It wasn't till years after that Dunross had discovered that some of the most famous houses in Hong Kong and Macao had secretly bid for the privilege of servicing the first pillow time of a future tai-pan and the great-great-grandson of Green-Eyed Devil himself. Apart from the face the house would gain for generations to be the one chosen by the compradore of the Noble House, it would also be enormous joss for the lady herself. First Time Essence of even the meanest personage was an elixir of marvelous value just as, in Chinese lore, for the elderly man, the yin juices of the virgin were equally prized and sought after to rejuvenate the yang.

"Good sweet Christ, Uncle Chen-chenl" he had exploded. "It's true? You actually sold me? You mean to tell me you sold me to a bloody house! Me?"

"Of course." The old man had peered up at him, and chuckled and chuckled, bedridden now in the great house of the Chens on the ridge of Struan's Lookout, almost blind now and near death but sweetly unresisting and content. "Who told you, who, eh? Eh, young Ian?"

It was Tusk, a widower, a great frequenter of Kowloon's dance halls and bars and houses who had been told it as a legend by one of the mama-sans who had heard that it was a custom in the Noble House that the compradore had to arrange the first pillow time for the progeny of Green-Eyed Devil Struan. "Yes, old boy," Tusk had told him. "Dirk Struan said to Sir Gordon Chen, old Chen-chen's father, he'd put his Evil Eye on the House of Chen if they didn't choose correctly."

"Balls," Dunross had said to Tusk, who had continued, pained, that he was just passing on a legend which was now part of Hong Kong's folklore and, balls or not tan old chum, your first bang-dittybang-bang was worth thousands Hong Kong to that old raker "I think that's pretty bloody awful, Uncle Chen-chen!"

"But why? It was a most profitable auction. It cost you nothing but gave you enormous pleasure. It cost me nothing but gave me 20,000 HK. The girl's house gained vast face and so did the girl. It cost her nothing but gave her years of a huge clientele who would want to share the specialness of your Number One choice!"

Elegant Jade had been the only name he knew her by. She had been twenty-two and very practiced, a professional since she had been sold to the house by her parents when she was twelve. Her house was called the House of a Thousand Pleasures. Elegant Jade was sweet and gentle when it pleased her and a total dragon when it pleased her. He had been madly in love with her and their affair had lasted over two summer holidays from boarding school in England, which was the contract time that Chen-chen had arranged. The moment he had returned on the first day of the third summer he had hurried to the house, but she had vanished.

Even today Dunross could remember how distraught he had been, how he had tried to find her. But the girl had left no trace in her wake.

"What happened to her, Uncle Chen-chen? Really happened?"

The old man sighed, lying back in his huge bed, tired now. "It was time for her to go. It is always too easy for a young man to give too much to a girl, too much time, too much thought. It was time for her to goa after her you could choose for yourself and you needed to put your mind on the House and not on hera Oh don't try to hide your desire, I understand, oh, how I understand! Don't worry, she was well paid, my son, you had no child by hera"

"Where is she now?"

"She went to Taiwan. I made sure she had enough money to begin her own house, she said that's what she wanted to do anda and part of my arrangement was that I bought her out of her contract. That cost me, was it 5a or 10,000a I can't remembera Please excuse me, I'm tired now. I must sleep a little. Please come back tomorrow, my sona"

Dunross sipped his wine, remembering. That was the only time that old Chen-chen ever called me my son, he thought. What a grand old man! If only I could be so wise, so kind and so wise, and worthy of him.

Chen-chen had died a week later. His funeral was the greatest Hong Kong had ever seen, with a thousand professional wailers and drums following the coffin to its burial place. The white-clad women had been paid to follow the coffin, wailing loudly to the Heavens, petitioning the gods to grease the way of this great man's spirit to the Void or rebirth or to whatever happens to the spirit of the dead. Chen-chen was a nominal Christian so he had had two services for safety, one Christian, the other Buddhista "Hello, tai-pan!"

Casey was there with Linc Bartlett beside her. Both were smiling though both were looking a little tired.

He greeted them and Casey ordered a Scotch and soda and Linc a beer.

"How's your day been?" Casey asked.

"Up and down," he said after a pause. "How was yours?"

"Busy, but we're getting there," she said. "Your attorney, Dawson, canceled our date this morning that's on again for tomorrow at noon. The rest of my day was on the phone and the telex to the States, getting things organized. Service is good here, this is a great hotel. We're all set to complete our side of the agreement."

"Good. I think I'll attend the meeting with Dawson," Dunross said. "That'll expedite matters. I'll get him to come over to our offices. I'll send a car for you at 11:10."

"No need for that, tai-pan. I know my way on the ferry," she said. "I went back and forth this afternoon. Best five cents American I've ever spent. How'd you keep the fares so low?"

"We carried forty-seven million passengers last year." Dunross glanced at Bartlett. "Will you be at the meeting tomorrow?"

"Not unless you want me for something special," he said easily. "Casey handles the legals initially. She knows what we want, and we've got Seymour Steigler III coming in on Pan Am's flight Thursday he's our head counsel and tax attorney. He'll keep everything smooth with your attorneys so we can close in seven days, easy."

"Excellent" A smiling obsequious waiter brought their drinks and topped up Dunross's glass. When they were alone again Casey said quietly, "Tai-pan, your ships. You want them as a separate agreement? If the attorneys draw it up it won't be private. How do we keep it private?"

"I'll draw up the document and put our chop on it. That'll make it legal and binding. Then the agreement stays secret between the three of us, eh?"

"What's a chop, Ian?" Bartlett asked.

"It's the equivalent of a seal." Dunross took out a slim, oblong bamboo container, perhaps two inches long and half an inch square, and slid back the tight-fitting top. He took out the chop, which fitted the scarlet silk-lined box, and showed it to them. It was made of ivory. Some Chinese characters were carved in relief on the bottom. "This is my personal chop it's hand-carved so almost impossible to forge. You stick this end in the inka" The ink was red and almost solid, neatly in its compartment in one end of the box. ''a and imprint the paper. Quite often in Hong Kong you don't sign papers, you just chop them. Most aren't legal without a chop. The company seal's the same as this, only a little bigger."

"What do the characters mean?" Casey asked.

"They're a pun on my name, and ancestor. Literally they mean 'illustrious, razor sharp, throughout the noble green seas.' The pun's on Green-Eyed Devil, as Dirk was called, the Noble House, and a dirk or knife." Dunross smiled and put it away. "It has other meanings the surface one's'tai-pan of the Noble House.' In Chinesea" He glanced around at the sound of a bicycle bell. The young bellhop was walking through the crowds carrying a small paging board aloft on a pole that bore the scrawled name of the person wanted. The page was not for them so he continued, "With Chinese writing, there are always various levels of meanings. That's what makes it complex, and interesting."

Casey was fanning herself with a menu. It was warm in the foyer though the ceiling fans were creating a gentle breeze. She took out a tissue and pressed it beside her nose. "Is it always this humid?" she asked.

Dunross smiled. "It's relatively dry today. Sometimes it's ninety degrees and ninety-five humidity for weeks on end. Autumn and spring are the best times to be here. July, August, September are hot and wet. Actually, though, they're forecasting rain. We might even get a typhoon. I heard on the wireless there's a tropical depression gathering southeast of us. Yes. If we're lucky it'll rain. There's no water rationing in the V and A yet, is there?"

"No," Bartlett said, "but after seeing the pails in your house last night, I don't think I'll ever take water for granted again."

"Nor me," Casey said. "It must be terribly hard."

"Oh, you get used to it. By the way my suggestion about the document is satisfactory?" Dunross asked Bartlett, wanting it settled and irritated with himself that he was trapped into having to ask. He was grimly amused to notice that Bartlett hesitated a fraction of a second and glanced imperceptibly at Casey before saying, "Sure."

"Ian," Bartlett continued, "I've got Forrester the head of our foam division coming in on the same flight. I thought we might as well get the show on the road. There's no reason to wait until we have papers, is there?"

"No." Dunross thought a moment and decided to test his theory. "How expert is he?"

"Expert."

Casey added "Charlie Forrester knows everything there is to know about polyurethane foam manufacturing, distribution and sales."

"Good." Dunross turned to Bartlett and said innocently, "Would you like to bring him to Taipei?" He saw a flash behind the American's eyes and knew that he had been correct. Squirm, you bastard, he thought, you haven't told her yet! I haven't forgotten the rough time you gave me last night, with all your secret information. Squirm out of this one with face! "While we're golfing or whatever, I'll put Forrester with my experts he can check out possible sites and set that in motion."

"Good idea," Bartlett said, not squirming at all, and Dunross's opinion of him went up.

"Taipei? Taipei in Taiwan?" Casey asked excitedly. "We're going to Taipei? When?"

"Sunday afternoon," Bartlett said, his voice calm. "We're going for a couple of days, Ian an"

'perfect, Line," she said with a smile. "While you're golfing, I can check things out with Charlie. Let me play next time around. What's your handicap, tai-pan?"

"Ten," Dunross answered, "and since Linc Bartlett knows I'm sure you do too."

She laughed. "I'd forgotten that vital statistic. Mine's fourteen on a very good day."

"Give or take a stroke or two?"

"Sure. Women cheat in golf as much as men."

"Oh?"

"Yes. But unlike men they cheat to lower their handicap. A handicap's a status symbol, right? The lower the score, the more the status! Women don't usually bet more than a few dollars so a low handicap's not that vital except for face. But men? I've seen them hit one deliberately into the rough to pick up two extra strokes if they were on a dynamite round that would drop their handicap a notch. Of course that was only if they weren't playing that particular round for money. What's the stake between your pairs?"

"500 HK.".

She whistled. "A hole?"

"Hell, no," Bartlett said. "The game."

"Even so, I think I'd better kibitz this one."

Dunross said, "What's that mean?"

"To watch. If I'm not careful, Linc will put my end of Par-Con on the line." Her smile warmed both of them, and then, because Dunross had deliberately dropped Bartlett into the trap, he decided to extract him.

"That's a fine idea, Casey," he said, watching her carefully. "But on second thought, perhaps it would be better for you and Forrester to check out Hong Kong before Taipei this will be our biggest market. And if your lawyer arrives Thursday you might wish to spend time with him here." He looked at Bartlett directly, the picture of innocence. "If you want to cancel our trip, that's all right too, you've plenty of time to go to Taipei. But I must go."

"No," Bartlett said. "Casey, you cover this end. Seymour will need all the help you can give him. I'll make a preliminary tour this time and we can do it together later."

She sipped her drink and kept her face clear. So I'm not invited, huh? she thought with a flash of irritation. "You're off Sunday?"

"Yes," Dunross said, sure that the finesse had worked, detecting no change in her. "Sunday afternoon I may be doing a hill climb in the morning, so that's the earliest I can make it."

"Hill climb? Mountain climbing, tai-pan?"

"Oh no. Just with a motorcar in the New Territories. You're both welcome if you're interested." He added to Bartlett, "We could go directly to the airport. If I can clear your aircraft, I will. I'll ask about that tomorrow."

"Linc," Casey said, "what about Armstrong and the police? You're grounded here."

"I arranged that today," Dunross said, "he's paroled into my custody."

She laughed. "Fantastic! Just don't jump bail!"

"I won't."

"You're off Sunday, tai-pan? Back when?"

"Tuesday, in time for dinner."

"Tuesday's when we sign?"

"Yes."

"Line, isn't that cutting it tight?"

"No. I'll be in constant touch. The deal's set. All we need is to put it on paper."

"Whatever you say, Linc. Everything will be ready for signature when you two get back. Tai-pan, I'm to deal with Andrew if there's any problem?"

"Yes. Or Jacques." Dunross glanced at the far corner. Now their table was occupied by others. Never mind, he told himself. Everything was done that could be done. "The phone service is good to Taipei so there's no need to worry. Now, are you free for dinner?"

"We certainly are," Bartlett said.

"What sort of food would you like?"

"How about Chinese7"

"Sorry, but you've got to be more specific," Dunross said. "That's like saying you want European cooking which could run the gamut from Italian to boiled English."

"Line, shouldn't we leave it to the tai-pan?" Casey said, and added, "Tai-pan, I have to confess, I like sweet and sour, egg rolls, chop suey and fried rice. I'm not much on anything far out."

"Nor am I," Bartlett agreed. "No snake, dog or anything exotic."

"Snake's very good in season," Dunross said. "Especially the bile mixed with tea. It's very invigorating, a great pick-me-up! And little young chow dog stewed in oyster sauce is just perfect."

"You've tried it? You've tried dog?" She was shocked.

"I was told it was chicken. It tasted a lot like chicken. But never eat dog and drink whiskey at the same time, Casey. They say it turns the meat into lumps of iron that'll give you a very hard time indeeda"

He was listening to himself make jokes and inconsequential small talk while he was watching Jacques and Susanne getting into a taxi. His heart went out to them and to Kathy and to all the others and he wanted to get on the plane himself, to rush there and bring Avril back safely such a nice girl, part of his familya How in the name of Christ do you live as a man, rule the Noble House and stay sane? How do you help the family and make deals and live with all the rest of it?

"That's the joy and the hurt of being tai-pan," Dirk Struan had said to him in his dreams, many times.

Yes, but there's very little joy.

You're wrong and Dirk's right and you're being far too serious, he told himself The only serious problems are Par-Con, the boom, Kathy, AMG's papers, Crosse, John Chen, Toda Shipping, and the fact that you turned down Lando Mata's offer, not necessarily in that order. So much money.

What is it I want out of life? Money? Power? Or all China?

He saw Casey and Bartlett watching him. Since these two've arrived, he thought, I've had nothing but trouble. He looked back at them. She was certainly worth looking at with her tight pants and clinging blouse. "Leave it to me," he said, deciding that tonight he would like some Cantonese food.

They heard the page bell and saw the paging board and the name was "Miss K. C. Shuluk." Dunross beckoned the youth. "He'll show you to the phone, Casey."

"Thanks." She got up. Eyes followed the long, elegant legs and her sensuous walk the women jealous, hating her.

"You're a son of a bitch," Bartlett said calmly.

"Oh?"

"Yes." He grinned and that took the curse off everything. "20 to I says Taipei was a probe but I'm not calling you on it, Ian. No. I was rough last night had to be, so maybe I deserved a roasting. But don't do that a second time with Casey or I'll hand you your head."

"Will you now?"

"Yes. She's off limits." Bartlett's eyes went back to Casey. He saw her pass the Marlowe table, stop a second and greet them and their children, then go on again. "She knows she wasn't invited."

Dunross was perturbed. "Are you sure? I thoughta I didn't cover properly? The moment I realized you hadn't told her yeta Sorry, thought I'd covered."

"Hell, you were perfect! But five'll still get you ten she knows she wasn't invited." Bartlett smiled again, and, once more, Dunross wondered what was under the smile. I'll have to watch this bugger more closely, he thought. So Casey's off limits, is she? I wonder what he really meant by that?

Dunross had chosen the foyer deliberately, wanting to be seen with the now famous or infamous Bartlett and his lady. He knew it would fuel rumors of their impending deal and that would further agitate the stock market and put the punters off balance. If the Ho-Pak crashed, provided it did not bring other banks down with it, the boom could still happen. If Bartlett and Casey would bend a little, he thought, and if I could really trust them, I could make a killing of killings. So many ifs. Too many. I'm out of control of this battle at the moment. Bartlett and Casey have all the momentum. How far will they cooperate?

Then something Superintendent Armstrong and Brian Kwok had said triggered a vagrant thought and his anxiety increased.

"What do you think of that fellow Banastasio?" he asked, keeping his voice matter-of-fact.