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〃Are you going to call a board meeting right now or not？〃
〃Your stock's plunging。 You've no assets to pledge to support the run on your stock； your bank holdings are already pledged； the stock in your treasury gets more valueless every minute。 On Monday or Tuesday； Gornt will buy back in and then he'll control Struan's。〃
Dunross watched him。 〃You'll let Gornt take us over？ I don't believe you。 You'll buy in before he does。 Or have you already made a deal to split up Struan's between you？〃
〃No deal。 Not yet。 But if you'll resign from Struan's right now； agree in writing to sell us as much of your treasury stock as we want at market price at Monday's closing； agree to appoint a new tai…pan of our board's choosing； we'll announce that we're supporting Struan's totally。〃
〃When would you make the announcement？〃
〃Monday at 3：10。〃
〃In other words you'll give me nothing。〃
〃You've always said the best thing about Hong Kong was that it was a free marketplace； where the strong survive and the weak perish。 Why didn't you persuade Sir Luis to withdraw your stock from trading？〃
〃He suggested it。 I refused。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Struan's is as strong as ever。〃
〃Wasn't the real reason face … and your foolish pride？ Sorry； there's nothing I can do to prevent the inevitable。〃
〃Balls！〃 Dunross said and Havergill flushed。 〃You can call a meeting。 You can c… 〃
〃No meeting！〃
〃Ian。〃 Johnjohn tried to soften the open hostility between the two men。 〃Listen； Paul； how about a promise： If； through Ian； we get China's cash； you will call a meeting of the board at once； an extraordinary meeting； today。 You could do that … there are enough directors in town； and it's fair。 Eh？〃
Havergill hesitated。 〃I'll consider it。〃
〃That's not good enough；〃 Dunross said hotly。
〃I'll consider it。 Kindly call Tipt… 〃
〃When's the meeting？ If？〃
〃Next week。〃
〃No。 Today as Johnjohn suggests。〃
〃I said I'll consider it；〃 Havergill said； flaring。 〃Now please call Tiptop。〃
〃If you'll guarantee to call the board no later than tomorrow at ten！〃
Havergill's voice harshened。 〃I will not be blackmailed as I was the last time。 If you don't want to call Tiptop； I will。 I can now。 If they want to lend us their money； they'll lend it to us whoever the hell calls。 You've agreed to the thorium deal； you've agreed to meet Yu next month； we agree to support that deal whoever controls the Noble House。 I am not empowered to grant you any further loans。 So take it or leave it。 I will consider calling a board meeting before Monday's market opens。 That's all I promise。〃
The silence was heavy and electric。
Dunross shrugged。 He picked up the phone and dialed。
〃Weyyyyy？〃 The woman's voice was arrogant。
〃The Honorable Tip Tok…toh please；〃 he said in Cantonese。 〃This is the tai…pan。〃
〃Ah； the tai…pan。 Ah； please wait a moment。〃 Dunross waited。 A bead of sweat gathered on the bottom of Johnjohn's chin。 〃Weyyyy？ Tai…pan； the doctor's with him； he's very sick。 Please call back later！〃 The phone clicked off before Dunross could say anything。 He redialed。
〃This's the tai…pan； I wan… 〃
〃This phone is terrible。〃 The amah doubled her volume。 〃He's sick；〃 she shouted。 〃Call back later。〃
Dunross called in ten minutes。 Now the line was busy。 He kept on trying with no luck。
There was a knock and the harassed chief cashier hurried in。 〃Sorry； sir； but there's no let up in the queues； we've a quarter of an hour to go。 I suggest we limit withdrawals now； say a thou… 〃
〃No；〃 Havergill said at once。
〃But sir； we're almost empty。 Don't y… 〃
〃No。 The Victoria must keep going。 We must。 No。 Keep honoring every penny。〃
The man hesitated； then went out。 Havergill mopped his brow。 Johnjohn too。 Dunross dialed again。 Still busy。 Just before three he tried a last time； then dialed the phone pany asking them to check the line。 〃It's temporarily out of order； sir；〃 the operator said。
Dunross put the phone down。 〃Twenty to a brass farthing it's deliberately off the hook。〃 His watch read 3：01。 〃Let's find out about the market。〃
Havergill wiped the palms of his hands。 Before he could dial； the phone rang。 〃Chief cashier； sir。 We've 。。。 we're all right now。 Last customer has been paid。 The doors've closed。 Blacs just made it too； sir。〃
〃Good。 Check the remaining currency in the vault and call me back。〃
〃Thank God it's Friday；〃 Johnjohn said。
Havergill dialed。 〃Charles？ What's the latest？〃
〃The market finished off 37 points。 Our stock's off 8 points。〃
〃Christ；〃 Johnjohn said。 The bank had never fallen so much before； even during the '56 riots。
〃Struan's？〃
〃9。50。〃
Both bankers looked at Dunross。 His face was impassive。 He redialed Tiptop as the stockbroker continued to reel off the closing prices。 Again a busy signal。 〃I'll call again from the office；〃 he said。 〃The moment I get him I'll call you。 If no China money； what are you going to do？〃
〃There are only two solutions。 We wait for the pounds； the governor declaring Monday a bank holiday or as long as we need。 Or we accept the Moscow trade…bank offer。〃
〃Tiptop was bloody clear that'll backfire。 That'll throw a monkey wrench in Hong Kong forever。〃
〃Those are the only solutions。〃
Dunross got up。 〃There's only one。 By the way； did the governor phone you？〃
〃Yes；〃 Havergill said。 〃He wants us to open the vaults at 6：00 p。m。 for him； you； Roger Crosse and some fellow called Binders。 What's all that about？〃
〃Didn't he tell you？〃
〃No。 Just that it was something covered by the Official Secrets Act。〃
〃See you at six。〃 Dunross walked out。
Havergill wiped more sweat off with a handkerchief。 〃The only good thing about all this is that that arrogant sod's in worse trouble；〃 he muttered angrily。 He dialed Tiptop's number。 And again。 The interoffice phone rang。 Johnjohn picked it up for Havergill。 〃Yes？〃
〃This is the chief cashier； sir。 There's only 716；027 HK in the vault。〃 The man's voice trembled。 〃We're 。。。 that's all we've left； sir。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Johnjohn put the phone down and told Havergill。 The deputy chairman did not answer； just redialed Tiptop's number。 It was still busy。 〃You'd better open a dialogue with the Soviet contact。〃
Johnjohn went red。 〃But that's impossible … 〃
〃Do it！ Do it now！〃 Havergill； equally choleric； redialed Tiptop。 Still busy。
Dunross went into his office。
〃Mr。 Toda's here with the usual entourage； tai…pan。〃 Claudia did not hide her distaste or nervousness。
〃Show them in please。〃
〃Mr。 Alastair called twice … asked that you call him back the moment you e in。 And your father。〃
〃I'll call them later。〃
〃Yes sir。 Here's the telex for Nelson Trading from Switzerland confirming that they've purchased triple the regular order of gold for the Great Good Luck pany of Macao。〃
〃Good。 Send a copy to Lando at once and request the funds。〃
〃This telex is from Orlin Merchant Bank confirming they regret they cannot renew the loan and require payment。〃
〃Telex them； 'Thank you。' 〃
〃I checked with Mrs。 Dunross and they arrived safely。〃
〃Good。 Get Kathy's specialist's home number so I can call him over the weekend。〃
Claudia made another note。 〃Master Duncan called from Sydney to say he had a great evening and he's on the Monday Qantas flight。 Here's a list of your other calls。〃
He glanced at the long list； wondering fleetingly if his son was no longer a virgin； or was not even before the lovely Sheila。 Thinking of a lovely sheila reminded him again of the exquisite Snow Jade。 Curious her name was Snow Jade … she reminded me so much of Elegant Jade who's somewhere in Taipei in charge of a House of Many Pleasures。 Perhaps the time's e to find Elegant Jade and thank her。 Once more he remembered old Chen…chen's admonition when he was dying。 〃Listen； my son；〃 old Chen…chen had whispered； his voice failing； 〃never try to find her。 You will take away her face and take away beauty； both from her and from you。 Now she'll be old； her Jade Gate withered and her pleasures will e from good food and good brandy。 Children of the Pleasure World do not age well； nor do their tempers。 Leave her to her joss and to her memories。 Be kind。 Always be kind to those who give you their youth and their yin to succor your yang。 Eeeee； how I wish I was as young as you again。 。。。〃
Dunross sighed。 His evening with Snow Jade had been impeccable。 And filled with laughter。
〃I don't eat dessert；〃 he had replied at once。 〃I'm on a diet。〃
〃Oh ko； not you； tai…pan。 I help you lose weight never mind。〃
〃Thank you but no dessert and never in Hong Kong。〃
〃Ah！ Four Fingers said you'd say that； tai…pan； and for me not to be shamed。〃 She had beamed and poured him a whiskey。 〃I'm to say； Have passport can travel。〃
They had laughed together。 〃What else did Four Fingers say？〃 The tip of her tongue touched her lips。 〃Only that foreign devils are mighty very peculiar in some things。 Like saying no dessert！ As if it mattered。〃 She watched him。 〃I've never been with a barbarian before。〃
〃Oh？ Some of us are really quite civilized。〃 Dunross smiled to himself； remembering how tempted he was； their banter and the great meal； everything good…humored and satisfying。 Yes。 But that doesn't forgive that old bastard Four Fingers； nor