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et contact。〃
Johnjohn went red。 〃But that's impossible … 〃
〃Do it！ Do it now！〃 Havergill； equally choleric； redialed Tiptop。 Still busy。
Dunross went into his office。
〃Mr。 Toda's here with the usual entourage； tai…pan。〃 Claudia did not hide her distaste or nervousness。
〃Show them in please。〃
〃Mr。 Alastair called twice … asked that you call him back the moment you e in。 And your father。〃
〃I'll call them later。〃
〃Yes sir。 Here's the telex for Nelson Trading from Switzerland confirming that they've purchased triple the regular order of gold for the Great Good Luck pany of Macao。〃
〃Good。 Send a copy to Lando at once and request the funds。〃
〃This telex is from Orlin Merchant Bank confirming they regret they cannot renew the loan and require payment。〃
〃Telex them； 'Thank you。' 〃
〃I checked with Mrs。 Dunross and they arrived safely。〃
〃Good。 Get Kathy's specialist's home number so I can call him over the weekend。〃
Claudia made another note。 〃Master Duncan called from Sydney to say he had a great evening and he's on the Monday Qantas flight。 Here's a list of your other calls。〃
He glanced at the long list； wondering fleetingly if his son was no longer a virgin； or was not even before the lovely Sheila。 Thinking of a lovely sheila reminded him again of the exquisite Snow Jade。 Curious her name was Snow Jade … she reminded me so much of Elegant Jade who's somewhere in Taipei in charge of a House of Many Pleasures。 Perhaps the time's e to find Elegant Jade and thank her。 Once more he remembered old Chen…chen's admonition when he was dying。 〃Listen； my son；〃 old Chen…chen had whispered； his voice failing； 〃never try to find her。 You will take away her face and take away beauty； both from her and from you。 Now she'll be old； her Jade Gate withered and her pleasures will e from good food and good brandy。 Children of the Pleasure World do not age well； nor do their tempers。 Leave her to her joss and to her memories。 Be kind。 Always be kind to those who give you their youth and their yin to succor your yang。 Eeeee； how I wish I was as young as you again。 。。。〃
Dunross sighed。 His evening with Snow Jade had been impeccable。 And filled with laughter。
〃I don't eat dessert；〃 he had replied at once。 〃I'm on a diet。〃
〃Oh ko； not you； tai…pan。 I help you lose weight never mind。〃
〃Thank you but no dessert and never in Hong Kong。〃
〃Ah！ Four Fingers said you'd say that； tai…pan； and for me not to be shamed。〃 She had beamed and poured him a whiskey。 〃I'm to say； Have passport can travel。〃
They had laughed together。 〃What else did Four Fingers say？〃 The tip of her tongue touched her lips。 〃Only that foreign devils are mighty very peculiar in some things。 Like saying no dessert！ As if it mattered。〃 She watched him。 〃I've never been with a barbarian before。〃
〃Oh？ Some of us are really quite civilized。〃 Dunross smiled to himself； remembering how tempted he was； their banter and the great meal； everything good…humored and satisfying。 Yes。 But that doesn't forgive that old bastard Four Fingers； nor the half…coin； nor the theft of the half…coin； he thought grimly； nor the trap that he thinks he has me in。 But all that es later。 First things e first。 Concentrate； there's a lot to do before you sleep tonight！
The list Claudia had given him was long； most of the calls urgent； and two hours of work were ahead of him。 Tiptop wasn't on the list； nor Lando Mata； Tightfist Tung； Four Fingers or Paul Choy。 Casey and Bartlett were there。 Travkin； Robert Armstrong。 Jacques deVille； Gavallan； Phillip Chen； Dianne Chen； Alan Holdbrook … Struan's in…house stockbroker … Sir Luis； and dozens of others spread throughout the world。 〃We'll get to them after Hiro Toda； Claudia。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃After Toda； I want to see Jacques … then Phillip Chen。 Anything on Mrs。 Riko Gresserhoff？〃
〃Her plane's due in at 7：00 p。m。 She's booked into the V and A and she'll be met。 Flowers are in her room。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Dunross went into his office and stared out of the window。 For the time being he had done everything he could for the Noble House and for Hong Kong。 Now it was up to joss。 And the next problem。 The ships。 His excitement picked up。
〃Hello； tai…pan。〃
〃Hello； Hiro。〃 Dunross shook the outstretched hand warmly。
Hiro Toda； managing director of Toda Shipping Industries was of an age with Dunross； trim； hard； and much shorter； with wise eyes and a ready smile； his accent slightly American from two years of postgraduate work at UCLA in the late forties。 〃May I introduce my associates： Mr。 Kazunari； Mr。 Ebe； Mr。 Kasigi。〃
The three younger men bowed and Dunross bowed back。 They were all dressed in dark suits； well cut； with white shirts and subdued ties。
〃Please sit down。〃 Airily Dunross waved to the chairs around the small conference table。 The door opened and his Japanese interpreter and assistant； Akiko； came in。 She brought a tray with green tea； introduced herself； poured the tea delicately； then took her seat near Dunross。 Though his Japanese was easily good enough for a business meeting she was necessary for face。
Partially in Japanese； partially in English； he began the polite conversation about inconsequential matters； that by Japanese custom preceded serious discussion。 It was also Japanese custom that business meetings were shared by many executives； the more senior the executive； usually the more people who came with him。
Dunross waited patiently。 He liked the other man。 Hiro Toda was titular head of the great shipping conglomerate that had been founded by his great…grandfather almost a hundred years before。 His forebears were daimyos； feudal lords； until feudalism and the samurai class was abolished in 1870 and modern Japan began。 His authority in Toda Shipping was outwardly all powerful； but as frequently happened in Japan； all real power was centered in the hands of his seventy…three…year…old father who； ostensibly； was retired。
At length Toda came to the point。 〃This stock market collapse must be very worrying； tai…pan。〃
〃A temporary loss of confidence。 I'm sure everything will work itself out over the weekend。〃
〃Ah yes。 I hope so too。〃
〃How long are you staying； Hiro？〃
〃Till Sunday。 Yes Sunday。 Then on to Singapore and Sydney。 I shall be back for the closing of our business with you next week。 I'm glad to tell you your ships are ahead of schedule。〃 Toda put a sheaf of papers on the table。 〃Here's a detailed report。〃
〃Excellent！〃 Dunross swung to the attack； blessing the gods and AMG and Kirk。 ing home last night he had suddenly realized the enormity of the key AMG and Kirk had given him to a plan he had been working on for almost a year。 〃Would you like to bring forward your payment schedule？〃
〃Ah！〃 The other man covered his surprise。 〃Perhaps I could discuss that with my colleagues later but I'm glad to hear that everything is in control then； and the takeover bid contained。〃
〃Didn't Sun Tzu say； 'He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them'？ Gornt is certainly snapping at our heels； of course the run on our banks is serious； but the worst is over。 Everything's just fine。 Don't you think we should expand th