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rnal yin warring on our oh so vulnerable yang。 。。。〃
Normally Dunross would have pretended not to notice them； leaving them to their privacy； but some instinct told him otherwise。 〃Hello； Jacques … Susanne。 How're things？〃
〃Oh hello； hello； tai…pan。〃 Jacques deVille got up politely。 〃Would you care to join us？〃
〃No thanks； can't。〃 Then he saw the depth of his friend's agony and he remembered the car accident in France。 Jacques's daughter Avril and her husband！ 〃What's happened？ Exactly！〃 Dunross said it as a leader would say it； requiring an instant answer。
Jacques hesitated。 Then he said； 〃Exactly； tai…pan： I heard from Avril。 She phoned from Cannes just as I was leaving the office。 She； she said； 'Daddy 。。。 Daddy； Borge's dead。 。。。 Can you hear me？ I've been trying to reach you for two days 。。。 it was head…on； and the； the other man was 。。。 My Borge's dead 。。。 can you hear me。 。。。' 〃 Jacques's voice was flat。 〃Then the line went dead。 We know she's in the hospital at Cannes。 I thought it best for Susanne to go at once。 Her； her flight's delayed so 。。。 so we're just waiting here。 They're trying to get a call through to Cannes but I don't hope for much。〃
〃Christ； I'm so sorry；〃 Dunross said； trying to dismiss the twinge that had rushed through him as his mind had substituted Adryon for Avril。 Avril was just twenty and Borge Escary a fine young man。 They had been married just a year and a half and this was their first holiday after the birth of a son。 〃What time's the flight？〃
〃Eight o'clock now。〃
〃Susanne； would you like us to look after the baby？ Jacques； why not get on the flight … I'll take care of everything here。〃
〃No；〃 Jacques said。 〃Thanks but no。 It's best that Susanne go。 She'll bring Avril home。〃
〃Yes；〃 Susanne said； and Dunross noticed that she seemed to have sagged。 〃We have the amahs 。。。 it's best just me； tai…pan。 Merci； but no； this way is best。〃 A spill of tears went down her cheeks。 〃It's not fair is it？ Borge was so nice a boy！〃
〃Yes。 Susanne； I'll get Penn to go over daily so don't worry； we'll make sure the babe's fine and Jacques too。〃 Dunross weighed them both。 He was confident that Jacques was well in control。 Good； he thought。 Then he said as an order； 〃Jacques； when Susanne's safely on the flight go back to the office。 Telex our man in Marseilles。 Get him to arrange a suite at the Capitol； to meet her with a car and ten thousand dollars worth of francs。 Tell him from me he's to be at her beck and call as long as she's there。 He's to call me tomorrow with a plete report on Avril； the accident； who was driving and who the other driver was。〃
〃Yes； tai…pan。〃
〃You sure you're all right？〃
Jacques forced a smile。 〃Oui。 Merci； man ami。〃
〃Rien。 I'm so sorry； Susanne … call collect if we can do anything。〃 He walked away。 Our man in Marseilles is good； he thought。 He'll take care of everything。 And Jacques's a man of iron。 Have I covered everything？ Yes； I think so。 It's dealt with for the moment。
God protect Adryon and Glenna and Duncan and Penn； he thought。 And Kathy； and all the others。 And me … until the Noble House is inviolate。 He glanced at his watch。 It was exactly 6：30。 He picked up a house phone。 〃Mr。 Bartlett； please。〃 A moment； then he heard Casey's voice。
〃Hello？〃
〃Ah； hello； Ciranoush；〃 Dunross said。 〃Would you tell him I'm in the lobby。〃
〃Oh hello； sure！ Would you like to e up？ We're … 〃
〃Why don't you e down？ I thought； if you're not too busy I'd take you on my next appointment … it might be interesting for you。 We could eat afterwards； if you're free。〃
〃I'd love that。 Let me check。〃
He heard her repeat what he had said and he wondered； very much； about his bet with Claudia。 Impossible that those two aren't lovers； he thought； or haven't been lovers； living so close together。 Wouldn't be natural！
〃We'll be right down； tai…pan！〃 He heard the smile in her voice as he hung up。
The Most High Headwaiter was hovering beside him now； waiting for the rare honor of seating the tai…pan。 He had been summoned by the Second Headwaiter the moment the news had arrived that Dunross had been seen approaching the front door。 His name was Afternoon Pok and he was gray…haired； majestic； and ruled this shift with a bamboo whip。
〃Ah Honored Lord； this is a pleasure；〃 the old man said in Cantonese with a deferential bow。 〃Have you eaten rice today？〃 This was the polite way of saying good…day or good evening or how are you in Chinese。
〃Yes； thank you； Elder Brother；〃 Dunross replied。 He had known Afternoon Pok most of his life。 As long as he could remember； Afternoon Pok had been the headwaiter in the foyer from noon till six； and many times when Dunross was young； sent on an errand here； sore from a whipping or cuffing； the old man would seat him in a corner table； slip him a pastry； tap him kindly on the head and never give him a bill。 〃You're looking prosperous！〃
〃Thank you； tai…pan。 Oh； you are looking very healthy too！ But you've still only one son！ Don't you think it's time your revered Chief Wife found you a second wife？〃
They smiled together。 〃Please follow me；〃 the old man said importantly and led the way to the choice table that had miraculously appeared in a spacious； favored place acquired by four energetic waiters who had squeezed other guests and the tables out of the way。 Now they stood； almost at attention； all beaming。
〃Your usual； sir？〃 the wine waiter asked。 〃I've a bottle of the '52。〃
〃Perfect；〃 Dunross said； knowing this would be the La Doucette that he enjoyed so much。 He would have preferred tea but it was a matter of face to accept the wine。 The bottle was already there； in an ice bucket。 〃I'm expecting Mr。 Bartlett and Miss Tcholok。〃 Another waiter went at once to wait for them at the elevator。
〃If there's anything you need； please call me。〃 Afternoon Pok bowed and walked off； every waiter in the foyer nervously conscious of him。 Dunross sat down and noticed Peter and Fleur Marlowe trying to control two pretty； boisterous girls of four and eight and he sighed and thanked God his daughters were past that age。 As he sipped the wine approvingly； he saw old Willie Tusk look over at him and wave。 He waved back。
When he was a boy he used to e over from Hong Kong three or four times a week with business orders for Tusk from old Sir Ross Struan； Alastair's father … or； more likely； they were orders from his own father who； for years； had run the foreign division of the Noble House。 Occasionally Tusk would service the Noble House in areas of his expertise … anything to do with getting anything out of Thailand； Burma or Malaya and shipping it anywhere； with just a little h'eung yau and his standard trading fee of 71/2 percent。
〃What's the half percent for； Uncle Tusk？〃 he remembered asking one day； peering up at the man he now towered over。
〃That's what I call my dollymoney； young Ian。〃
〃What's dollymoney？〃
〃That's a little extra for your pocket to give away to dollies； to ladies of your choice。〃
〃But why do you give money to ladies？〃
〃Well that's a long story； laddie。〃
Dunross smiled to himself。 Yes； a very long story。 That part of his education had had various teachers； some good； some very good a