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〃Ayeeyah you miserable whore； what savings？ The savings I am going to put there for you？ Huh！ Of course they're safe； safe as the Bank of England！〃
〃Woe woe woe I'm penniless now。 Your poor destitute Daughter！ I'll have to sell myself or mit suicide。 Yes； that's it！ Poison 。。。 that's it！ I think I'll take an overdose of 。。。 of aspirins。 Ah Poo！ Bring me an overdose of aspirins！〃
So he had begged and pleaded and eventually she had relented and allowed him to take away the aspirins and he had promised to rush back to the apartment the very moment the banquet was over and now his eyes were almost staring out of his head because there； at the doorway； was Venus Poon on the arm of Four Finger Wu； both resplendent； he puffed with pride； and she demure and innocent； wearing the dress he'd just paid for。
〃What's up； Richard？〃 Dunross asked； concerned。
Richard Kwang tried to speak； couldn't； just tottered away toward his wife who tore her baleful eyes off Venus Poon and put them back on him。
〃Hello； dear；〃 he said； his backbone jelly。
〃Hello； dear；〃 Mai…ling Kwang replied sweetly。 〃Who's that whore？〃
〃Which one？〃
〃That one。〃
〃Isn't that the 。。。 what's her name 。。。 the TV starlet？〃
〃Isn't her name Itch…in…her…drawers Poon； the VD starlet？〃
He pretended to laugh with her but he wanted to tear all his hair out。 The fact that his latest mistress had e with someone else would not be lost on all Hong Kong。 Everyone would interpret it as an infallible sign that he was in absolute financial trouble and that she had； wisely； left the sinking junk for a safer haven。 And ing with his uncle； Four Finger Wu； was even worse。 That would confirm that all Wu's wealth had been removed from the Ho…Pak； and therefore most probably Lando Mata and the gold syndicate had done the same。 All the civilized population that counted were sure that Wu was the syndicate's prime smuggler now that Smuggler Mo was dead。 Woe woe woe！ Troubles never e singly。
〃Eh？〃 he asked wearily。 〃What did you say？〃
〃I said； is the tai…pan going to approach the Victoria for us？〃
He switched into Cantonese as Europeans were nearby。 〃Regretfully that son of a whore's in trouble himself。 No； he won't help us。 We're in great trouble which is not our fault。 The day has been terrible； except for one thing： we made a fine profit today。 I sold all our Noble House stock。〃
〃Excellent。 At what price？〃
〃We made 2。70 a share。 It's all in gold now in Zurich。 I'm putting it all in our joint account；〃 he added carefully； twisting the truth； all the while trying to figure out a ploy to get his wife out of the room so he could go over to Four Finger Wu and Venus Poon to pretend to everyone that everything was fine。
〃Good。 Very good。 That's better。〃 Mai…ling was toying with her huge aquamarine pendant。 Suddenly Richard Kwang's testicles chilled。 This was the pendant he had promised Venus Poon。 Oh woe woe woe 。。。
〃Are you feeling all right？〃 Mai…ling asked。
〃I； er； I must have eaten some bad fish。 I think I need to go to the bathroom。〃
〃You'd better go now。 I suppose we'll eat soon。 Shitee's always so late！〃 She noticed him take a nervous sidelong look at Venus Poon and Uncle Wu and her eyes turned baleful again。 〃That whore's really quite fascinating。 I'm going to watch her until you get back。〃
〃Why don't we go together？〃 He took her arm and guided her down the stairs to the door that led to the bathrooms； greeting friends here and there； trying to exude confidence。 The moment she was launched into the ladies' room he rushed back up； walked over to Zeppelin Tung who was near them。 He chatted a moment； then pretended to see Four Fingers。 〃Oh hello； Honored Uncle；〃 he said expansively。 〃Thank you for bringing her here。 Hello； little oily mouth。〃
〃What？〃 the old man said suspiciously。 〃I brought her for me not for you。〃
〃Yes； and don't you oily mouth me；〃 Venus Poon hissed and deliberately took the old man's arm and Richard Kwang almost spat blood。 〃I talked to my hairdresser tonight！ My mink on her back！ And isn't that my aquamarine pendant too； the one she's wearing right now！ To think I almost mitted suicide tonight because I thought I'd displeased my Honored Father 。。。 and all the time it was lies lies lies。 Oh I almost want to mit suicide again。〃
〃Eh； don't do that yet； Little Mealy Mouth；〃 Four Finger Wu whispered anxiously； having already negotiated a deal in excess of Smiler Ching's offer。 〃Go away； Nephew； you're giving her indigestion。 She won't be able to perform！〃
Richard Kwang forced a glazed smile； muttered a few pleasantries and went off shakily。 He headed for the staircase to wait for his wife； and someone said； 〃I see a certain filly's left the paddock for more manured grass！〃
〃What nonsense！〃 he replied at once。 〃Of course I asked the old fool to bring her since my wife is here。 Why else would she be with him？ Is that old fool hung like a bullock？ Or even a bantam cock？ No。 Ayeeyah； not even Venus Poon with all the technique I taught her can get up what has no thread！ It's good for his face to pretend otherwise； heya？ Of course； and she wanted to see her Old Father and to be seen too！〃
〃Eeeee； that's clever； Banker Kwang！〃 the man said； and turned away and whispered it to another； who said caustically； 〃Huh； you'd swallow a bucket of shit if someone said it was stewed beef with black bean sauce！ Don't you know old Four Fingers's Stalk's nurtured by the most expensive salves and ointments and ginseng that money can buy？ Why only last month his Number Six Concubine gave birth to a son！ Eeeee； don't worry about him。 Before he's through tonight； Venus Poon's in for a drubbing that'll make her Golden Gulley cry out for mercy in eight dialects。 。。。〃
* * *
〃Are you staying for dinner； tai…pan？〃 Brian Kwok asked； intercepting him。 〃When and if it arrives。〃
〃Yes。 Why？〃
〃Sorry I've got to go back to work。 But there'll be someone else to chaperone you home。〃
〃For God's sake； Brian； aren't you overreacting？〃 Dunross said as quietly。
Brian Kwok kept his voice down。 〃I don't think so。 I've just phoned Crosse to see what happened about those two loiterers outside your house。 The moment our fellows arrived they took to their heels。〃
〃Perhaps they were just thugs who don't like police。〃
Brian Kwok shook his head。 〃Crosse asked again that you give us the AMG papers right now。〃
〃Friday。〃
〃He told me to tell you there's a Soviet spy ship in port。 There's already been one killing … one of their agents； knifed。〃
Dunross was shocked。 〃What's that got to do with me？〃
〃You know that better than we do。 You know what's in those reports。 Must be quite serious or you wouldn't be so difficult … or careful … yourself。 Crosse said 。。。 Never mind him！ Ian； look； we're old friends。 I'm really very worried。〃 Brian Kwok switched to Cantonese。 〃Even the wise can fall into thorns … poisoned thorns。〃
〃In two days the police Mandarin arrives。 Two days is not long。〃
〃True。 But in two days the spy may hurt us very much。 Why tempt the gods？ It is my ask。〃
〃No。 Sorry。〃
Brian Kwok hardened。 In English he said； 〃Our American friends have asked us to take you into protective custody。〃
〃What non