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〃They're both ruthless； both very very strong； very hard； adept and 。。。 and well conversed with life。〃 As she talked she heaped one of the rounds of toast with paté and offered it to him； her nails long and perfect。 〃The Chinese have a saying： 'Chan ts'ao； chu ken' … when pulling weeds make sure you get rid of the roots。 The roots of those two go deep in Asia； very deep； too deep。 It would be hard to get rid of those roots。〃 She sipped her wine and smiled a little smile。 〃And probably not a good idea； not for Hong Kong。 Some more paté？〃
〃Please。 It's wonderful。 You make it？〃
〃Yes。 It's an old English recipe。〃
〃Why wouldn't it be good for Hong Kong？〃
〃Oh； perhaps because they balance each other。 If one destroys the other … oh I don't mean just Quillan or Dunross； I mean the hongs themselves； the panies； Struan's and Rothwell…Gornt。 If one eats up the other； perhaps the remaining one would be too strong； there would certainly be no petition； then perhaps the tai…pan would bee too greedy； perhaps he'd decide to dump Hong Kong。〃 She smiled hesitantly。 〃Sorry 。。。 I'm talking too much。 It's just an idea。 Another beer？〃
〃Sure； in a moment； thanks； but that's an interesting thought。〃 Yes； Bartlett was thinking； and one that hadn't occurred to me … or to Casey。 Are those two necessary to each other？
And Casey and I？ Are we necessary to each other？
He saw her watching him and he smiled back。 〃Orlanda； it's no secret I'm thinking about making a deal with one of them。 If you were me； which one would you go with？〃
〃Neither；〃 she said at once and laughed。
〃Why？〃
〃You're not British； not one of the 'old boys；' not a hereditary member of any of the clubs； and however much your money and power here； it's the Old Boy network that will finally decide what is to be。〃 She took his empty bottle and went and brought another。
〃You think I couldn't make a go of it？〃
〃Oh I didn't mean that； Linc。 You asked about Struan's or Rothwell…Gornt； about going into business with one of them。 If you do； they'll be the winners in the end。〃
〃They're that smart？〃
〃No。 But they're Asian； they belong here。 Here the saying is； 'T'ien hsia wu ya i pan hei' … all crows under heaven are black … meaning that all the tai…pans are the same and they'll all stick together to destroy the outsider。〃
〃So neither Ian nor Quillan would wele a partner？〃
She hesitated。 〃I think I'm getting out of my depth； Linc。 I don't know about business things。 It's just that I've never heard of an American who's e here and made it big。〃
〃What about Biltzmann； Superfoods and their takeover of H。K。 General Stores？ 〃
〃Biltzmann's a joke。 Everyone hates him and hopes he'll fall on his face； even Pug 。。。 Pugmire。 Quillan's sure he will。 No； even Cooper and Tillman didn't make it。 They were Yankee traders in the first days； Linc； opium traders … they were even under Dirk Struan's protection。 They're even related； the Struans and the Coopers。 Hag Struan married her eldest daughter； Emma； to old Jeff Cooper； Old Hook Nose was his nickname when he was in his dotage。 The story is that the marriage was payment for his helping her destroy Tyler Brock。 Have you heard about them； Linc？ The Brocks； Sir Morgan and his father Tyler； and the Hag？〃
〃Peter Marlowe told us some of the stories。〃
〃If you want to know about the real Hong Kong； you should talk to Auntie Bright Eyes … that's Sarah Chen； Phillip Chen's maiden aunt！ She's a great character； Linc； and sharp as a needle。 She says she's eighty…eight。 I think she's older。 Her father was Sir Gordon Chen； Dirk Struan's illegitimate son by his mistress Kai…Sung； and her mother was the famous beauty Karen Yuan。〃
〃Who's she？〃
〃Karen Yuan was Robb Struan's granddaughter。 Robb was Dirk's half…brother and he had a mistress called Yau Ming Soo with whom he had a daughter Isobel。 Isobel married John Yuan； an illegitimate son of Jeff Cooper。 John Yuan became a well…known pirate and opium smuggler； and Isobel died quite notorious as an enormous gambler who had lost two of her husbands' fortunes playing mah…jong。 So it was Isobel and John's daughter； Karen； who married Sir Gordon Chen … actually she was his second wife； more like a concubine really； though it was a perfectly legal marriage。 Here； even today； if you're Chinese you can legally have as many wives as you like。〃
〃That's convenient！〃
〃For a man！〃 Orlanda smiled。 〃So this tiny branch of the Yuans are Cooper descendents … the T'Chungs and Chens are from Dirk Struan； the Sungs； Tups and Tongs from Aristotle Quance the painter … here in Hong Kong it's the custom for the children to take the name of their mother； usually an insignificant girl who was sold to the pillow by her parents。〃
〃By the parents？〃
〃Almost always；〃 she told him casually。 〃 'T'ung t'ien yu ming' … listen to heaven and follow fate。 Particularly when you're starving。〃 She shrugged。 〃There's no shame in that； Linc； no loss of face； not in Asia。〃
〃How e you know so much about the Struans and Coopers and mistresses and so on？〃
〃This is a small place and we all love secrets but there are no real secrets in Hong Kong。 Insiders … true insiders … know almost everything about the others。 As I said； our roots go deep here。 And don't forget that the Chens； Yuans and Sungs are Eurasian。 As I told you； Eurasians marry Eurasians； so we should know who we're from。 We're not desired by British or Chinese as wives or husbands； only as mistresses or lovers。〃 She sipped her wine and he was awed by the delicacy of her movements； her grace。 〃It's custom for Chinese families to have their genealogy written down in the village book； that's the only legality they have … that gives them continuity； they've never had birth certificates。〃 She smiled up at him。 〃To go back to your question。 Both Ian Dunross and Quillan would wele your money and your inside track into the U。S。 market。 And with either one you'd make a profit here … if you were content to be a silent partner。〃
Thoughtfully Bartlett let his eyes stray to the view。
She waited patiently； allowing him his thoughts； staying motionless。 I'm very glad Quillan was such a good teacher and such a clever man； she thought。 And oh so wise。 He was right again。
This morning she had called him in tears on his private line to report what had happened and； 〃Oh Quillan； I think I've ruined everything。 。。。〃
〃What did you say and what did he say？〃
She had told him exactly and he had reassured her。 〃I don't think you've any need to worry； Orlanda。 He'll e back。 If not tonight； tomorrow。〃
〃Oh are you sure？〃 she had said so gratefully。
〃Yes。 Now dry those tears and listen。〃 Then he had told her what to do and what to wear and above all to be a woman。
Ah how happy I am to be a woman； she thought； and remembered with sadness now the old days when they were happy together； she and Quillan； she nineteen； already his mistress for two years and no longer shy or afraid … of the pillow or him or of herself … how sometimes they would go on his yacht for a midnight cruise； just the two of them and he would lecture her。 〃You're a woman and Hong Kong yan so if you want to have a good life and pretty things； to be cherished and loved and pillowed and safe in this world be female。〃
〃How； my darling？〃
〃Think only of my satisfaction and pleasure。 Give me passion when I need it； quiet when I need it； privacy when I need it； and happiness and discretion all the time。 Cook as a gourmet； know great wine； be discreet always； protect my face always and never nag。〃
〃But Quillan； you make it sound all so one…sided。〃
〃Yes。 It is； of course it is。 In return I do my part with equal passion。 But that's what I want from you； nothing less。 You wanted to be my mistress。 I put it to you before we began and you agreed。〃
〃I know I did and I love being your mistress but 。。。 but sometimes I'm worried about the future。〃
〃Ah； my pet； you have nothing to worry about。 You know our rules were set in advance。 We will renew our arrangement yearly； providing you want to until you're twenty…four； and then； if you choose to leave me I will give you the flat； money enough for reasonable needs and a handsome dowry for a suitable husband。 We agreed and your parents approved。 。。。〃
Yes they did。 Orlanda remembered how her mother and father had enthusiastically approved the liaison … had even suggested it to her when she had just e back from school in America when they told her that Quillan had asked if he might approach her； saying that he had fallen in love with her。 〃He's a good man；〃 her father had said； 〃and he's promised to provide well for you； if you agree。 It's your choice； Orlanda。 We think we would remend it。〃
〃But Father； I won't be eighteen until next month； and besides I want to go back to the States to live。 I'm sure I can get a Green Card to remain there。〃
〃Yes； you can go； child；〃 her mother had said； 〃but you will be poor。 We can give you nothing； no help。 What job will you get？ Who will support you？ This way in a little while you can go with an ine； with property here to support you。〃
〃But he's so old。 He's 。。。〃
〃A man doesn't wear age like a woman；〃 both had told her。 〃He's strong and respected and he's been good to us for years。 He's