pearl on the Step also pink。 。。。〃 Richard Kwang felt himself beginning to sweat as he remembered how she had spread herself on the sofa and handed him a big magnifying glass。 〃Here；〃 she had said proudly。 〃Examine the goddess your bald…headed monk's about to worship。〃 And he had。 Meticulously。
〃The best pillow partner I've ever had；〃 Richard Kwang continued expansively； stretching the truth。 〃I was thinking about buying her a large diamond ring。 Poor Little Mealy Mouth wept this morning when I left the apartment I've given her。 She was swearing suicide because she's so in love with me。〃 He used the English word。
〃Eeeee； you're a lucky man！〃 Smiler Ching spoke no English except the words of love。 He felt eyes on his back and he glanced around。 In the next section of the stands； fifty yards away； slightly above him； was the foreign devil policeman Big Mountain of Dung； the hated chief of the CID Kowloon。 The cold fish…eyes were staring at him； binoculars hanging from the man's neck。 Ayeeyah； Ching muttered to himself； his mind darting over the various checks and traps and balances that guarded his main source of revenue。
〃Eh？ What？ What's the matter with you； Smiler Ching？〃
〃Nothing。 I want to piss； that's all。 Send the papers over at two o'clock if you want my money。〃 Sourly he turned away to go to the toilet； wondering if the police were aware of the imminent arrival of the foreign devil from the Golden Mountain； a High Tiger of the White Powders with the outlandish name of Vincenzo Banastasio。
He hawked and spat loudly。 Joss if they do； joss if they don't。 They can't touch me； I'm only a banker。
* * *
Robert Armstrong had noted that Smiler Ching was talking to Banker Kwang and knew surely that the pair of them were up to no good。 The police were well aware of the whispers about Ching and his Prosperity Bank and the narcotics trade but so far had no real evidence implicating him or his bank； not even enough circumstantial evid