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〃You can't carry everyone； Ian。〃
〃I know。 But no one； no one in the family will ever need for anything while I'm alive and that's going to be forever。〃
His wife looked at him and remembered the first time she had seen him； a godlike youth sitting in his shattered fighter that should have crashed but somehow miraculously hadn't。 Ian； just sitting there； then getting out； holding the terror down； she seeing in his eyes for the first time what death was like but him dominating it and ing back and just accepting the cup of tea saying； 〃Oh； jolly good； thanks。 You're new； aren't you？〃 in his lovely patrician accent that was so far from her own background。
Such a long time ago； a thousand years ago； another lifetime； she thought。 Such wonderful ghastly terrible beautiful agonizing days： will he die today or e back today？ Will I die today； in the morning bombing or in the evening one？ Where's Dad and Mum and is the phone just bombed out of service as usual or has the rotten little terraced house in Streatham vanished along with all the other thousands like it？
One day it had and then she had no past。 Just Ian and his arms and strength and confidence； and she terrified that he would go like all the others。 That was the worst part； she told herself。 The waiting and anticipating and knowing how mortal the Few were and we all are。 My God how quickly we had to grow up！
〃I hope it is forever； darling；〃 she said in her cool； flat voice； wanting to hide the immensity of her love。 〃Yes。 I want you to be immortal！〃
He grinned at her； loving her。 〃I'm immortal； Penn； never mind。 After I'm dead I'll still be watching over you and Glenna and Duncan and Adryon and all the rest。〃
She watched him。 〃Like Dirk Struan does？〃
〃No；〃 he said serious now。 〃He's a presence I'll never match。 He's perpetual … I'm temporary。〃 His eyes were watching hers。 〃You're rather serious tonight； aren't you？〃
〃You're rather serious tonight； aren't you？〃
They laughed。 She said； 〃I was just thinking how transient life is； how violent； unexpected； how cruel。 First John Chen and now Borge； Kathy 。。。〃 A little shiver went through her； ever petrified she would lose him。 〃Who's next？〃
〃Any one of us。 Meanwhile be Chinese。 Remember under heaven all crows are black。 Life is good。 Gods make mistakes and go to sleep so we do the best we can and never trust a quai loh！〃
She laughed； at peace again。 〃There are times； Ian Struan Dunross； when I quite like you。 Do you th… 〃 The phone rang and she stopped and thought； God curse that bloody phone。 If I was omnipotent I'd outlaw all phones after 6：00 p。m。 but then poor Ian'd go mad； and the bloody Noble House'd crumble and that's poor Ian's life。 I'm second； so are the children and that's as it should be。 Isn't it？
〃Oh hello； Lando；〃 Dunross was saying； 〃what's new？〃
〃Hope I'm not disturbing you； tai…pan。〃
〃Not at all；〃 he replied； all his energy concentrated。 〃I've just got in。 What can I do for you？〃
〃Sorry； but I'm withdrawing the 15 million support I promised for tomorrow。 Temporarily。 The market makes me nervous。〃
〃Nothing to worry about；〃 Dunross said； his stomach churning。 〃Gornt's up to his tricks。 That's all。〃
〃I'm really very worried。 It's not just Gornt。 It's the Ho…Pak and the way the whole market's reacting；〃 Mata said。 〃With the bank run seeping over to the Ching Prosperity and even the Vic 。。。 all the signs are very bad so I want to wait and see。〃
〃Tomorrow's the day； Lando。 Tomorrow。 I was counting on you。〃
〃Have you tripled our next gold consignment as I asked？〃
〃Yes； I did that personally。 I've Zurich's telexed confirms in the usual code。〃
〃Excellent； excellent！〃
〃I'll need your letter of credit tomorrow。〃
〃Of course。 If you'll send a messenger to my home now I'll give you my check for the full amount。〃
〃Personal check？〃 Dunross held on to his astonishment。 〃On which bank； Lando？〃
〃The Victoria。〃
〃Christ； that's a lot of money to remove just now。〃
〃I'm not removing it； I'm just paying for some gold。 I'd rather have some of my funds in gold outside Hong Kong for the next week or so； and this's an ideal moment to do it。 You can get them to telex it first thing tomorrow。 First thing。 Yes。 I'm not withdrawing funds； Ian； just paying for gold。 If I were you I'd try to get liquid too。〃
Again his stomach fell over。 〃What have you heard？〃 he asked； his voice controlled。
〃You know me； I'm just more cautious than you； tai…pan。 The cost of my money es very high。〃
〃No more than mine。〃
〃Yes。 We'll consult tomorrow； then we'll see。 But don't count on our 15 million。 Sorry。〃
〃You've heard something。 I know you too well。 What is it？ Chi pao pu chu huo。〃 Literally； Paper cannot wrap up a fire； meaning a secret cannot be kept forever。
There was a long pause； then Mata said in a lower voice； 〃Confidentially； Ian； old Tightfist's selling heavily。 He's getting ready to unload all his holdings。 That old devil may be dying but his nose is as sensitive to the loss of a brass cash as ever and I've never known him to be wrong。〃
〃All his holdings？〃 Dunross asked sharply。 〃When did you talk to him？〃
〃We've been in contact all day。 Why？〃
〃I reached him after lunch and he promised he wouldn't sell or loan any Struan's。 Has he changed his mind？〃
〃No。 I'm sure he hasn't。 He can't。 He hasn't any Struan stock。〃
〃He has 400；000 shares！〃
〃He did have； tai…pan； though actually the number was nearer 600；000 … Sir Luis had very few shares of his own； he's one of Tightfist's many nominees。 He's unloaded all 600；000 shares。 Today。〃
Dunross bit back an obscenity。 〃Oh？〃
〃Listen； my young friend； this is all in the strictest confidence but you should be prepared： Tightfist ordered Sir Luis to sell or loan all his Noble House stock the moment the rumors started this morning。 100；000 was spread throughout the brokers and sold immediately； the remainder 。。。 the half million shares you bought from Gornt were Tightfist's。 The moment it was evident there was a major assault on the House and Gornt was selling short； Tightfist told Sir Luis to go ahead and loan it all； except for a token 1；000 shares； which he's kept。 For face。 Yours。 When the exchange closed； Tightfist was very pleased。 On the day he's almost 2 million ahead。〃
Dunross was standing rock still。 He heard that his voice was matter…of…fact and level and controlled and that pleased him； but he was in shock。 If Tightfist had sold； the Chins would sell and a dozen other friends would follow his lead and that meant chaos。 〃The old bugger！〃 he said； bearing him no grudge。 It was his own fault； he had not reached Tightfist in time。 〃Lando； what about your 300；000 shares … plus？〃
He heard the Portuguese hesitate and his stomach twisted again。 〃I've still got them。 I bought at 16 when you first went public so I'm not worried yet。 Perhaps Alastair Struan was right when he advised against going public … the Noble House's only vulnerable because of that。〃
〃Our growth rate's five times Gornt's and without going public we could never have weathered the disasters I inherited。 We're supported by the Victoria。 We've still got our bank stock and a majority vote on the board so they have to support us。 We're really very strong and once this temporary situation's over we'll be the biggest conglomerate in Asia。〃
〃Perhaps。 But perhaps you'd have been wiser to accept our proposal instead of leaving yourself constantly open to the risk of takeovers or market disasters。〃
〃I couldn't then。 I can't now。 Nothing's changed。〃 Dunross smiled grimly。 Lando Mata； Tightfist Tung and Gambler Chin collectively had offered him 20 percent of their gold and gambling syndicate revenue for 50 percent of Struan's … if he kept it as a wholly private…owned pany。
〃e； tai…pan； be sensible！ Tightfist and I will give you 100 million cash today for 50 percent ownership。 U。S。 dollars。 Your position as tai…pan will not be touched； you will head the new syndicate and manage our gold and gambling monopolies； secretly or openly … with 10 percent of all profit as a personal fee。〃
〃Who appoints the next tai…pan？〃
〃You do … in consultation。〃
〃There； you see！ It's impossible。 A 50 percent control gives you power over Struan's and that I'm not allowed to give。 That would negate Dirk's legacy； make my oath invalid and give away absolute control。 Sorry； it's not possible。〃
〃Because of an oath to an unknown； unknowable god in which you don't believe … on behalf of a murdering pirate who's been dead over a hundred years？〃
〃For whatever reason the answer is； thank you； no。〃
〃You could easily lose the whole pany。〃
〃No。 Between the Struans and the Dunrosses we have 60 percent voting control and I alone vote all the stock。 What I'd lose is everything material we own； and cease to be the Noble House； and that by the Lord God； is not going to happen either。〃
There was a long silence。 Then Mata said； his voice friendly as always； 〃Our offer is good for two weeks。 If joss is against you and you fail； the offer to head the new syndicate stands。 I shall sell or lend my stock at 21。〃
〃Below 20 … not at 21。〃
〃It will go that low？〃
〃No。 Just a habit I have。 20 is better than 21。〃
〃Yes。 Good。 Then let us see what tom