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de in Asia。〃
If we could really smash Gornt； he thought fervently； we'd be safe for generations。 And we could； given joss； Par…Con and more joss。 Christ； but it's going to be very dicey！
He had exuded confidence all day； not feeling confident at all。 Many of his big stockholders had called nervously but he had quieted them。 Both Tightfist Tung and Four Finger Wu owned major blocks of stock through devious nominees。 He had phoned both this afternoon to get their agreement not to loan or sell their major holdings for the next week or so。 Both had agreed but it had not been easy with either of them。
All in all； Dunross thought； I've fought off the initial onslaught。 Tomorrow will tell the real story … or Friday： is Bartlett enemy； friend or Judas？
He felt his anger rising but he pushed it back。 Be calm； he told himself； think calmly。 I will but it's bloody curious that everything Bartlett said the night of the party … all those very secret things he had so readily and suddenly produced to shatter my defenses … miraculously went through the market today like a typhoon。 Who's the spy？ Who gave him the info？ Is he the Sevrin spy too？ Well； never mind for the moment； everything's covered。 I think。
Dunross went to the phone and asked the operator to get Mr。 Deland； person to person； and to call him back。
〃Would Susanne be there yet？〃 Penelope asked。
〃I think so。 If her plane's on time。 It's about eleven； Marseilles time； so it shouldn't be an emergency。 Bloody shame about Borge！ I liked him。〃
〃What's Avril going to do？〃
〃She's going to be all right。 Avril's going to e home to bring up the child and soon she'll meet a Prince Charming； a new one； and her son'll join Struan's and meanwhile she'll be protected and cherished。〃
〃Do you believe that； Ian … about the Prince Charming？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said firmly。 〃I believe everything will be all right。 It's going to be all right； Penn； for her； for Kathy； for 。。。 for everyone。〃
〃You can't carry everyone； Ian。〃
〃I know。 But no one； no one in the family will ever need for anything while I'm alive and that's going to be forever。〃
His wife looked at him and remembered the first time she had seen him； a godlike youth sitting in his shattered fighter that should have crashed but somehow miraculously hadn't。 Ian； just sitting there； then getting out； holding the terror down； she seeing in his eyes for the first time what death was like but him dominating it and ing back and just accepting the cup of tea saying； 〃Oh； jolly good； thanks。 You're new； aren't you？〃 in his lovely patrician accent that was so far from her own background。
Such a long time ago； a thousand years ago； another lifetime； she thought。 Such wonderful ghastly terrible beautiful agonizing days： will he die today or e back today？ Will I die today； in the morning bombing or in the evening one？ Where's Dad and Mum and is the phone just bombed out of service as usual or has the rotten little terraced house in Streatham vanished along with all the other thousands like it？
One day it had and then she had no past。 Just Ian and his arms and strength and confidence； and she terrified that he would go like all the others。 That was the worst part； she told herself。 The waiting and anticipating and knowing how mortal the Few were and we all are。 My God how quickly we had to grow up！
〃I hope it is forever； darling；〃 she said in her cool； flat voice； wanting to hide the immensity of her love。 〃Yes。 I want you to be immortal！〃
He grinned at her； loving her。 〃I'm immortal； Penn； never mind。 After I'm dead I'll still be watching over you and Glenna and Duncan and Adryon and all the rest。〃
She watched him。 〃Like Dirk Struan does？〃
〃No；〃 he said serious now。 〃He's a presence I'll never match。 He's perpetual … I'm temporary。〃 His eyes were watching hers。 〃You're rather serious tonight； aren't you？〃
〃You're rather serious tonight； aren't you？〃
They laughed。 She said； 〃I was just thinking how transient life is； how violent； unexpected； how cruel。 First John Chen and now Borge； Kathy 。。。〃 A little shiver went through her； ever petrified she would lose him。 〃Who's next？〃
〃Any one of us。 Meanwhile be Chinese。 Remember under heaven all crows are black。 Life is good。 Gods make mistakes and go to sleep so we do the best we can and never trust a quai loh！〃
She laughed； at peace again。 〃There are times； Ian Struan Dunross； when I quite like you。 Do you th… 〃 The phone rang and she stopped and thought； God curse that bloody phone。 If I was omnipotent I'd outlaw all phones after 6：00 p。m。 but then poor Ian'd go mad； and the bloody Noble House'd crumble and that's poor Ian's life。 I'm second； so are the children and that's as it should be。 Isn't it？
〃Oh hello； Lando；〃 Dunross was saying； 〃what's new？〃
〃Hope I'm not disturbing you； tai…pan。〃
〃Not at all；〃 he replied； all his energy concentrated。 〃I've just got in。 What can I do for you？〃
〃Sorry； but I'm withdrawing the 15 million support I promised for tomorrow。 Temporarily。 The market makes me nervous。〃
〃Nothing to worry about；〃 Dunross said； his stomach churning。 〃Gornt's up to his tricks。 That's all。〃
〃I'm really very worried。 It's not just Gornt。 It's the Ho…Pak and the way the whole market's reacting；〃 Mata said。 〃With the bank run seeping over to the Ching Prosperity and even the Vic 。。。 all the signs are very bad so I want to wait and see。〃
〃Tomorrow's the day； Lando。 Tomorrow。 I was counting on you。〃
〃Have you tripled our next gold consignment as I asked？〃
〃Yes； I did that personally。 I've Zurich's telexed confirms in the usual code。〃
〃Excellent； excellent！〃
〃I'll need your letter of credit tomorrow。〃
〃Of course。 If you'll send a messenger to my home now I'll give you my check for the full amount。〃
〃Personal check？〃 Dunross held on to his astonishment。 〃On which bank； Lando？〃
〃The Victoria。〃
〃Christ； that's a lot of money to remove just now。〃
〃I'm not removing it； I'm just paying for some gold。 I'd rather have some of my funds in gold outside Hong Kong for the next week or so； and this's an ideal moment to do it。 You can get them to telex it first thing tomorrow。 First thing。 Yes。 I'm not withdrawing funds； Ian； just paying for gold。 If I were you I'd try to get liquid too。〃
Again his stomach fell over。 〃What have you heard？〃 he asked； his voice controlled。
〃You know me； I'm just more cautious than you； tai…pan。 The cost of my money es very high。〃
〃No more than mine。〃
〃Yes。 We'll consult tomorrow； then we'll see。 But don't count on our 15 million。 Sorry。〃
〃You've heard something。 I know you too well。 What is it？ Chi pao pu chu huo。〃 Literally； Paper cannot wrap up a fire； meaning a secret cannot be kept forever。
There was a long pause； then Mata said in a lower voice； 〃Confidentially； Ian； old Tightfist's selling heavily。 He's getting ready to unload all his holdings。 That old devil may be dying but his nose is as sensitive to the loss of a brass cash as ever and I've never known him to be wrong。〃
〃All his holdings？〃 Dunross asked sharply。 〃When did you talk to him？〃
〃We've been in contact all day。 Why？〃
〃I reached him after lunch and he promised he wouldn't sell or loan a