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〃What？〃
〃I want to know everything you know about the tai…pan of the Noble House； everything you did in China； who you know； who you met。〃
〃And the cooperation？〃
〃I will tell you later。〃
〃And in return you'll bring my wife to Hong Kong？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃When？〃
〃By Christmas。〃
〃How can I trust you？〃
〃You can't。 But if you cooperate she will be here at Christmas。〃 Travkin was watching the two photos Suslev toyed with in his fingers； then he saw the look in his eyes and his stomach twisted。 〃Either way； you must be honest with me。 With or without your wife； Prince Kurgan； we always have your son and your grandchildren hostage。〃
Travkin sipped his drink； making it last。 〃Now I believe you are what you are。 Where do you want to start？〃
〃The tai…pan。 But first I want to piss。〃 Suslev got up and asked the waiter where the toilet was and went out through the kitchen。
Now that Travkin was alone despair gripped him。 He picked up the snapshot of the cottage that was still on the table and peered at it。 Tears filled his eyes。 He brushed them away and felt the gun that nestled beneath his shoulder but that did not help him now。 With all his inner strength he resolved to be wise and not believe； but in his heart he knew he had seen her picture and that he would do anything； risk anything to see her。
For years he had tried to avoid these hunters； knowing that he was always pursued。 He had been the leader of the Whites in his area across the Trans…Siberian Railroad and he had killed many Reds。 At length he had wearied of the killing and in 1919 had left for Shanghai and a new home until the Japanese armies came； escaping them to join Chinese guerrillas； fighting his way south and west to Chungking； there to join other marauders； English； French； Australian； Chinese … anyone who would pay … until the Japanese unconditionally surrendered； and so back to Shanghai again； soon to flee once more。 Always fleeing； he thought。
By the blood of Christ； my darling； I know you're dead。 I know it。 I was told by someone who saw the mob sack our palace； saw them swarm over you。 。。。
But now？
Are you really alive？
Travkin looked at the kitchen door with hatred； knowing he would forever be haunted until he was certain about her。 Who is that shit eater？ he thought。 How did they find me？
Grimly he waited and waited and then in sudden panic went to find him。 The toilet was empty。 He rushed into the street but it was filled with other people。 The man had vanished。
There was a vile taste in Travkin's mouth now and he was sick with apprehension。 In the name of God； what does he want with the tai…pan？
33
5：50 P。M。：
〃Hello； Ian；〃 Penelope said。 〃You're home early！ How was your day？〃
〃Fine； fine；〃 Dunross said absently。 Apart from all the disasters； just before he left the office he had had a call from Brian Kwok saying； among other things； that AMG was probably murdered and warned him to take serious precautions。
〃Oh； it was one of those； was it？〃 she said at once。 〃How about a drink？ Yes。 How about champagne？〃
〃Good idea。〃 Then he noticed her smile and smiled back and felt much better。 〃Penn； you're a mind reader！〃 He tossed his briefcase onto a sideboard and followed her into one of the sitting rooms of the Great House。 The champagne was already in an ice bucket； opened； with two glasses partially filled and another waiting for him in the ice。
〃Kathy's upstairs。 She's reading Glenna a bedtime story；〃 Penelope said； pouring for him。 〃She 。。。 she's just told me about 。。。 about the； about the disease。〃
〃Oh。〃 He accepted the glass。 〃Thanks。 How's Andrew taking it？ He didn't mention anything today。〃
〃She's going to tell him tonight。 The champagne was to give her some courage。〃 Penelope looked up at him； anguished。 〃She's going to be all right； isn't she； Ian？〃
〃I think so。 I had a long talk with Doc Tooley。 He was encouraging； gave me the names of the top three experts in England and another three in America。 I've cabled for appointments with the three in England and Doc Ferguson's air…mailing them case histories … they'll be there when you arrive。〃
She sipped her wine。 A light breeze made the sultry day much better。 The French doors were open to the garden。 It was near six o'clock。 〃Do you think we should go at once？ Will a few days make any difference？〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃But we should go？〃
〃If it were you； Penn； we'd've been on the first plane the very first moment。〃
〃Yes。 If I'd told you。〃
〃You would have told me。〃
〃Yes。 I suppose I would。 I've made reservations for tomorrow。 Kathy thought it a good idea too。 The BOAC flight。〃
He was startled。 〃Claudia never mentioned it。〃
She smiled。 〃I made them myself。 I'm really quite capable。 I've reservations for Glenna； me and Kathy。 We could take the case histories with us。 I thought Kathy should go without any of her children。 They'll be perfectly all right with the amahs。〃
〃Yes； that's much the best。 Doc Tooley was adamant about her taking it easy。 That's the main thing he said； lots of rest。〃 Dunross smiled at her。 〃Thanks； Penn。〃
She was staring at the beads of condensation on the outside of the bottle and the ice bucket。 〃Bloody awful； isn't it？〃
〃Worse； Penn。 There's no cure。 He thinks 。。。 he thinks the medication will arrest it。〃 He finished his glass and poured for both of them。 〃Any messages？〃
〃Oh； sorry！ Yes； they're on the sideboard。 There was a long…distance call from Marseilles a moment ago。〃
〃Susanne？〃
〃No。 A Mr。 Deland。〃
〃He's our agent there。〃
〃Rotten about young Borge。〃
〃Yes。〃 Dunross skimmed the messages。 Johnjohn at the bank； Holdbrook； Phillip Chen； and the inevitable catchall 〃please call Claudia。〃 He sighed。 It was only half an hour since he left the office and he was going to call her anyway。 No rest for the wicked； he thought； and smiled to himself。
He had enjoyed besting Gornt at the exchange。 That he did not have the money at the moment to pay did not worry him。 There's five days of grace； he thought。 Everything's covered … with joss。 Ah yes； joss！
Since his stockbroker had called him in panic at a few minutes past ten about the rumors sweeping the exchange and how their stock was shifting； he had been bolstering his defenses against the sudden； unexpected attack。 With Phillip Chen； Holdbrook； Gavallan and deVille he had marshaled all the major stockholders they could reach and told them that the rumors Struan's couldn't meet their obligations were nonsense and suggested they refuse to lend Gornt any big blocks of Struan stock but to keep him dangling； letting him have a few shares here and there。 He told the selected few in the strictest confidence that the Par…Con deal was signed； sealed and about to be chopped； and that this was a marvelous opportunity to smash Rothwell…Gornt once and for all。
〃If Gornt sells short； let him。 We pretend to be vulnerable but support the stock。 Then Friday we announce； our stock'll soar and he'll lose his shirt； tie and trousers；〃 he had told them all。 〃We get back our airline along with his； and with his ships and ours together； we'll dominate all air and surface inbound and outbound trade in Asia。〃
If we could really smash Gornt； he thought fervently； we'd be safe for generations。 And we could； given joss； Par…Con and more joss。 Christ； but it's going to be very dicey！
He had exuded confidence all day； not feeling confident at all。 Many of his big stockholders had called nervously but he had quieted them。 Both Tightfist Tung and Four Finger Wu owned major blocks of stock through devious nominees。 He had phoned both this afternoon to get their agreement not to loan or sell their major holdings for the next week or so。 Both had agreed but it had not been easy with either of them。
All in all； Dunross thought； I've fought off the initial onslaught。 Tomorrow will tell the real story … or Friday： is Bartlett enemy； friend or Judas？
He felt his anger rising but he pushed it back。 Be calm； he told himself； think calmly。 I will but it's bloody curious that everything Bartlett said the night of the party … all those very secret things he had so readily and suddenly produced to shatter my defenses … miraculously went through the market today like a typhoon。 Who's the spy？ Who gave him the info？ Is he the Sevrin spy too？ Well； never mind for the moment； everything's covered。 I think。
Dunross went to the phone and asked the operator to get Mr。 Deland； person to person； and to call him back。
〃Would Susanne be there yet？〃 Penelope asked。
〃I think so。 If her plane's on time。 It's about eleven； Marseilles time； so it shouldn't be an emergency。 Bloody shame about Borge！ I liked him。〃
〃What's Avril going to do？〃
〃She's going to be all right。 Avril's going to e home to bring up the child and soon she'll meet a Prince Charming； a new one； and her son'll join Struan's and meanwhile she'll be protected and cherished。〃
〃Do you believe that； Ian … about the Prince Charming？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said firmly。 〃I believe everything will be all right。 It's going to be all right； Penn； for her； for Kathy； for 。。。 for everyone。〃
〃You can't carry everyone； Ian。〃
〃I know。 But no one； no one in the family will ever need for anythin