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ack。 Most have nothing when they begin； just themselves … unless they've been a hostess in another club and have a following。 Girls change nightclubs； Linc； naturally； once they're out of debt。 Sometimes an owner will pay the debts of a girl to acquire her and her followers … many girls are very popular and sought after。 For a girl it can be well paying； if you can dance； converse and speak several languages。〃
〃Their debts're heavy then？〃
〃Perpetual。 The longer they stay the harder it is to look pretty so the more the cost。 Interest on the debt is 20 percent at the very least。 In the first months the girl can earn much to pay back much but never enough。〃 A shadow passed over her face。 〃Interest builds up； the debt builds up。 Not all patrons are patient。 So the girl has to seek other forms of financing。 Sometimes she has to borrow from loan sharks to pay back the patron。 Inevitably she seeks help。 Then one night the mama…son points out a man。 'He wants to buy you out；' she'll say。 An… 〃
〃What does that mean； to buy a girl out？〃
〃Oh that's just a nightclub custom here。 All the girls have to be here promptly； say eight； when the club opens； neat and groomed。 They have to stay till 1：00 p。m。 or they'll be fined … and fined also if they are absent or if they're late or not neat and not groomed and not pleasant to the customers。 If a man wants to take a girl out by himself； for dinner or whatever； and many customers just take the girls for dinner … many even take a couple of girls for dinner； mostly to impress their friends … he buys the girl out of the club； he pays the club a fee； the amount depends on the time left before closing。 I don't know how much she gets of the fee； I think it's 30 percent； but what she makes outside is all hers； unless the mama…son negotiates for her before she leaves。 Then the house gets a fee。〃
〃Always a fee？〃
〃It's a matter of face； Linc。 In this place； which is one of the best； to buy a girl out it would cost you about 80 HK an hour； about 16 U。S。〃
〃That's not much；〃 he said absently。
〃Not much to a millionaire； my dear。 But for thousands here； 80 HK has to last a family for a week。〃
Bartlett was watching her； wondering about her； wanting her； so glad that he didn't have to buy her out。 Shit； that'd be terrible。 Or would it？ he asked himself。 At least that way it'd be a few bucks； then in the sack and move on again。 Is that what I want？
〃What？〃 she asked。
〃I was just thinking what a rotten life these girls have。〃
〃Oh not rotten； not rotten at all；〃 she said with the immense innocence he found shattering。 〃This is probably the best time in their lives； certainly the first time in their lives they've ever worn anything pretty； been flattered and sought after。 What other kind of job can they get if you're a girl without a great education？ Secretarial if you're lucky； or else in a factory； twelve to fourteen hours a day for 10 HK a day。 You should go to one； Linc； see the conditions。 I'll take you。 Please？ You must see how people work； then you'll understand about us here。 I'd love to be your guide。 Now that you're staying you should know everything； Linc； experience everything。 Oh no； they think themselves lucky。 At least for a short time in their lives they live well and eat well and laugh a lot。〃
〃No tears？〃
〃Always tears。 But tears is a way of life for a girl。〃
〃Not for you。〃
She sighed and put her hand on his arm。 〃I've had my share。 But you make me forget all the tears I've ever had。〃 A sudden burst of laughter made them look up。 The four Japanese businessmen were hunched down with six girls； their table loaded with drinks and more arriving。 〃I'm so happy I don't have to 。。。 have to serve the Japanese；〃 she said simply； 〃I bless my joss for that。 But they are the biggest spenders； Linc； much more than any other tourists。 They spend even more than the Shanghainese； so they get the best service even though they're hated and they know they're hated。 They don't seem to care that their spending buys them nothing except falsehoods。 Perhaps they know it； they're clever； very clever。 Certainly they have a different attitude to pillowing and to Ladies of the Night； different from other people。〃 Another burst of laughter 〃Chinese call them lang syin gou fei in Mandarin； literally 'wolf's heart； dog's lungs；' meaning men without conscience。〃
He frowned。 〃That doesn't make sense。〃
〃Oh but it does！ You see Chinese cook and eat every part of fish； fowl or animal except for a wolf's heart and a dog's lungs。 They're the only two things that you cannot flavor … they always stink whatever you do to them。〃 She looked back at the other table。 〃To Chinese； Japanese men're lang syin gou fei。 So is money。 Money has no conscience either。〃 She smiled a strange smile and sipped her liqueur。 〃Nowadays many mama…sans or owners will advance money to a girl to help her learn Japanese。 To entertain； of course you have to municate； no？〃
Another bevy of girls went past and she saw them look at Bartlett and then at her speculatively and look away again。 Orlanda knew they despised her because she was Eurasian and with a quai loh customer。 They joined another table。 The club was filling up。
〃Which one do you want？〃 she asked。
〃What？〃
She laughed at his shock。 〃Oh e now； Linc Bartlett； I saw your wandering eye。 Is … 〃
〃Stop it； Orlanda！〃 he said unfortably； a sudden edge to his voice。 〃In this place it's impossible not to notice。〃
〃Of course； that's why I suggested it；〃 she said immediately； forcing her smile steady； her reactions very fast and again she touched him； her hand tender on his knee。 〃I picked this place for you so you could feast your eyes。〃 She snapped her fingers。 Instantly the ma？tre d' was there； kneeling politely beside their low table。 〃Give me your card；〃 she said imperiously in Shanghainese； almost sick with an apprehension that she hid perfectly。
At once the man produced what looked like a playbill。 〃Leave me your flashlight。 I'll call you when I need you。〃
The man went away。 Like a conspirator she moved closer。 Now their legs were touching。 Linc put his arm around her。 She directed the pencil light at the playbill。 There were photographs； portraits of twenty or thirty girls。 Underneath each were rows of Chinese characters。 〃Not all these girls will be here tonight； but if you see one you like we'll bring her over。〃
He stared at her。 〃Are you serious？〃
〃Very serious； Linc。 You don't have to worry； I'll negotiate for you； if you like her； after you've met her and talked to her。〃
〃I don't want one of these； I want you。〃
〃Yes。 Yes I know； my darling； and 。。。 but for tonight； bear with me； please。 Play a little game； let me design your night。〃
〃Jesus； you're something else！〃
〃And you're the most marvelous man I've ever known and I want to make your night perfect。 I can't give you me now； much as I want to； so we'll find a temporary substitute。 What do you say？〃
Bartlett was still staring at her。 He finished his drink and did not taste it。 Another appeared out of nowhere。 He drank half of it。
Orlanda knew the chance she was taking but felt that either way she would draw him tighter to her。 If he accepted he would be beholden to her for an exciting night； a night that Casey or any quai loh woman would never in a thousand years have offered to him。 If he refused； then he would still be grateful for her generosity。 〃Linc； this is Asia。 Here sex is not Anglo…Saxon mumbo…jumbo and guilt…ridden。 It's a pleasure to be sought like great food or great wine。 What's the value of one night to a man； a real man； with one of these Pleasure Ladies？ A moment of pleasure。 A memory。 Nothing more。 What has that to do with love； real love？ Nothing。 I'm not for one night or for hire。 I felt your yang。 。。。 No please； Linc；〃 she added quickly as she saw him bridle。 〃About yang and yin things we cannot lie or tell falsehoods； that would destroy us。 I felt you and I was filled with joy。 Didn't you feel me？ You're strong and a man； yang； and I'm a woman； yin； and when the music is soft and 。。。 Oh； Linc。〃 She put her hand around his and looked up at him beseechingly。 〃I beg you； don't be bound by Anglo…American nonsense。 This is Asia and I … I want to be everything a woman could be for you。〃
〃Jesus； you really mean it？〃
〃Of course。 By the Madonna； I would like to be everything that you could desire in a woman；〃 she said。 〃Everything。 And I also swear that when I'm old or you no longer desire me I will help arrange that part of your life to be joyous； openly； freely。 All that I would ask is to be tai…tai； to be part of your life。〃 Orlanda kissed him lightly。 And then she saw the sudden change in him。 She saw the awe and his defenselessness and she knew she had won。 Her glee almost swamped her。 Oh Quillan； you're a genius； she wanted to shout。 I never believed； truly believed； that your suggestion would be so perfect； I never believed that you were so wise； oh thank you thank you。
But her face showed none of this and she waited patiently； motionless。
〃What does tai…tai mean？〃 he asked throatily。
Tai…tai meant 〃supreme of the supreme；〃 wife。 By ancient Chinese custom； in the home the wife was supreme； all powerful。 〃To be part of your life；〃 sh