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By prior arrangement； Bartlett and Casey had laid out the whole deal to their attorney； excluding the secret arrangement with Dunross about his ships。
〃There're a couple of clauses I'd want in； to protect us； Linc；〃 Steigler said。
〃All right。 But I don't want the deal renegotiated。 We want a wrap by Tuesday； just as we've laid it out。〃
〃What about Rothwell…Gornt？ Best I should feel them out； huh？ We can kite Struan's。〃
〃No；〃 Casey had said。 〃You leave Gornt and Dunross alone； Seymour。〃 They had not told Steigler about Bartlett's private deal with Gornt either。 〃Hong Kong's more plicated than we thought。 Best leave it as it is。〃
〃That's right；〃 Bartlett said。 〃Leave Gornt and Dunross to Casey and me。 You just deal with their attorneys。〃
〃What're they like？〃
〃English。 Very proper；〃 Casey said。 〃I met with John Dawson at noon … he's their senior partner。 Dunross was supposed to be there but he sent Jacques deVille instead。 He's one of Struan's directors； deals with all their corporate affairs； and some financing。 Jacques is very good but Dunross runs everything and decides everything。 That's the bottom line。〃
〃How about getting this； er； Dawson on the phone right now？ I'll meet with him over breakfast； say here at eight。〃
Bartlett and Casey had laughed。 〃No way； Seymour！〃 she had said。 〃It'll be a leisurely in by ten and a two…hour lunch。 They eat and drink like there's no tomorrow； and everything's the 'old boy' bit。〃
〃Then I'll meet him after lunch when he's mellow and maybe we can teach him a trick or two；〃 Seymour Steigler had said； his eyes hardening。 He stifled a yawn。 〃I've got to call New York before I hit the sack。 Hey； I've got all the papers on the GXR merger an… 〃
〃I'll take those； Seymour；〃 Casey said。
〃And I bought the 200；000 block of Rothwell…Gornt at 23。50 … what're they today？〃
〃21。〃
〃Jesus； Linc； you're down 300 grand；〃 Casey said； perturbed。 〃Why not sell and buy back？ If and when。〃
〃No。 We'll hold the stock。〃 Bartlett was not worried about the Rothwell stock loss for he was well ahead on his share of Gornt's selling…short ploy。 〃Why don't you quit for the night； Seymour？ If you're up we'll have breakfast … the three of us … say about eight？〃
〃Good idea。 Casey； you'll fix me with Dawson？〃
〃First thing。 They'll see you in the morning sometime。 The tai…pan 。。。 Ian Dunross's told them our deal's top priority。〃
〃It should be；〃 Steigler said。 〃Our down payment gets Dunross off the hook。〃
〃If he survives；〃 Casey said。 〃Here today； gone tomorrow so let's enjoy！〃 It was one of Steigler's standard sayings and the phrase was still ringing in Bartlett's head。 Here today； gone tomorrow 。。。 like the fire last night。 That could've been bad。 I could've bashed my head in the way that poor bastard Pennyworth did。 You never know when it's your turn； your accident； your bullet or your act of God。 Prom outside or inside。 Like Dad！ Jesus … bronzed and healthy； hardly sick a day in his life； then the doc says he's got the big C and in three months he's wasted away and stinking and dying in great pain。
Bartlett felt a sudden sweat on his forehead。 It had been a bad time then； during his divorce； burying his father； his mother distraught and everything falling apart。 Then finalizing the divorce。 The settlement had been vicious but he had just managed to retain control of the panies； to pay her off without having to sell out。 He was still paying even though she'd remarried … along with an escalating maintenance for his children as well as future settlements … every cent still hurting； not the money itself but the unfairness of California law； the attorney in for a third until death us do part； screwed by my attorney and hers。 One day I'll have vengeance on them； Bartlett grimly promised himself again。 On them and all the other goddamn parasites。
With an effort he thrust them aside。 For today。
Here today； gone tomorrow； so let's enjoy； he repeated as he sipped his beer； tied his tie and looked at himself in the mirror。 Without vanity。 He liked living within himself and he had made his peace with himself； knowing who he was and what he was about。 The war had helped him do that。 And surviving the divorce； surviving her； finding out about her and living with it … Casey the only decent thing that whole year。
Casey。
What about Casey？
Our rules are quite clear； always have been。 She set them： If I have a date or she has a date； we have dates and no questions and no recriminations。
Then why is it I'm all uptight now that I've decided to see Orlanda without telling Casey？
He glanced at his watch。 Almost time to go。
There was a half…hearted knock on the door and instantly it opened and Nighttime Song beamed at him。 〃Missee；〃 the old man announced and stepped aside。 Casey was approaching down the corridor； a sheaf of papers and a notebook in her hand。
〃Oh hi； Casey；〃 Bartlett said。 〃I was just going to phone you。〃
〃Hi； Linc；〃 she called out and then said； 〃Doh jeh；〃 in Cantonese to the old man as she passed。 Her walk was happy as she came into the two…bedroom suite。 〃Got some stuff for you。〃 She handed him a sheaf of telexes and letters and went to the cocktail bar to pour herself a dry martini。 She wore casual； slim…fitting gray pants and flat gray shoes with a gray silk open…necked shirt。 Her hair was tied back and a pencil left there was her only decoration。 Tonight she was wearing glasses； not her usual contacts。 〃The first couple deal with the GXR merger。 It's all signed； sealed and delivered； and we take possession September 2。 There's a board meeting confirmed at 3：00 p。m。 in L。A。 … that gives us plenty of time to get back。 I've ask… 〃
〃Turn down bed； Master？〃 Nighttime Song interrupted importantly from the door。
Bartlett started to say no； but Casey was already shaking her head。 〃Um ho；〃 she said pleasantly in Cantonese； pronouncing the words well and with care。 〃Cha z'er； doh jeh。〃 No thank you； please do it later。
Nighttime Song stared at her blankly。 〃Wat？〃
Casey repeated it。 The old man snorted； irritated that Golden Pubics had the bad manners to address him in his own language。 〃Turn down bed； heya？ Now heya？〃 he asked in bad English。
Casey repeated the Cantonese； again with no reaction； began again then stopped and said wearily in English； 〃Oh never mind！ Not now。 You can do it later。〃
Nighttime Song beamed； having made her lose face。 〃Yes； Missee。〃 He closed the door with just enough of a slam to make his point。
〃Asshole；〃 she muttered。 〃He had to understand me； I know I said it right； Linc。 Why is it they insist on not understanding？ I tried it on my maid and all she said was 'wat' too。〃 She laughed in spite of herself as she aped the coarse guttural； 〃Wat you say； heya？〃
Bartlett laughed。 〃They're just ornery。 But where'd you learn Chinese？〃
〃It's Cantonese。 I got a teacher … fitted in an hour this morning … thought I should at least be able to say； Hi； Good morning。 Give me the bill please 。。。 ordinary things。 Goddamn but it's plicated。 All the tones。 In Cantonese there are seven tones … seven ways of saying the same word。 You ask for the check； it's mai dan； but if you say it just a little wrong； it means fried