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〃Yes。 You're ing to the races tomorrow？ Lunch'll be 12：45。〃
〃Thank you； yes； if it's not too much trouble；〃 Toda said with sudden nervousness； 〃but it would be impossible for us to have an answer by that time。〃
〃Of course。 You got your invitations and badges？〃
〃Yes； thank you。 I； er； I hope everything turns out well for you。 Your proposal certainly sounds far…reaching。〃
They left。 For a moment Dunross allowed himself to enjoy the excitement。 I've got them； he thought。 Christ； in a year we can have the biggest fleet in Asia； all totally financed； with no risks to financier； builder； operator or supplier； with oil tankers； huge tankers as its nucleus … if we can weather this typhoon。
All I need's some luck。 Somehow I've got to stave off the crash till Tuesday when we sign with Par…Con。 Par…Con pays for our ships； but what about Orlin and what about Gornt？
〃Mr。 Jacques's on his way up； tai…pan。 Mr。 Phillip's in his office and'll e up whenever you're ready。 Roger Crosse called； your appointment's at 7：00 p。m。 instead of 6：00。 He said Mr。 Sinders's plane was late。 He's informed the governor and everyone connected。〃
〃Thank you； Claudia。〃 He glanced at his list of calls。 He dialed the V and A and asked for Bartlett。 He was out。 〃Miss Tcholok please。〃
〃Hello？〃
〃Hello！ Ian Dunross returning your call and Linc Bartlett's call。 How're things？〃
There was a slight pause。 〃Interesting。 Tai…pan； can I drop by？〃
〃Of course。 How about cocktails at 6：15 at the Mandarin？ That'd give me half an hour…odd before my next appointment。 Eh？〃 A twinge of anxiety went through him at the thought of Crosse； Sinders and AMG's admonition about never giving up the files。
〃Is it possible for me to e by the office？ I could leave now and be there in half to three quarters of an hour？ I have something to talk over with you。 I'll make it as short as possible。〃
〃All right。 I may have to keep you waiting a moment or two but e on over。〃 He put the phone down； frowning。 What's up there？
The door opened。 Jacques deVille came in。 He looked careworn and tired。 〃You wanted me； tai…pan？〃
〃Yes； sit down； Jacques。 I understood you were going to be on the plane last night。〃
〃We talked； Susanne and I； and she thought it best for Avril if I waited a day or two。 。。。〃
Dunross listened with fascination as they began to talk； still astounded that Jacques could be a munist plant。 But now he had thought through the possibility。 It was easily possible for Jacques； being young； an idealist and in the Maquis during the hated and terrible Nazi occupation of France to have had his idealistic nationalism and anti…Nazi feelings channeled into munism … Christ； wasn't Russia our ally in those days？ Wasn't munism fashionable everywhere in those days even in America？ Didn't Marx and Lenin seem so sensible then？ Then。 Before we knew the truth about Stalin； about gulags and KGB and police state and mass murders and mass conquests and never freedom。
But how could all that munist nonsense last for someone like Jacques？ How could someone like Jacques retain such convictions and keep them buried for so long … if indeed he is the Sevrin plant AMG claimed？
〃What did you think of Grey？〃 Dunross asked。
〃A total cretin； tai…pan。 He's far too left…wing for me。 Even Broadhurst's a little too left for my taste。 As I'm 。。。 I'm staying now； can I take over Bartlett and Casey again？〃
〃No； for the time being I'll deal with them； but you take care of the contract。〃
〃It's being drawn up now。 I've already been on to our solicitors。 One slight problem。 Dawson met with Bartlett's lawyer； Mr。 Steigler； this morning。 Mr。 Steigler wants to renegotiate the payment schedule and put off signing till next weekend。〃
A wave of fury rushed through Dunross。 He tried to keep it off his face。 That's got to be the reason for Casey wanting a meeting； he thought。 〃I'll deal with that；〃 he said； putting the problem aside for the more pressing one： Jacques deVille； who should be innocent until proven guilty。
He looked at him； liking the craggy； chunky man； remembering all the fine times they had had in Avisyard and in France。 He； Penelope； Jacques and Susanne； their children along for Christmas or summer holidays； good food and good wine and good laughter and great plans for the future。 Jacques certainly the wisest； the most close…mouthed； and until the AMG accusation； possibly the next in line。 But now you're not； not until you've proved yourself and I'm certain。 Sorry my friend； but you must be tested。
〃I'm making some organizational changes；〃 he said。 〃Linbar went to Sydney today as you know。 I'm going to leave him there for a month to try to get the Woolara merger fixed。 I don't hope for much。 I want you to take over Australia。〃 He saw Jacques's eyes widen momentarily but could not read if it was concern or happiness。 〃I've pushed the button on our Toda plan and I w… 〃
〃How did he take it？〃
〃Hook； line and bait。〃
〃Merde； but that is great。〃 Dunross saw Jacques beam and read no guile in him。 The man had been one of the main planners for the shipping scheme； working out the intricacies of the financing。 〃What a shame poor John's not alive to know；〃 Jacques said。
〃Yes。〃 John Chen had been working closely with Jacques deVille。 〃Have you seen Phillip？〃
〃I had dinner with him last night。 Poor fellow； he's aged twenty years。〃
〃So have you。〃
A Gallic shrug。 〃Life； mon ami！ But yes； yes I am sad about poor Avril and poor Borge。 Please excuse me； I interrupted you。〃
〃I'd like you to take over Australasia … effective today … and be responsible for putting into effect all our Australian and New Zealand plans。 Keep this to yourself for the month … I'll tell Andrew only … but get yourself organized and be prepared to leave then。〃
〃Very well。〃 Jacques hesitated。
〃What？ Susanne never did like Hong Kong … you'll have no problem there； will you？〃
〃Oh no； tai…pan。 Since the accident 。。。 frankly I was going to ask you if I could move for a while。 Susanne's not been happy here and 。。。 But I was going to ask if I could take over Canada for a year or so。〃
Dunross was startled at the new thought。 〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 I thought that perhaps I could be useful there。 My contacts among French…Canadians are good； very good。 Perhaps we could shift Struan's Canadian office from Toronto to Montreal or to Ottawa。 I could help very much from there。 If our Japanese connection goes through； we'll need wood pulp； woods； copper； wheat； coal and a dozen other Canadian raw materials。〃 He smiled wanly； then rushed onward。 〃We both know how Cousin David's been chomping to get back out here and I thought； if I moved there； he could return。 Actually he's better equipped to be here； to deal with Australasia； non？ He speaks Cantonese； a little Japanese and reads and writes Chinese which I don't。 But whatever you say； tai…pan。 I'll take Australasia if you wish。 It is true I would like a change。〃
Dunross let his mind range。 He had decided to isolate Jacques from Hong Kong while he found out the truth。 It would be too easy to tell Crosse or Sinders secretly and ask them to use their sources to investigate； to watch and to probe。 But Jacques was a member of the Inner Court。 As such he was party to all sorts of skeletons and private informations which would be put to risk。 No； Dunross thought； much better to deal with our own。 Perhaps it will take longer but I will find out the truth if he is or isn't。 One way or another； I'll know about Jacques deVille。
But Canada？
Logically Jacques'd be better there。 So would Struan's … I should have thought of that myself … there's never been any reason to question his business loyalty； or acumen。 Good old David's certainly been screaming for two years to e back。 The switch would be easier。 Jacques's right。 David's better equipped to do Australasia； and Australia and New Zealand are far more important to us than Canada； far more important … they're vital and the treasure house of all Asia。 If Jacques's innocent he can help us in Canada。 If he's not； he can harm us less there。 〃I'll think about that；〃 he said； having already decided to make the change。 〃Keep this all to yourself and we'll finalize it Sunday。〃
Jacques got up and stuck out his hand。 〃Thanks； mon ami。〃
Dunross shook the hand。 But in his heart he wondered whether it was the hand of his friend … or his Judas。
Alone once more； the weight of his burdens swamped him。 The phone rang and he dealt with that problem； then another and another … Tiptop's phone still engaged … and he asked for Phillip to e up； and all the time it seemed as though he were sinking into a pit。 Then his eyes caught the eye of Dirk Struan on the wall； looking out of the oil painting at him； half…smiling； supremely confident； arrogant； master of clipper ships … the loveliest craft ever built by man。 As always； he was forted。
He got up and stood before the tai…pan。 〃Christ； I don't know what I'd do without you；〃 he said out loud； remembering that Dirk Struan had been beset by far greater burdens and had conquered them。 Only to have the tempest； the wrath of nature； kill him at the zenith of his life； just forty…three； undisputed warlord of Hong Kong and Asia。
Is it always 〃those whom the gods love di