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n branch of the Ho…Pak Bank。
〃I've no more money to pay out； Honorable Sung；〃 the frightened teller whispered； sweat marking her neat chong…sam。
〃How much do you need？〃
〃7；457 for customer Tok…sing but there must be fifty more people waiting。〃
〃Go back to your window；〃 the equally nervous manager replied。 〃Delay。 Pretend to check the account further … Head Office swore another consignment left their office an hour ago 。。。 perhaps the traffic 。。。 Go back to your window； Miss Pang。〃 Hastily he shut the door of his office after her and； sweating； once more got on the phone。 〃The Honorable Richard Kwang please。 Hurry。 。。。〃
Since the bank had opened promptly at ten o'clock； four or five hundred people had squirmed their way up to one of the three windows and demanded their money in full and their savings in full and then； blessing their joss； had shoved and pushed their way out into the world again。
Those with safety deposit boxes had demanded access。 One by one； acpanied by an official； they had gone below to the vault； ecstatic or faint with relief。 There the official had used his key and the client his key and then the official had left。 Alone in the musty air the sweating client had blessed the gods that his joss had allowed him to be one of the lucky ones。 Then his shaking hands had scooped the securities or cash or bullion or jewels and all the other secret things into a briefcase or suitcase or paper bag … or stuffed them into bulging pockets； already full with bank notes。 Then； suddenly frightened to have so much wealth； so open and vulnerable； all the wealth of their individual world； their happiness had evaporated and they had slunk away to let another take their place； equally nervous； and； initially； equally ecstatic。
The line had started to form long before dawn。 Four Finger Wu's people took the first thirty places。 This news had rushed around the harbor； so others had joined instantly； then others； then everyone with any account whatsoever as the news spread； swelling the throng。 By ten； the nervous； anxious gathering was of riot proportions。 Now a few uniformed police were strolling among them； silent and watchful； their presence calming。 More came as the day grew； their numbers quietly and carefully orchestrated by East Aberdeen police station。 By noon a couple of Black Maria police vans were in one of the nearby alleys with a specially trained riot platoon in support。 And European officers。
Most of the crowd were simple fisherfolk and locals； Haklos and Cantonese。 Perhaps one in ten was born in Hong Kong。 The rest were recent migrants from the People's Republic of China； the Middle Kingdom； as they called their land。 They had poured into the Hong Kong sanctuary fleeing the munists or fleeing the Nationalists； or famine； or just simple poverty as their forebears had done for more than a century。 Ninety…eight of every hundred of Hong Kong's population were Chinese and this proportion had been the same ever since the Colony began。
Each person who came out of the bank told anyone who asked that they had been paid in full。 Even so； the others who waited were sick with apprehension。 All were remembering the crash of last year； and a lifetime in their home villages of other crashes and failures； frauds； rapacious money lenders； embezzlements and corruptions and how easy it was for a life's savings to evaporate through no fault of your own； whatever the government； munist； Nationalist or warlord。 For four thousand years it had always been the same。
And all loathed their dependence on banks … but they had to put their cash somewhere safe； life being what it was and robbers as plentiful as fleas。 Dew neh loh moh on all banks； most were thinking； they're inventions of the devil … of the foreign devils！ Yes。 Before foreign devils came to the Middle Kingdom there was no paper money； just real money； silver or gold or copper … mostly silver and copper … that they could feel and hide； that would never evaporate。 Not like filthy paper。 Rats can eat paper； and men。 Paper money's another invention of the foreign devil。 Before they came to the Middle Kingdom life was good。 Now？ Dew neh loh moh on all foreign devils！
At eight o'clock this morning； the anxious bank manager had called Richard Kwang。 〃But Honored Lord； there must be five hundred people already and the queue goes from here all along the waterfront。〃
〃Never mind； Honorable Sung！ Pay those who want their cash。 Don't worry！ Just talk to them； they're mostly just superstitious fisherfolk。 Talk them out of withdrawing。 But those who insist … pay！ The Ho…Pak's as strong as Blacs or the Victoria！ It's a malicious lie that we're overstretched！ Pay！ Check their savings books carefully and don't hurry with each client。 Be methodical。〃
So the bank manager and the tellers had tried to persuade their clients that there was really no need for any anxiety； that false rumors were being spread by malicious people。
〃Of course you can have your money； but don't you think 。。。〃
〃Ayeeyah； give her the money；〃 the next in line said irritably； 〃she wants her money； I want mine； and there's my wife's brother behind me who wants his and my auntie's somewhere outside。 Ayeeyah； I haven't got all day！ I've got to put to sea。 With this wind there'll be a storm in a few days and I have to make a catch。 。。。〃
And the bank had begun to pay out。 In full。
Like all banks； the Ho…Pak used its deposits to service loans to others … all sorts of loans。 In Hong Kong there were few regulations and few laws。 Some banks lent as much as 80 percent of their cash assets because they were sure their clients would never require back all their money at the same time。
Except today at Aberdeen。 But； fortunately； this was only one of eighteen branches throughout the Colony。 The Ho…Pak was not yet threatened。
Three times during the day the manager had had to call for extra cash from Head Office in Central。 And twice for advice。
At one minute past ten this morning Four Finger Wu was grimly sitting beside the manager's desk with Paul Choy； and Two Hatchet Tok standing behind him。
〃You want to close all your Ho…Pak accounts？〃 Mr。 Sung gasped shakily。
〃Yes。 Now；〃 Wu said and Paul Choy nodded。
The manager said weakly； 〃But we haven't en…〃
Wu hissed； 〃I want all my money now。 Cash or bullion。 Now！ Don't you understand？〃
Mr。 Sung winced。 He dialed Richard Kwang and explained quickly。 〃Yes； yes； Lord。〃 He offered the phone。 〃Honorable Kwang wants to speak to you； Honorable Wu。〃
But no amount of persuasion would sway the old seaman。 〃No。 Now。 My money； and the money of my people now。 And also from those other accounts； the； er； those special ones wherever they are。〃
〃But there isn't that amount of cash in that branch； Honored Uncle；〃 Richard Kwang said soothingly。 〃I'd be glad to give you a cashier's check。〃
Wu exploded。 〃I don't want checks I want money！ Don't you understand？ Money！〃 He did not understand what a cashier's check was so the frightened Mr。 Sung began to explain。 Paul Choy brightened。 〃That'll be all right； Honored Uncle；〃 he said。 〃A cashier's check's 。。。〃
The old man roared； 〃How can a piece of paper be like cash money？ I want money； my