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〃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 collateral； then of course charge a bigger interest。 Now think； can you trust him？ Can he repay the money？ Is he a worker or a drone？ Look at him； fool； he's your collateral！ How much of my hard…earned money does he want？ Is he a hard worker？ If he is； what's 2 percent a month to him … or 4？ Nothing。 But it's my money that'll make the fornicator rich if it's his joss to be rich。 The man himself's all the collateral you ever need！ Lend a rich man's son anything if he's borrowing against his heritage and you have the father's chop … it'll all be thrown away on singsong girls but never mind； it's his money not yours！ How do you bee rich？ You save！ You save money； buy land with one third； lend one third and keep one third in cash。 Lend only to civilized persons and never trust a quai loh 。。。〃 he would cackle。
Dunross remembered well the old man with his stony eyes； hardly any teeth … an illiterate who could read but three characters and could write but three characters； those of his name … who had a mind like a puter； who knew to the nearest copper cash who owed him what and when it was due。 No one had ever defaulted on one of his loans。 It wasn't worth the incessant hounding。
That summer he had been thirteen and Lando Mata had befriended him。 Then； as now； Mata was almost a wraith； a mysterious presence who moved in and out of Macao's government spheres as he wished； always in the background； hardly seen； barely known； a strange Asian who came and went at whim； gathered what he liked； harvesting unbelievable riches as and when it pleased him。 Even today there were but a handful of people who knew his name； let alone the man himself。 Even Dunross had never been to his villa on the Street of the Broken Fountain； the low sprawling building hidden behind the iron gates and the huge stone encircling walls； or knew anything about him really … where he came from； who his parents were or how he had managed to acquire those two monopolies of limitless wealth。
〃I'm sorry to hear about old Tightfist；〃 Dunross said。 〃He was always a rough old bastard； but no rougher to me than to any of his own sons。〃
〃Yes。 He's dying。 Joss。 And I've no feeling for any of his heirs。 Like the Chins； they'll be rich； all of them。 Even Zeppelin；〃 Lando Mata said with a sneer。 〃Even Zeppelin'll get 50 to 75 million U。S。〃
〃Christ； when you think of all the money gambling makes 。。。〃
Mata's eyes lidded。 〃Should I make a change？〃
〃If you want to leave a monument； yes。 At the moment the syndicate only allows Chinese gambling games： fan…tan； dominoes and dice。 If the new group was modern； far…seeing； and they modernized 。。。 if they built a grand new casino； with tables for roulette； vingt…et…un； chemin de fer； even American craps you'd have all Asia flocking to Macao。〃
〃What're the chances of Hong Kong legalizing gambling？〃
〃None … you know better than I do that without gambling and gold Macao'd drift into the sea and it's a cornerstone of British and Hong Kong business policy never to let that happen。 We have our horse racing … you've the tables。 But with modern ownership； new hotels； new games； new hydrofoils you'd have so much revenue you'd have to open your own bank。〃
Lando Mata took out a slip of paper； glanced at it； then handed it over。 〃Here are four groups of three names of people who might be allowed to bid。 I'd like your opinion。〃
Dunross did not look at the list。 〃You'd like me to choose the group of three you've already decided on？〃
Mata laughed。 〃Ah； Ian； you know too much about me！ Yes； I've chosen the group that should be successful； if their bid is substantial enough。〃
〃Do any of the groups know now that you might take them as partners？〃
〃No。〃
〃What about Tightfist … and the Chins？ They won't lose their monopoly lightly。〃
〃If Tightfist dies before the auction； a new syndicate will e to pass。 If not； the change will be made but differently。〃
Dunross glanced at the list。 And gasped。 All the names were well…known Hong Kong and Macao Chinese； all substantial people； some with curious pasts。 〃Well； they're certainly all famous； Lando。〃
〃Yes。 To earn such great wealth； to run a gambling empire needs men of vision。〃
Dunross smiled with him。 〃I agree。 Then why is it I'm not on the list？〃
〃Resign from the Noble House within the month and you can form your own syndicate。 I guarantee your bid will be successful。 I take 40 percent。〃
〃Sorry； that's not possible； Lando。〃
〃You could have a personal fortune of 500 million to a billion dollars within ten years。〃
Dunross shrugged。 〃What's money？〃
〃Moh ching moh meng！〃 No money no life。
〃Yes； but there's not enough money in the world to make me resign。 Still； I'll make a deal with you。 Struan's'll run the gambling for you； through nominees。〃
〃Sorry； no。 It has to be all or nothing。〃
〃We could do it better and cheaper than anyone； with more flair。〃
〃If you resign。 All or none； tai…pan。〃
Dunross's head hurt at the thought of so much money； but he heard Lando Mata's finality。 〃Fair enough。 Sorry； I'm not available；〃 he said。
〃I'm sure you'd； you personally； would be weled as a 。。。 as a consultant。〃
〃If I choose the correct group？〃
〃Perhaps。〃 The Portuguese smiled。 〃Well？〃
Dunross was wondering whether or not he could risk such an association。 To be part of the Macao gambling syndicate was not like being a steward of the Turf Club。 〃I'll think about that and let you know。〃
〃Good； Ian。 Give me your opinion within the next two days； eh？〃
〃All right。 Will you tell me what the successful bid is … if you decide to change？〃
〃An associate or consultant should have that knowledge。 Now a last item and I must go。 I don't think you'll ever see your friend Tsu…yan again。〃
Dunross stared at him。 〃What？〃
〃He called me from Taipei； yesterday morning； in quite a state。 He asked if I'd send the Catalina for him； to pick him up privately。 It was urgent he said； he'd explain when he saw me。 He'd e straight to my home； the moment he arrived。〃 Mata shrugged and examined his perfectly manicured nails。 〃Tsu…yan's an old friend； I've acmodated old friends before； so I authorized the flight。 He never appeared； Ian。 Oh he came with the flying boat … my chauffeur was on the jetty to meet him。〃 Mata looked up。 〃It's all rather unbelievable。 Tsu…yan was dressed in filthy coolie rags with a straw hat。 He mumbled something about seeing me later that night and jumped into the first taxi and took off as though all the devils from hell were at his heels。 My driver was stunned。〃
〃There's no mistake？ You're sure it was he？〃
〃Oh yes； Tsu…yan's well known … fortunately my driver's Portuguese and can take some initiative。 He charged in pursuit。 He says Tsu…yan's taxi headed north。 Near the Barrier Gate the taxi stopped and then Tsu…yan fled on foot； as fast as he could run； through the Barrier Gate into China。 My man watched him run all the way up to the soldiers on the PRC's side and then he vanished into the guardhouse。〃
Dunross stared at Mata in disbelief。 Tsu…yan was one of the best…known capitalists and anti…munists in Hong Kong and Taiwan。 Before the fall of the Mainland he had been almost a minor warlord in the Shanghai area。 〃Tsu…yan'd never be wele in the PRC；〃 he said。 〃Never！ He must be top of their shit list。〃
Mata hesitated。 〃Unless he was working for them。〃
〃It's just not possible。〃
〃Anything's possible in China。〃
Twenty stories below； Roger Crosse and Brian Kwok were getting out of the police car； followed by Robert Armstrong。 A plain…clothes SI man met them。 〃Dunross's still in his office； sir。〃
〃Good。〃 Robert Armstrong stayed at the entrance and the other two went for the elevator。 On the twentieth floor they got out。
〃Ah good evening； sir；〃 Claudia said and smiled at Brian Kwok。 Zeppelin Tung was waiting by the phone。 He stared at the policemen in sudden shock； obviously recognizing them。
Roger Crosse said； 〃Mr。 Dunross's expecting me。〃
〃Yes sir。〃 She pressed the boardroom button and； in a moment； spoke into her phone。 〃Mr。 Crosse's here； tai…pan。〃
Dunross said； 〃Give me a minute； then show him in； Claudia。〃 He replaced his phone and turned to Mata。 〃Crosse's here。 If I miss you at the bank tonight； I'll catch up with you tomorrow morning。〃
〃Yes。 I'm 。。。 please call me； Ian。 Yes。 I want a few minutes with you privately。 Tonight or tomorrow。〃
〃At nine tonight；〃 Dunross said at once。 〃Or anytime tomorrow。〃
〃Call me at nine。 Or tomorrow。 Thank you。〃 Mata walked across the room and opened a hardly noticeable door that was camouflaged as part of the bookshelves。 This opened onto a private corridor which led to the floor below。 He closed the door behind him。
Dunross stared after him thoughtfully。 I wonder what's on his mind？ He put the agenda papers in a drawer and locked it； then leaned back at the head of the table trying to collect his wits； his eyes on the door； his heart beating a little quicker。 The phone rang and he jumped。
〃Yes？〃
〃Father；〃 Adryon said in her usual rush； 〃sorry to interrupt but Mother wanted to know what time you'd be in for dinner。〃