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His son explained； exactly。
〃Good；〃 Wu said； his voice a rasp。 〃Tell him exactly； if you don't do all your tasks to his satisfaction you'll be cast out of the family and my wrath will waste your days。〃
Paul Choy hesitated； hiding his shock； all his American training screaming to tell his father to go screw； that he was a Harvard graduate； that he was an American and had an American passport that he'd earned； whatever goddamn sampan or goddamn family he came from。 But he kept his eyes averted and his anger off his face。
Don't be ungrateful； he ordered himself。 You're not American； truly American。 You're Chinese； and the head of your family has the right to rule。 But for him you could be running a floating cathouse here in Aberdeen。
Paul Choy sighed。 He knew that he was more fortunate than his eleven brothers。 Four were junk captains here in Aberdeen； one lived in Bangkok and plied the Mekong River； one had a ferryboat in Singapore； another ran an import/export shipwright business in Indonesia； two had been lost at sea； one brother was in England … doing what he didn't know … and the last； the eldest； ruled the dozen feeder sampans in Aberdeen Harbor that were floating kitchens … and also three pleasure boats and eight ladies of the night。
After a pause Gornt asked； 〃What did he say？ Exactly？〃
Paul Choy hesitated； then decided to tell him； exactly。
〃Thank you for being honest with me； Mr。 Choy。 That was wise。 You're a very impressive young man；〃 Gornt said。 〃I understand perfectly。〃 Now for the first time since Wu had asked the original question he turned his eyes to the old seaman and smiled。 〃Of course。 Glad to give nephew job。〃
Wu beamed and Paul Choy tried to keep the relief off his face。
〃I won't let you down； Mr。 Gornt。〃
〃Yes； I know you won't。〃
Wu motioned at the bottle。 〃Whiskey？〃
〃No thank you。 This is fine；〃 Gornt said。
〃When start job？〃
Gornt looked at Paul Choy。 〃When would you like to start？〃
〃Tomorrow？ Whenever's good for you； sir。〃
〃Tomorrow。 Wednesday。〃
〃Gee； thanks。 Eight o'clock？〃
〃Nine； eight thereafter。 A six…day week of course。 You'll have long hours and I'll push you。 It'll be up to you how much you can learn and how fast I can increase your responsibilities。〃
〃Thanks； Mr。 Gornt。〃 Happily Paul Choy translated for his father。 Wu sipped his whiskey without hurrying。 〃What money？〃 he asked。
Gornt hesitated。 He knew it had to be just the right sum； not too much； not too little； to give Paul Choy face and his uncle face。 〃1；000 HK a month for the first three months； then I'll review。〃
The young man kept his gloom off his face。 That was hardly 200 U。S。 but he translated it into Haklo。
〃Maybe 2；000？〃 Wu said； hiding his pleasure。 A thousand was the perfect figure but he was bargaining merely to give the foreign devil face and his son face。
〃If he's to be trained； many valuable managers will have to take time away from their other duties；〃 Gornt said politely。 〃It's expensive to train anyone。〃
〃Much money Golden Mountain；〃 Wu said firmly。 〃Two？〃
〃1；000 first month； 1；250 next two months？〃
Wu frowned and added； 〃Month three； 1；500？〃
〃Very well。 Months three and four at 1；500。 And I'll review his salary after four months。 And Paul Choy guarantees to work for Rothwell…Gornt for at least two years。〃
〃Wat？〃
Paul Choy translated again。 Shit； he was thinking； how'm I going to vacation in the States on 50 bucks a week； even 60。 Shit！ And where the hell'm I gonna live？ On a goddamn sampan？ Then he heard Gornt say something and his brain twisted。
〃Sir？〃
〃I said because you've been so honest with me； we'll give you free acmodation in one of our pany houses … The Gables。 That's where we put all our managerial trainees who e out from England。 If you're going to be part of a foreign devil hong then you'd better mix with its future leaders。〃
〃Yes sir！〃 Paul Choy could not stop the beam。 〃Yes sir； thank you sir。〃
Four Finger Wu asked something in Haklo。
〃He wants to know where's the house； sir？〃
〃It's on the Peak。 It's really very nice； Mr。 Choy。 I'm sure you'll be more than satisfied。〃
〃You can bet your 。。。 yes sir。〃
〃Tomorrow night be prepared to move in。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
After Wu had understood what Gornt had said； he nodded his agreement。 〃All agree。 Two year then see。 Maybe more； heya？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Good。 Thank old frien'。〃 Then in Haklo； 〃Now ask him what you wanted to know 。。。 about the bank。〃
Gornt was getting up to go but Paul Choy said； 〃There's something else my uncle wanted to ask you； sir； if you can spare the time。〃
〃Of course。〃 Gornt settled back in his chair and Paul Choy noticed that the man seemed sharper now； more on guard。
〃My uncle'd like to ask your opinion about the run on the Aberdeen branch of the Ho…Pak Bank today。〃
Gornt stared back at him； his eyes steady。 〃What about it？〃
〃There're all sorts of rumors；〃 Paul Choy said。 〃My uncle's got a lot of money there； so've most of his friends。 A run on that bank'd be real bad news。〃
〃I think it would be a good idea to get his money out；〃 Gornt said； delighted with the unexpected opportunity to feed the flames。
〃Jesus；〃 Paul Choy muttered； aghast。 He had been gauging Gornt very carefully and he had noticed sudden tension and now equally sudden pleasure which surprised him。 He pondered a moment； then decided to change tactics and probe。 〃He wanted to know if you were selling short。〃
Gornt said wryly； 〃He or you； Mr。 Choy？〃
〃Both of us； sir。 He's got quite a portfolio of stocks which he wants me to manage eventually；〃 the young man said； which was a plete exaggeration。 〃I was explaining the mechanics of modern banking and the stock market to him … how it ticks and how Hong Kong's different from Stateside。 He gets the message very fast； sir。〃 Another exaggeration。 Paul Choy had found it impossible to break through his father's prejudices。 〃He asks if he should sell short？〃
〃Yes。 I think he should。 There have been lots of rumors that Ho…Pak's overextended … borrowing short and cheap； lending long and expensive； mostly on property； the classic way any bank would get into serious difficulties。 For safety he should get all his money out and sell short。〃
〃Next question； sir： Will Blacs； or the Victoria Bank do a bail…out？〃
With an effort Gornt kept his face impassive。 The old junk dipped slightly as waves from another chugging past lapped her sides。 〃Why should other banks do that？〃
I'm trapped； Gornt was thinking； aghast。 I can't tell the truth to them … there is no telling who else will get the information。 At the same time； I daren't not tell the old bastard and his god…cursed whelp。 He's asking for the return of the favor and I have to pay； that's a matter of face。
Paul Choy leaned forward in his chair； his excitement showing。 〃My theory's that if there's a real run on the Ho…Pak the others won't let it crash … not like the East India and Canton Bank disaster last year because it'd create shock waves that the market； the big operators in the market； wouldn't like。 Everyone's waiting for a boom； and I bet the biggies here won't let a catastrophe wreck that chance。 Since Blacs and the Victoria're the top bananas it figures they'd be the ones to do a bail…out。〃
〃What's your point； Mr。 Choy？〃
〃If someone knew in advance when Ho…Pak stock'd bottom out and either bank； or both； were launching a bail…out operation； that person could make a fortune。〃
Gornt was trying to decide what to do but he was tired now and not as sharp as he should be。 That accident must have taken more out of me than I thought； he told himself。 Was it Dunross？ Was that bastard trying to even the score； repay me for the Christmas night or the Pacific Orient victory or fifty other victories … perhaps even the old Macao sore。
Gornt felt a sudden glow as he remembered the white hot thrill he had felt watching the road race； knowing that any moment the tai…pan's engine would seize up … watching the cars howl past lap after lap； and then Dunross； the leader； not ing in his turn … then waiting and hoping and then the news that he had spun out at Meico Hairpin in a metal screaming crash when his engine went。 Waiting again； his stomach churning。 Then the news that the whole racing car had exploded in a ball of fire but Dunross had scrambled out unscathed。 He was both very sorry and very glad。
He didn't want Dunross dead。 He wanted him alive and destroyed； alive to realize it。
He chuckled to himself。 Oh it wasn't me who pressed the button that put that ploy into operation。 Of course I did nudge young Donald Nikklin a little and suggest all sorts of ways and means that a little h'eung yau in the right hands 。。。
His eyes saw Paul Choy and the old seaman waiting； watching him； and all of his good humor vanished。 He pushed away his vagrant thoughts and concentrated。
〃Yes； you're right of course； Mr。 Choy。 But your premise is wrong。 Of course this is all theoretical； the Ho…Pak hasn't failed yet。 Perhaps it won't。 But there's no reason why any bank should do what you suggest； it never has in the past。 Each bank stands or falls on its own merits； that's the joy of our free enterprise system。 Such a scheme as you propose would set a dangerous precedent。