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in perfect privacy。
You could go alone if you wished。 Then； out near one of the vast islands of boats； your sampans would rendezvous with Ladies of the Night and you could choose and barter and then drift。 In the harbor you could satisfy any wish； any thirst； any desire … at little cost； the price fair whoever you were … if you could pay and were a man。 Opium； cocaine； heroin； whatever you wanted。
Sometimes the food was bad or the singsong girl bad； but this was just joss； a regretted mistake and not deliberate。 Sometimes you could lose your wallet but then only a simpleton would e among such prideful poverty to flaunt his wealth。
Dunross smiled； seeing a heavyset tourist nervously ease himself into one of the craft； helped by a chong…samed girl。 You're in good hands； he thought； very glad with the hustle and bustle of business all around him； buying； selling； bartering。 Yes； he told himself； Chinese are the real capitalists of the world。
What about Tiptop and Johnjohn's request？ What about Lando Mata and Tightfist and Par…Con？ And Gornt？ And AMG and Riko Anjin and Sinders and 。。。
Don't think about them now。 Get your wits about you！ Four Finger Wu hasn't summoned you to discuss the weather。
He passed the first sea steps and headed along the wharf to the main ones； the light from the streetlamps casting strong shadows。 At once all the sampans there began to jostle for position； their owners calling out； beckoning。 When he got to the top of the steps the motion stopped。
〃Tai…pan！〃
A well…set Pleasure Boat with a Silver Lotus flag aft eased directly through them。 The boatman was short； squat with many gold teeth。 He wore torn khaki pants and a sweat shirt。
Dunross whistled to himself； recognizing Four Finger Wu's eldest son； the loh…pan； the head of Wu's fleet of Pleasure Boats。 No wonder the other boats gave him leeway； he thought； impressed that Goldtooth Wu met him personally。 Nimbly he went aboard； greeting him。 Goldtooth sculled swiftly away。
〃Make yourself at home； tai…pan；〃 Goldtooth said easily in perfect English…accented English。 He had a B。Sc。 from London University and had wanted to remain in England。 But Four Fingers had ordered him home。 He was a gentle； quiet； kind man whom Dunross liked。
〃Thank you。〃
On the lacquered table was fresh tea and whiskey and glasses； brandy and bottled water。 Dunross looked around carefully。 The cabin was neat and lit with little lights； clean； soft and expensive。 A small radio played good music。 This must be Goldtooth's flagship； he thought； amused and very much on guard。
There was no need to ask where Goldtooth was taking him。 He poured himself a little brandy； adding soda water。 There was no ice。 In Asia he never used ice。
〃Christ；〃 he muttered suddenly； remembering what Peter Marlowe had said about the possibility of infectious hepatitis。 Fifty or sixty people have that hanging over their heads now； if they know it or not。 Gornt's one of them too。 Yes； but that sod's got the constitution of a meat ax。 The bugger hasn't even had a touch of the runs。 What to do about him？ What's his permanent solution？
It was cool and pleasant in the cabin； half open to the breeze； the sky dark。 A huge junk moved past； chugging throatily； and he lay back enjoying the tensions he felt； the anticipation。 His heart was steady。 He sipped the brandy； drifting； being patient。
The side of the sampan scraped another。 His ears focused。 Bare feet padded aboard。 Two sets of feet； one nimble the other not。 〃Halloa； tai…pan！〃 Four Fingers said； grinning toothlessly。 He ducked under the canopy and sat down。 〃How you okay？〃 he said in dreadful English。
〃Fine and you？〃 Dunross stared at him； trying to hide his astonishment。 Four Finger Wu was dressed in a good suit with a clean white shirt and gaudy tie and carried shoes and socks。 The last time Dunross had seen him like this was the night of the fire and before that； the only other time years ago； at Shitee T'Chung's immense wedding。
More feet approached。 Awkwardly Paul Choy sat down。 〃Evening； sir。 I'm Paul Choy。〃
〃Are you all right？〃 he asked； sensing great disfort； and fear。
〃Sure； yes； thank you； sir。〃
Dunross frowned。 〃Well this's a pleasure；〃 he said； letting it pass。 〃You're working for your uncle now？〃 he asked； knowing all about Paul Choy； keeping up the pretense he and Four Fingers had agreed to； and very impressed with the young man。 He had heard of his stock market coup through his old friend Soorjani。
〃No sir。 I'm with Rothwell…Gornt's。 I just started a couple of days ago。 I'm here to interpret 。。。 if you need me。〃 Paul Choy turned to his father and explained what had been said。
Four Fingers nodded。 〃Blandeee？〃
〃It's fine； thank you。〃 Dunross raised his glass。 〃Good you see； heya； 〃 he continued in English； waiting for the old man to begin in Haklo。 It was a matter of face and； with the presence of Paul Choy； Dunross's latent caution had increased a thousandfold。
The old seaman chatted inconsequentially for a while； drinking whiskey。 Paul Choy was not offered a drink； nor did he take one。 He sat in the shadows； listening； frightened； not knowing what to expect。 His father had sworn him to perpetual secrecy with hair…raising blood oaths。
Finally Wu gave up waiting the tai…pan out and started in Haklo。 〃Our families have been Old Friends for many years；〃 he said； speaking slowly and carefully； aware that Dunross's Haklo was not perfect。 〃Very many years。〃
〃Yes。 Seaborne Wu and Struan's like brothers；〃 the tai…pan replied cautiously。
Four Fingers grunted。 〃The present is like the past and the past the present。 Heya？〃
〃Old Blind Tung says past and present same。 Heya？〃
〃What does the name Wu Kwok mean to the tai…pan of the Noble House？〃
Dunross's stomach twisted。 〃He your great…grandfather； heya？ Your illustrious forebear。 Son and chief admiral of even more illustrious sea warlord； Wu Fang Choi； whose flag； the Silver Lotus； flew all four seas。〃
〃The very one！〃 Four Fingers leaned closer and Dunross's caution doubled。 〃What was the connection between Green…Eyed Devil 。。。 between the first tai…pan of the Noble House and the illustrious Wu Kwok？〃
〃They meet at sea。 They meet in Pearl River Estuary off Wh… 〃
〃It was near here； off Pok Liu Chau； between Pok Liu Chau and Aplichau。〃 The old man's eyes were slits in his face。
〃Then they meet off Hong Kong。 The tai…pan went aboard Wu Kwok's flagship。 He went alone and 。。。〃 Dunross searched for the word。 〃。。。 and he negotiate a； a bargain with him。〃
〃Was the bargain written onto paper and chopped？〃
〃No。〃
〃Was the bargain honored？〃
〃It is fornicating ill…mannered to ask such question from Old Friend when Old Friend opposite knows answer！〃
Paul Choy jerked involuntarily at the sudden venom and slashing cut of the words。 Neither man paid any attention to him。
〃True； true； tai…pan；〃 the old man said； as unafraid as Dunross。 〃Yes； the bargain was honored； though twisted； part was twisted。 Do you know the bargain？〃
〃No； not all；〃 Dunross said truthfully。 〃Why？〃
〃The bargain was that on each of your twenty clippers we put one man to train as a captain … my grandfather was one of these。 Next； Green…Eye