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ehind him。
〃You want to close all your Ho…Pak accounts？〃 Mr。 Sung gasped shakily。
〃Yes。 Now；〃 Wu said and Paul Choy nodded。
The manager said weakly； 〃But we haven't en…〃
Wu hissed； 〃I want all my money now。 Cash or bullion。 Now！ Don't you understand？〃
Mr。 Sung winced。 He dialed Richard Kwang and explained quickly。 〃Yes； yes； Lord。〃 He offered the phone。 〃Honorable Kwang wants to speak to you； Honorable Wu。〃
But no amount of persuasion would sway the old seaman。 〃No。 Now。 My money； and the money of my people now。 And also from those other accounts； the； er； those special ones wherever they are。〃
〃But there isn't that amount of cash in that branch； Honored Uncle；〃 Richard Kwang said soothingly。 〃I'd be glad to give you a cashier's check。〃
Wu exploded。 〃I don't want checks I want money！ Don't you understand？ Money！〃 He did not understand what a cashier's check was so the frightened Mr。 Sung began to explain。 Paul Choy brightened。 〃That'll be all right； Honored Uncle；〃 he said。 〃A cashier's check's 。。。〃
The old man roared； 〃How can a piece of paper be like cash money？ I want money； my money now！〃
〃Please let me talk to the Honorable Kwang； Great Uncle；〃 Paul Choy said placatingly； understanding the dilemma。 〃Perhaps I can help。〃
Wu nodded sourly。 〃All right； talk； but get my cash money。〃
Paul Choy introduced himself on the telephone and said； 〃Perhaps it'd be easier in English； sir。〃 He talked a few moments then nodded； satisfied。 〃Just a moment； sir。〃 Then in Haklo； 〃Great Uncle；〃 he said； explaining； 〃the Honorable Kwang will give you payment in full in government securities； gold or silver at his Head Office； and a piece of paper which you can take to Blacs； or the Victoria for the remainder。 But； if I may suggest； because you've no safe to put all that bullion in； perhaps you'll accept Honorable Kwang's cashier's check … with which I can open accounts at either bank for you。 Immediately。〃
〃Banks！ Banks are foreign devil lobster…pot traps for civilized lobsters！〃
It had taken Paul Choy half an hour to convince him。 Then they had gone to the Ho…Pak's Head Office but Wu had left Two Hatchet Tok with the quaking Mr。 Sung。 〃You stay here； Tok。 If I don't get my money you will take it out of this branch！〃
〃Yes； Lord。〃
So they had gone to Central and by noon Four Finger Wu had new accounts； half at Blacs； half at the Victoria。 Paul Choy had been staggered by the number of separate accounts that had had to be closed and opened afresh。 And the amount of cash。
Twenty…odd million HK。
In spite of all his pleading and explaining the old seaman had refused to invest some of his money in selling Ho…Pak short； saying that that was a game for quai loh thieves。 So Paul had slipped away and gone to every stockbroker he could find； trying to sell short on his own account。 〃But； my dear fellow； you've no credit。 Of course； if you'll give me your uncle's chop； or assurance in writing； of course。 。。。〃
He discovered that stockbrokering firms were European； almost exclusively； the vast majority British。 Not one was Chinese。 All the seats on the stock exchange were European held； again the vast majority British。 〃That just doesn't seem right； Mr。 Smith；〃 Paul Choy said。
〃Oh； I'm afraid our locals； Mr。； Mr。 。。。 Mr。 Chee was it？〃
〃Choy； Paul Choy。〃
〃Ah yes。 I'm afraid all our locals aren't really interested in plicated； modern practices like broking and stock markets … of course you know our locals are all immigrants？ When we came here Hong Kong was just a barren rock。〃
〃Yes。 But I'm interested； Mr。 Smith。 In the States a stockbr… 〃
〃Ah yes； America！ I'm sure they do things differently in America； Mr。 Chee。 Now if you'll excuse me 。。。 good afternoon。〃
Seething； Paul Choy had gone from broker to broker but it was always the same。 No one would back him without his father's chop。
Now he sat on a bench in Memorial Square near the Law Courts and the Struan's highrise and Rothwell…Gornt's； and looked out at the harbor； and thought。 Then he went to the Law Court library and talked his way past the pedantic librarian。 〃I'm from Sims； Dawson and Dick；〃 he said airily。 〃I'm their new attorney from the States。 They want some quick information on stock markets and stock…broking。〃
〃Government regulations； sir？〃 the elderly Eurasian asked helpfully。
〃Yes。〃
〃There aren't any； sir。〃
〃Eh？〃
〃Well； practically none。〃 The librarian went to the shelves。 The requisite section was just a few paragraphs in a giant tome。
Paul Choy gaped at him。 〃This's all of it？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Paul Choy's head reeled。 〃But then it's wide open； the market's wide open！〃
The librarian was gently amused。 〃Yes； pared to London； or New York。 As to stockbroking； well； anyone can set up as a broker； sir； providing someone wants them to sell shares and there's someone who wants them to buy and both are prepared to pay mission。 The problem is that the； er； the existing firms control the market pletely。〃
〃How do you bust this monopoly？〃
〃Oh I wouldn't want to； sir。 We're really for the status quo in Hong Kong。〃
〃How do you break in then？ Get a piece of the action？〃
〃I doubt if you could； sir。 The； the British control everything very carefully；〃 he said delicately。
〃That doesn't seem right。〃
The elderly man shook his head and smiled gently。 He steepled his fingers； liking the young Chinese he saw in front of him； envying him his purity … and his American education。 〃I presume you want to play the market on your own account？〃 he asked softly。
〃Yeah 。。。〃 Paul Choy tried to cover his mistake and stuttered； 〃At least 。。。 Dawson said for me … 〃
〃e now； Mr。 Choy； you're not from Sims； Dawson and Dick；〃 he said； chiding him politely。 〃If they'd hired an American … an unheard…of innovation … oh I would have heard of it along with a hundred others； long before you even arrived here。 You must be Mr。 Paul Choy； the great Wu Sang Fang's nephew； who has just e back from Harvard in America。〃
Paul Choy gaped at him。 〃How'd you know？〃
〃This is Hong Kong； Mr。 Choy。 It's a very tiny place。 We have to know what's going on。 That's how we survive。 You do want to play the market？〃
〃Yes。 Mr。 。。。 ？〃
〃Manuel Perriera。 I'm Portuguese from Macao。〃 The librarian took out a fountain pen and wrote in beautiful copybook writing an introduction on the back of one of his visiting cards。 〃Here。 Ishwar Soorjani's an old friend。 His place of business is just off the Nathan Road in Kowloon。 He's a Parsee from India and deals in money and foreign exchange and buys and sells stocks from time to time。 He might help you … but remember if he loans money； or credit； it will be expensive so you should not make any mistakes。〃
〃Gee thanks； Mr。 Perriera。〃 Paul Choy stuck out his hand。 Surprised； Perriera took it。 Paul Choy shook warmly then began to rush off but stopped。 〃Say； Mr。 Perriera 。。。 the stock market。 Is there a long shot？ Anything？ Any way to get a piece of the action？〃
Manuel Perriera had silver…gray hair and long； beautiful hands； and pronounced Chinese features。 He considered the youth in front of him。 Then he said softly； 〃There's nothing to prevent you from forming a pany to set up your own stock market； a Chinese stock market。 That's quite within Hong Kong law … or lack of it。〃 The old eyes glittered。 〃All you need is money； contacts； knowledge and telephones。 。。。〃
〃My money please；〃 the old amah whispered hoarsely。 〃Here's my savings book。〃 Her face was flushed from the heat within the Ho…Pak branch at Aberdeen。 It was ten minutes to three now and she had been waiting since dawn。 Sweat streaked her old white blouse and black pants。 A long graying ratty queue hung down her back。 〃Ayeeyah； don't shove；〃 she called out to those behind her。 〃You'll get your turn soon！〃
Wearily the young teller took the book and glanced again at the clock。 Ayeeyah！ Thank all gods we close at three； she thought； and wondered anxiously through her grinding headache how they were going to close the doors with so many irritable people crammed in front of the grilles； pressed forward by those outside。
The amount in the savings book was 323。42 HK。 Following Mr。 Sung's instructions to take time and be accurate she went to the files trying to shut her ears to the stream of impatient； muttered obscenities that had gone on for hours。 She made sure the amount was correct； then checked the clock again as she came back to her high stool and unlocked her cash drawer and opened it。 There was not enough money in her till so she locked the drawer again and went to the manager's office。 An undercurrent of rage went through the waiting people。 She was a short clumsy woman。 Eyes followed her； then went anxiously to the clock and back to her again。
She knocked on his door and closed it after her。 〃I can't pay Old Ah Tam；〃 she said helplessly。 〃I've only 100 HK； I've delayed as much 。。。〃
Manager Sung wiped the sweat off his upper lip。 〃It's almost three so make her your last customer； Miss Cho。〃 He took her through a side door to the vault。 The safe door was ponderous。 She gasped as she saw the empty shelves。 At this time of the day usually the shelves were filled with neat stacks of notes and paper tubes of silver； the notes cli