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Beautiful； courageous and loyal … to Bartlett。 I wonder if she knows he breakfasted with Orlanda this morning； then visited her flat。 I wonder if they know I know about the 2 million from Switzerland。 Bartlett's smart； very smart； and making all the correct moves； but he's wide open to attack because he's predictable and his jugular's an Asian girl。 Perhaps Orlanda； perhaps not； but certainly a youth…filled Golden Skin。 Quillan was clever to bait the trap with her。 Yes。 Orlanda's a perfect bait； he thought； then put his mind back to Lando Mata and his millions。 To get those millions I'd have to break my Holy Oath and that I will not do。
〃What calls do I have； Claudia？〃 he asked； a sudden ice shaft in his stomach。 Mata and Tightfist had been his ace； the only one left。
She hesitated； glanced at the list。 〃Hiro Toda called from Tokyo； person to person。 Please return the call when you've a moment。 Alastair Struan the same from Edinburgh。 。。。 David MacStruan from Toronto 。。。 your father from Ayr 。。。 old Sir Ross Struan from Nice 。。。〃
〃Uncle Trussler from London；〃 he said； interrupting her； 〃Uncle Kelly from Dublin 。。。 Cousin Cooper from Atlanta； cous… 〃
〃From New York；〃 Claudia said。
〃From New York。 Bad news travels fast；〃 he told her calmly。
〃Yes。 Then there was 。。。〃 Her eyes filled with tears。 〃What're we going to do？〃
〃Absolutely not cry；〃 he said； knowing that a large proportion of her savings was in Struan stock。
〃Yes！ Oh yes。〃 She sniffed and used a handkerchief； sad for him but thanking the gods she had had the foresight to sell at the top of the market and not buy when the Head of the House of Chen had whispered for all the clan to buy heavily。 〃Ayeeyah； tai…pan； sorry； so sorry； please excuse me 。。。 yes。 But it's very bad； isn't it？〃
〃Och aye； lassie；〃 he said； aping a broad Scots accent； 〃but only when you're deaded。 Isn't that what the old tai…pan used to say？〃 The old tai…pan was Sir Ross Struan； Alastair's father； the first tai…pan he could remember。 〃Go on with the calls。〃
〃Cousin Kern from Houston and Cousin Deeks from Sydney。 That's the last of the family。〃
〃That's all of them。〃 Dunross exhaled。 Control of the Noble House rested with those families。 Each had blocks of shares that had been handed down to them； though by House law he alone voted all the stock … while he was tai…pan。 The family holdings of the Dunrosses； descended from Dirk Struan's daughter Winifred； were 10 percent； the Struans from Robb Struan； Dirk's half…brother； 5 percent； the Trusslers and Kellys from Culum and Hag Struan's youngest daughter； each 5 percent； the Coopers； Kerns and Derbys； descended from the American trader； Jeff Cooper of Cooper…Tillman； Dirk's lifetime friend who had married Hag Struan's eldest daughter； each 5 percent； the MacStruans； believed illegitimate from Dirk； 21/2 percent； and the Chens 71/2 percent。 The bulk of the stock； 50 percent； the personal property and legacy of Hag Struan； was left in a perpetual trust； to be voted by the tai…pan 〃whoever he or she may be； and the profit therefrom shall be divided yearly； 50 percent to the tai…pan； the remainder in proportion to family holdings … but only if the tai…pan so decides；〃 she had written in her firm； bold hand。 〃If he decides to withhold profit from my shares from the family for any reason he may； then that increment shall go into the tai…pan's private fund for whatever use he deems fit。 But let all following tai…pans beware： the Noble House shall pass from safe Hand to safe Hand and the clans from safe Harbor to safe Harbor as the tai…pan himself decreed or I shall add my curse； before God； to his； on him or her who fails us。 。。。〃
Dunross felt a chill go through him as he remembered the first time he had read her will … as dominating as the legacy of Dirk Struan。 Why are we so possessed by these two？ he asked himself again。 Why can't we be done with the past； why should we be at the beck and call of ghosts； not very good ghosts at that？
I'm not； he told himself firmly。 I'm only trying to measure up to their standards。
He looked back at Claudia； matronly； tough and very together but now scared； scared for the first time。 He had known her all his life and she had served old Sir Ross； then his father； then Alastair； and now himself with a fanatical loyalty； as had Phillip Chen。
Ah Phillip； poor Phillip。
〃Did Phillip call？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； tai…pan。 And Dianne。 She called four times。〃
〃Who else？〃
〃A dozen or more。 The more important ones are Johnjohn at the bank； General Jen from Taiwan； Gavallan père from Paris； Four Finger Wu； Pug… 〃
〃Four Fingers？〃 Dunross's hope peaked。 〃When did he call？〃
She referred to her list。 〃2：56。〃
I wonder if the old pirate has changed his mind； Dunross thought； his excitement growing。
Yesterday afternoon late he had gone to Aberdeen to see Wu to seek his help but； as with Lando Mata； he had got only vague promises。
〃Listen； Old Friend；〃 he had told him in halting Haklo； 〃I've never sought a favor from you before。〃
〃A long line of your tai…pan ancestors have sought plenty favors and made great profits from my ancestors；〃 the old man had answered； his cunning eyes darting。 〃Favors？ Fornicate all dogs； tai…pan； I have not that amount of money。 20 millions？ How could a poor old fisherman like me have that cash？〃
〃More came out of the Ho…Pak yesterday； old friend。〃
〃Ayeeyah； fornicate all those who whisper wrong informations！ Perhaps I withdrew my money safely but it all has gone； gone to pay for goods； goods I owed money for。〃
〃I hope not for the White Powder；〃 he had told him grimly。 〃The White Powder is terrible joss。 Rumor has it you are interested in it。 I advise against it as a friend。 My ancestors； Old Green…Eyed Devil and Hag Struan of the Evil Eye and Dragon's Teeth； they both put a curse on those who deal in the White Powder； not on opium but on all White Powders and those who deal in them；〃 he had said stretching the truth； knowing how superstitious the old man was。 〃I advise against the Killing Powder。 Surely your gold business is more than profitable？〃
〃I know nothing of White Powder。〃 The old man had forced a smile； showing his gums and a few twisted teeth。 〃And I don't fear curses； even from them！〃
〃Good；〃 Dunross had said； knowing it to be a lie。 〃Meanwhile help me to get credit。 50 million for three days is all I want！〃
〃I will ask among my friends； tai…pan。 Perhaps they can help； perhaps we can help together。 But don't expect water from an empty well。 At what interest？〃
〃High interest； if it's tomorrow。〃
〃Not possible； tai…pan。〃
〃Persuade Tightfist； you're an associate and old friend。〃
〃Tightfist is the only fornicating friend of Tightfist；〃 the old man had said sullenly and nothing Dunross could say would change the old man's attitudes。
He reached for the phone。 〃What other calls were there； Claudia？〃 he asked as he dialed。
〃Johnjohn at the bank； Phillip and Dianne 。。。 oh I told you about them。 。。。 Superintendent Crosse； then every major stockholder we have and every managing director of every subsidiary； most of the Turf Club 。。。 Travkin； your trainer； it's endless。 。。。〃
〃Just a moment； Claudia。〃 Dunross held onto his anxiety and said into the phone； in Haklo； 〃This is the tai…pan。 Is my Old Friend there？〃
〃Sure； sure； Mr。 Dunross；〃 the American voice said politely in English。 〃Thanks for returning the call。 He'll be right with you； sir。〃
〃Mr。 Choy； Mr。 Paul Choy？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Your uncle told me all about you。 Wele to Hong Kong。〃
〃I 。。。 here he is sir。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Dunross concentrated。 He had been asking himself why Paul Choy was with Four Fingers now and not busily engaged in worming his way into Gornt's affairs and why Crosse called and why Johnjohn。
〃Tai…pan？〃
〃Yes； Old Friend。 You wanted to speak to me？〃
〃Yes。 Can 。。。 can we meet this evening？〃
Dunross wanted to shout。 Have you changed your mind？ But good manners forbade it and Chinese did not like phones； always preferring to meet face…to…face。 〃Of course。 About eight bells； in the middle watch；〃 he said casually。 Near midnight。 〃As near as I can；〃 he added； remembering he was to meet Brian Kwok at 10：45 P。M。
〃Good。 My wharf。 There will be a sampan waiting。〃
Dunross replaced the phone； his heart thumping。 〃First Crosse； Claudia； then bring in the Kirks。 Then we'll go through the list。 Set up a conference call with my father； Alastair and Sir Ross； make it for five； that's nine their time and ten in Nice。 I'll call David and the others in the States this evening。 No need to wake them in the middle of their night。〃
〃Yes； tai…pan。〃 Claudia was already dialing。 She got Crosse； handed him the phone and left； closing the door after her。
〃Yes； Roger？〃
〃How many times have you been into China？〃
The unexpected question startled Dunross for a moment。 〃That's all a matter of record；〃 he said。 〃It's easy for you to check。〃
〃Yes； Ian； but could you recall now？ Please。〃
〃Four times to Canton； to the fair； every year for the last four years。 And once to Peking with a trade mission； last year。〃
〃Did you ever manage to get outside Canton … or Peking？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Did you？〃
Dunross hesitated。 The Noble House had many assoc