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brought tea and poured。
Dunross could feel that he was being observed but this too was usual。 Most of these old houses had spyholes in the walls and doors … there were many even in the Great House。
When he had got back to the Great House this morning near 4：00 a。m。 he had gone straight to his study and opened the safe。 There was no doubt； with even a cursory glance； that one of the two remaining coins fitted the imprints that were in Four Finger Wu's beeswax matrix。 No doubt at all。 His fingers were trembling when he broke the half…coin from its restraining sealing wax in Dirk Struan's Bible and cleaned it。 It fitted the indentations perfectly。
〃Christ；〃 he had muttered。 〃Now what？〃 Then he had put the matrix and the coin back into the safe。 His eyes saw the loaded automatic and the empty space where AMG's files had been。 Uneasily he had relocked the safe and went to bed。 There was a message on his pillow： 〃Father dear： Will you wake me when you leave？ We want to watch the tryouts。 Love； Adryon。 P。S。 Can I invite Martin to the races Saturday please please please？ P。P。S。 I think he's super。 P。P。P。S。 You're super too。 P。P。P。P。S。 You're out late； aren't you？ Now it's 3：16！！！！〃
He had tiptoed to her room and opened her door but she was fast asleep。 When he had left this morning he had had to knock twice to awaken her。 〃Adryon！ It's 6：30。〃
〃Oh！ Is it raining？〃 she said sleepily。
〃No。 Soon will be。 Shall I open the blinds？〃
〃No； Father dear； thank you 。。。 doesn't matter； Martin won't 。。。 won't mind。〃 She had stifled a yawn。 Her eyes had closed and； almost instantly； she was deep asleep again。
Amused； he had shaken her lightly but she had not e out of sleep。 〃Doesn't matter； Father。 Martin won't 。。。〃 And now； remembering how lovely she was and what his wife had said about the pill； he decided to make a very serious check on Martin Haply。 Just in case。
〃Ah； tai…pan； sorry to keep you waiting。〃
Dunross got up and shook the outstretched hand。 〃It's good of you to see me； Mr。 Tip。 Sorry to hear about your cold。〃
Tip Tok…toh was in his sixties； graying； with a round nice face。 He wore a dressing gown and his eyes were red and his nose stuffed； his voice a little hoarse。 〃It's this rotten climate。 Last weekend I went sailing with Shitee T'Chung and I must've caught a chill。〃 His English accent was slightly American； perhaps Canadian。 Neither Dunross nor Alastair Struan had ever been able to draw him out about his past； nor had Johnjohn or the other bankers any knowledge of him in banking circles in Nationalist China days； pre…1949。 Even Shitee T'Chung and Phillip Chen who entertained him lavishly could not pry anything out of him。 The Chinese had nicknamed him the Oyster。
〃The weather has been bad；〃 Dunross agreed pleasantly。 〃Thank God for the rain。〃
Tiptop motioned to the man beside him。 〃This is an associate； Mr。 L'eung。〃
The man was nondescript。 He wore a drab Maoist jacket and drab trousers。 His face was set and cold and guarded。 He nodded。 Dunross nodded back。 〃Associate〃 could cover a multitude of positions； from boss to interpreter； from missar to guard。
〃Would you like coffee？〃
〃Thank you。 Have you tried vitamin C to cure your cold？〃 Patiently Dunross began the formal chitchat that would precede the real reason for the meeting。 Last night while he was waiting for Brian Kwok in the Quance Bar he had thought Johnjohn's proposal was worth a try so he had phoned Phillip Chen then and asked him to request an appointment early today。 It would have been just as easy to have called Tiptop direct but that was not correct Chinese protocol。 The civilized way was to go through a mutually friendly intermediary。 Then； if the request was refused； you would not lose face； nor would the other person； nor would the intermediary。
He was listening to Tiptop with only half his head； making polite conversation； surprised they were still speaking English； because of L'eung。 This could only mean the man's English was also perfect； and； possibly； that he did not understand either Cantonese or Shanghainese which Tiptop spoke and Dunross was fluent in。 He fenced with Tiptop； waiting for the opening that at length the banker would give him。 Then it came。
〃This stock market crash on your stock must be very worrying for you； tai…pan。〃
〃Yes； yes it is； but it's not a crash； Mr。 Tip； just a readjustment。 The market ebbs and flows。〃
〃And Mr。 Gornt？〃
〃Quillan Gornt is Quillan Gornt and always snapping at our heels。 All crows under heaven are black。〃 Dunross kept his voice matter…of…fact； wondering how much the man knew。
〃And the Ho…Pak mess？ That's a readjustment too？〃
〃No； no that's bad。 I'm afraid the Ho…Pak's out of luck。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Dunross； but luck hasn't much to do with it。 It's the capitalistic system； that and ineptness by Banker Kwang。〃
Dunross said nothing。 His eyes flicked momentarily to L'eung who sat stiffly； immobile and very attentive。 His ears were concentrated and so was his mind； seeking the oblique currents under what was said。 〃I'm not party to Mr。 Kwang's business； Mr。 Tip。 Unfortunately the run on the Ho…Pak's spilling over to other banks and that's very bad for Hong Kong and also； I think； bad for the People's Republic of China。〃
〃Not bad for the People's Republic of China。 How can it be bad for us？〃
〃China is China； the Middle Kingdom。 We of the Noble House have always considered China to be the mother and father of our house。 Now our base in Hong Kong's under siege； a siege that's actually meaningless … just a temporary lack of confidence and a week or so of cash。 Our banks have all the reserves and all of the wealth and strength they need to perform 。。。 for old friends； old customers and ourselves。〃
〃Then why don't they print more money if the currency's so strong？〃
〃It's a matter of time； Mr。 Tip。 It's not possible for the mint to print enough Hong Kong money。〃 Even more patiently； Dunross answered the questions； knowing now that most were for the benefit of L'eung； which suggested L'eung was senior to Tiptop； a more senior Party member； a nonbanker。 〃Our interim solution would be to bring in； at once； a few aircraft loads of pounds sterling to cover withdrawals。〃 He saw both men's eyes narrow slightly。
〃That would hardly support the Hong Kong dollar。〃
〃Yes； yes our bankers know that。 But Blacs； the Victoria and Bank of England decided this would be best in the interim。 We just don't have enough Hong Kong cash to satisfy every depositor。〃
The silence thickened。 Dunross waited。 Johnjohn had told him he believed the Bank of China did not have substantial reserves of pounds because of the currency restrictions on their movement in and out of Britain but had very substantial amounts of Hong Kong dollars for which there were no export restrictions。
〃It would not be at all good for the Hong Kong dollar to be weakened；〃 Tip Tok…toh said。 He blew his nose noisily。 〃Not good for Hong Kong。〃
〃Yes。〃
Tip Tok…toh's eyes hardened and he leaned forward。 〃Is it true； tai…pan； that the Orlin Merchant Bank won't renew your revolving fund？〃
Dunross's heart picked up a beat。 〃Yes。〃
〃And true that your fine bank will not cover this loan or advance you e