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〃Yes；〃 Dunross said； then noticed a strangeness in Mata's eyes。 〃What's up？〃
〃Nothing。〃 Mata glanced at Zeppelin。 〃Zep； it's really important we have your father's approval quickly。 Why don't you and Claudia track him down。〃
〃Good idea。〃 Obediently the Chinese got to his feet and walked out； closing the door。 Dunross turned his attention to Mata。 〃And？〃
Mata hesitated。 Then he said quietly； 〃Ian； I'm considering taking all my funds out of Macao and Hong Kong and putting them in New York。〃
Dunross stared at him； perturbed。 〃If you did that you'd rattle our whole system。 If you withdraw； Tightfist will too； and the Chins； Four Fingers 。。。 and all the others。〃
〃Which is more important； tai…pan； the system or your own money？〃
〃I wouldn't want the system shaken like that。〃
〃You've closed with Par…Con？〃
Dunross watched him。 〃Verbally yes。 Contracts in seven days。 Withdrawing will hurt us all； Lando。 Badly。 What's bad for us will be very bad for you and very very bad for Macao。〃
〃I'll consider what you say。 So Par…Con's ing into Hong Kong。 Very good … and if American Superfoods' takeover of the H。 K。 General Stores goes through； that'll add another boost to the market。 Perhaps Old Blind Tung wasn't exaggerating again。 Perhaps we'll be lucky。 Has he ever been wrong before？〃
〃I don't know。 Personally I don't think he has a private connection with the Almighty； though a lot of people do。〃
〃A boom would be very good； very good indeed。 Perfect timing。 Yes；〃 Mata added strangely； 〃we could add a little fuel to the greatest boom in our history。 Eh？〃
〃Would you assist？〃
〃Ten million U。S。； between myself and the Chins … Tightfist won't be interested； I know。 You suggest where and when。〃
〃Half a million into Struan's last thing Thursday； the rest spread over Rothwell…Gornt； Asian Properties； Hong Kong Wharf； Hong Kong Power； Golden Ferries； Kowloon Investments and H。 K。 General Stores。〃
〃Why Thursday？ Why not tomorrow？〃
〃The Ho…Pak will bring the market down。 If we buy in quantity Thursday just before closing； we'll make a fortune。〃
〃When do you announce the Par…Con deal？〃
Dunross hesitated。 Then he said； 〃Friday； after the market closes。〃
〃Good。 I'm with you； Ian。 Fifteen million。 Fifteen instead of ten。 You'll sell the Ho…Pak short tomorrow？〃
〃Of course。 Lando； do you know who's behind the run on the Ho…Pak？〃
〃No。 But Richard is overextended； and he hasn't been too wise。 People talk； Chinese always distrust any bank； and they react to rumors。 I think the bank will crash。〃
〃Christ！〃
〃Joss。〃 Mata's fingers stopped drumming。 〃I want to triple our gold imports。〃
Dunross stared at him。 〃Why？ You're up to capacity now。 If you push them too fast they'll make mistakes and your seizure rate will go up。 At the moment you've balanced everything perfectly。〃
〃Yes； but Four Fingers and others assure us they can make some substantial bulk shipments safely。〃
〃No need to push them … or your market。 No need at all。〃
〃Ian； listen to me a moment。 There's trouble in Indonesia； trouble in China； India； Tibet； Malaya； Singapore； ferment in the Philippines and now the Americans are going into Southeast Asia which will be marvelous for us and dreadful for them。 Inflation will soar and then； as usual； every sensible businessman in Asia； particularly Chinese businessmen； will want to get out of paper money and into gold。 We should be ready to service that demand。〃
〃What've you heard； Lando？。〃
〃Lots of curious things； tai…pan。 For example； that certain top U。S。 generals want a full…scale confrontation with the munists。 Vietnam's chosen。〃
〃But the Americans'll never win there。 China can't let them； any more than they could in Korea。 Any history book will tell them China always crosses her borders to protect her buffer zones when any invader approaches。〃
〃Even so； the confrontation will take place。〃
Dunross studied Lando Mata whose enormous wealth and longtime involvement in the honorable profession of trading； as he described it； gave him vast entrée into the most secretive of places。 〃What else have you heard； Lando？〃
〃The CIA has had its budget doubled。〃
〃That has to be classified。 No one could know that。〃
〃Yes。 But I know。 Their security's appalling。 Ian； the CIA's into everything in Southeast Asia。 I believe some of their misguided zealots are even trying to wheedle into the opium trade in the Golden Triangle for the benefit of their friendly Mekong hill tribes … to encourage them to fight the Viet Cong。〃
〃Christ！〃
〃Yes。 Our brethren in Taiwan are furious。 And there's a growing abundance of U。S。 Government money pouring into airfields； harbors； roads。 In Okinawa； Taiwan and particularly in South Vietnam。 Certain highly connected political families are helping to supply the cement and steel on very favorable terms。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Who makes cement？ Perhaps in 。。。 say in New England？〃
〃Good sweet Christ； are you sure？〃
Mata smiled humorlessly。 〃I even heard that part of a very large government loan to South Vietnam was expended on a nonexistent airfield that's still impenetrable jungle。 Oh yes； Ian； the pickings are already huge。 So please order triple shipments from tomorrow。 We institute our new hydrofoil services next month … that'll cut the time to Macao from three hours to seventy…five minutes。〃
〃Wouldn't the Catalina still be safer？〃
〃No。 I don't think so。 The hydrofoils can carry much more gold and can outrun anything in these waters … we'll have constant radar munications； the best； so we can outrun any pirates。〃
After a pause； Dunross said； 〃So much gold could attract all sorts of villains。 Perhaps even international crooks。〃
Mata smiled his thin smile。 〃Let them e。 They'll never leave。 We've long arms in Asia。〃 His fingers began drumming again。 〃Ian； we're old friends； I would like some advice。〃
〃Glad to … anything。〃
〃Do you believe in change？〃
〃Business change？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It depends； Lando；〃 Dunross answered at once。 〃The Noble House's changed little in almost a century and a half； in other ways it's changed vastly。〃 He watched the older man； and he waited。
At length Mata said； 〃In a few weeks the Macao Government is obliged to put the gambling concession up for bids again。 。。。〃 Instantly Dunross's attention zeroed。 All big business in Macao was conducted on monopoly lines； the monopoly going to the person or pany that offered the most taxes per year for the privilege。 〃。。。 This's the fifth year。 Every five years our department asks for closed bids。 The auction's open to anyone but； in practice； we scrutinize very particularly those who are invited to bid。〃 The silence hung a moment； then Mata continued； 〃My old associate； Smuggler Mo's already dead。 His offspring're mostly profligate or more interested in the Western world； gambling in southern France or playing golf； than in the health and future of the syndicate。 For the Mo it's the age…old destiny： one…in…ten…thousand coolie strikes gold； harbors money； invests in land； saves money； bees rich； buys young concubines who use him up quickly。 Second generation discontented； spend money； mortgage land to buy face and ladies' favors。 Third generation sell land； go bankrupt for same favors。 Fourth generation coolie。〃 His voice was calm； even gentle。 〃My old friend's dead and I've no feeling for his sons； or their sons。 They're rich； hugely rich because of me； and they'll find their own level； good； bad or very bad。 As to Tightfist 。。。〃 Again his fingers stopped。 〃Tightfist's dying。〃
Dunross was startled。 〃But I saw him only a week or so ago and he looked healthy； frail as always； but full of his usual piss and vinegar。〃
〃He's dying； Ian。 I know because I was his interpreter with the Portuguese specialists。 He didn't want to trust any of his sons … that's what he told me。 It took me months to get him to go to see them but both doctors were quite sure： cancer of the colon。 His system's riddled with it。 They gave him a month； two months 。。。 this was a week ago。〃 Mata smiled。 〃Old Tightfist just swore at them； told them they were wrong and fools and that he'd never pay for a wrong diagnosis。〃 The lithe Portuguese laughed without humor。 〃He's worth over 600 million U。S。 but he'll never pay that doctor bill； or do anything but continue to drink foul…smelling； foul…tasting Chinese herbal brews and smoke his occasional opium pipe。 He just won't accept a Western； a quai loh diagnosis … you know him。 You know him very well； eh？〃
〃Yes。〃 When Dunross was on his school holidays his father would send him to work for certain old friends。 Tightfist Tung had been one of them and Dunross remembered the hideous summer he had spent sweating in the filthy basement of the syndicate bank in Macao； trying to please his mentor and not to weep with rage at the thought of what he had to endure while all his friends were out playing。 But now he was glad for that summer。 Tightfist had taught him much about money … the value of it； how to make it； hold on to it； about usury； greed and the normal Chinese lending rate； in good times； of 2 percent a month。
〃Take twice as much collateral as you need but if he has none then look at the eyes of the borrower！〃 Tightfist would scream at him。 〃No collate