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nating position。 〃Now all we have to do is lose one more supporter and Paul and his opposition will squeeze us to death。〃 He looked up at Phillip Chen。 〃You'd better nobble Richard。〃
〃I 。。。 I'll try； but he's nobbled already。 What about P。 B。 White？ Do you think he'd help？〃
〃Not against Havergill； or the bank。 With Tiptop he might；〃 Dunross said heavily。 〃He's next … and last … on the list。〃
70
10：55 P。M。：
The six people piled out of the two taxis at the private entrance of the Victoria Bank building on the side street。 Casey； Riko Gresserhoff； Gavallan； Peter Marlowe； Dunross and P。 B。 White； a spare； spritely Englishman of seventy…five。 The rain had stopped； though the poorly lit street was heavily puddled。
〃Sure you won't join us for a nightcap； Peter？〃 P。 B。 White asked。
〃No thanks； P。B。； I'd better be getting home。 Night and thanks for supper； tai…pan！〃
He walked off into the night； heading for the ferry terminal that was just across the square。 Neither he nor the others noticed the car pull up and stop down the street。 In it was Malcolm Sun； senior agent； SI； and Povitz； the CIA man。 Sun was driving。
〃This the only way in and out？〃 Povitz asked。
〃Yes。〃
They watched P。 B。 White press the door button。 〃Lucky bastards。 Those two broads are the best I've ever seen。〃
〃Casey's okay but the other？ There are prettier girls in any dance hall。 。。。〃 Sun stopped。 A taxi went past。
〃Another tail？〃
〃No； no I don't think so； but if we're watching the tai…pan you can bet others are。〃
〃Yes。〃
They saw P。 B。 White press the button again。 The door opened and the sleepy Sikh night guard greeted him； 〃Evening； sahs； mem…sahs；〃 then went to the elevator； pressed the button and closed the front door。
〃The elevator's rather slow。 Antiquated； like me。 Sorry；〃 P。 B。 White said。
〃How long have you lived here； P。B。？〃 Casey asked； knowing there was nothing ancient about him； given the dance in his step or the twinkle in his eyes。
〃About five years； my dear；〃 he replied taking her arm。 〃I'm very lucky。〃
Sure； she thought； and you've got to be very important to the bank and powerful； must be to have one of the only three apartments in the whole vast building。 He had told them one of the others belonged to the chief manager who was presently on sick leave。 The last one was staffed but kept vacant。 〃It's for visiting HRHs； the governor of the Bank of England； prime ministers； those sort of luminaries；〃 P。 B。 White had said grandly during the light spicy Szechuan food。 〃I'm rather like a janitor； an unpaid caretaker。 They let me in to look after the place。〃
〃I'll bet！〃
〃Oh it's true！ Fortunately there's no connection between this part of the building and the bank proper； otherwise I'd have my hand in the till！〃
Casey was feeling very happy； replete with good food and good wine and fine； witty conversation and much attention from the four men； particularly Dunross … and very content that she had held her own with Riko … everything in her life seemingly in place again； Linc so much more her Linc once more； even though he was out with the enemy。 How to deal with her？ she asked herself for the billionth time。
The elevator door opened。 They went into it； crowding into the small area。 P。 B。 White pressed the lowest of three buttons。 〃God lives on the top floor；〃 he chuckled。 〃When he's in town。〃
Dunross said； 〃When's he due back？〃
〃In three weeks； Ian； but it's just as well he's out of touch with Hong Kong … he'd be back on the next plane。 Casey； our chief manager's a marvelous fellow。 Unfortunately he's been quite sick for almost a year and now he's retiring in three months。 I persuaded him to take some leave and go to Kashmir； to a little place I know on the banks of the Jehlum River； north of Srinagar。 The floor of the valley's about six thousand feet and； up there amongst the greatest mountains on earth； it's paradise。 They have houseboats on the rivers and lakes and you drift； no phones； no mail； just you and the Infinite； wonderful people； wonderful air； wonderful food； stupendous mountains。〃 His eyes twinkled。 〃You have to go there very sick； or with someone you love very much。〃
They laughed。 〃Is that what you did； P。B。？〃 Gavallan asked。
〃Of course； my dear fellow。 It was in 1915； that was the first time I was there。 I was twenty…seven； on leave from the Third Bengal Lancers。〃 He sighed； parodying a lovesick youth。 〃She was Georgian； a princess。〃
They chuckled with him。 〃What were you really in Kashmir for？〃 Dunross asked。
〃I'd been seconded for two years from the Indian General Staff。 That whole area； the Hindu Kush； Afghanistan and what's now called Pakistan； on the borders of Russia and China's always been dicey； always will be。 Then I was sent up to Moscow … that was late in '17。〃 His face tightened a little。 〃I was there during the putsch when the real government of Kerenski was tossed out by Lenin； Trotsky and their Bolsheviks。 。。。〃 The elevator stopped。 They got out。 The front door of his apartment was open； his Number One Boy Shu waiting。
〃e on in and make yourself at home；〃 P。B。 said jovially。 〃The ladies' bathroom's on the left； gentlemen on the right； champagne in the anteroom 。。。 I'll show you all around in a moment。 Oh； Ian； you wanted to phone？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃e along； you can use my study。〃 He led the way down a corridor lined with fine oils and a rare collection of icons。 The apartment was spacious； four bedrooms； three anterooms； a dining room to seat twenty。 His study was at the far end。 Books lined three walls。 Old leather； smell of good cigars； a fireplace。 Brandy； whiskey and vodka in cut…glass decanters。 And port。 Once the door closed his concern deepened。
〃How long will you be？〃 he asked。
〃As quick as I can。〃
〃Don't worry； I'll entertain them … if you're not back in time I'll make your excuses。 Is there anything else I can do？〃
〃Lean on Tiptop。〃 Dunross had told him earlier about the possible deal to exchange Brian Kwok； though nothing about the AMG papers and his problems with Sinders。
〃Tomorrow I'll call some friends in Peking and some more in Shanghai。 Perhaps they would see the value in helping us。〃
Dunross had been acquainted with P。 B。 White for many years though； along with everyone else； he knew very little about his real past； his family； whether he had been married and had children； where his money came from or his real involvement with the Victoria。 〃I'm just a sort of legal advisor though I retired years ago；〃 he would say vaguely and leave it at that。 But Dunross knew him as a man of great charm with many equally discreet lady friends。 〃Casey's quite a woman； P。B。；〃 he said with a grin。 〃I think you're smitten。〃
〃I think so too。 Yes。 Ah； if I was only thirty years younger！ And as for Riko！〃 P。B。's eyebrows soared。 〃Delectable。 Are you certain she's a widow？〃
〃Pretty sure。〃
〃I would like three of those please； tai…pan。〃 He chuckled and went over to the bookcase and pressed a switch。 Part of the bookcase swung open。 A staircase led upward。 Dunross had used it before to have private talks with the chief manager。 As far as he knew he was the only outsider privy to the secret access … another of the many secrets that he could pass on only to his succeeding tai…pan。 〃The Hag arranged it；〃 Alastair Struan had told him the night he took over。 〃Along with this。〃 He had handed him the master passkey to the safety deposit boxes in the vaults。 〃It's bank policy that Ch'ung Lien Loh Locksmiths Ltd。 change locks。 Only our tai…pans know we own that pany。〃
Dunross smiled back at P。B。； praying that he could be so young when he was so old。 〃Thanks。〃
〃Take your time； Ian。〃 P。 B。 White handed him a key。 Dunross ran up the stairs softly to the chief manager's landing。 He unlocked a door which led to an elevator。 The same key unlocked the elevator。 There was only one button。 He relocked the outside door and pressed the button。 The machinery was well oiled and silent。 At length it stopped and the inner door slid open。 He pushed the outer door。 He was in the chief manager's office。 Johnjohn got up wearily。 〃Now what the hell is all this about； Ian？〃
Dunross shut the false door that fitted perfectly into the bookcase。 〃Didn't P。B。 tell you？〃 he asked； his voice mild； none of his tension showing。
〃He said you had to get to the vaults tonight to fetch some papers； that I should please let you in and there was no need to bother Havergill。 But why the cloak…and…dagger bit？ Why not use the front door？〃
〃Now give over； Bruce。 We both know you've got the necessary authority to open the vault for me。〃
Johnjohn began to say something but changed his mind。 The chief manager had said before he left； 〃Be kind enough to react favorably to whatever P。B。 suggests； eh？〃 P。B。 was on first…name terms with the governor； most of the visiting VVIPs and shared the chief manager's direct line to their skeleton staff in the bank offices still operating in Shanghai and Peking。
〃All right；〃 he said。
Their footsteps echoed on the vast； dimly lit main floor of the bank。 Johnjohn nodded to one of the night watchmen making his rounds； then pressed the button for the elevator to the vaults； stifling a nervous yawn。 〃Christ； I'm bushed。〃