e on the upper Corniche just outside Eze。 The driver of the other car was drunk。 It was at two in the morning about； and when the police arrived； M。 Escary was already dead and his wife unconscious。 The doctor says she will mend； very well； but he is afraid that her； her internal organs； her childbearing organs may have permanent hurt。 She may require an operation。 He … 〃
〃Does she know this？〃
〃No； m'sieu； not yet； but Mme。 deVille was told； the doctor told her。 I met her as you ordered and have taken care of everything。 I have asked for a specialist in these things from Paris to consult with the Nice Hospital and he arrives this afternoon。〃
〃Is there any other damage？〃
〃Externally； non。 A broken wrist； a few cuts； nothing。 But 。。。 the poor lady is distraught。 It was glad 。。。 I was glad that her mother came； that helped； has helped。 She stays at the Métropole in a suite and I met her airplane。 Of course I will be in the constant touch。〃
〃Who was driving？〃
〃Mme。 Escary。〃
〃And the other driver？〃
There was a hesitation。 〃His name is Charles Sessonne。 He's a baker in Eze and he was ing home after cards and an evening with some friends。 The police have 。。。 Mme。 Escary swears his car was on the wrong side of the road。 He cannot remember。 Of course he is very sorry and the police have charged him with drunk driving an… 〃
〃Is this the first time？〃
〃Non。 Non； once before he was stopped and fined。〃
〃What'll happen under French law？〃
〃There will be a court and then 。。。 I do not know； m'sieu。 There were no other witnesses。 Perhaps a fine； perhaps jail； I do not know。 Perhaps he will remember he was on the right side； who knows？ I'm sorry。〃
Dunross thought a moment。 〃Where does this man live？〃
〃Rue de Verte 14； Eze。〃
Dunross remembered the village well； not far from Monte Carlo； high above； and the whole of the C？te d'Azur below and you could see beyond Monte Carlo into Italy； and beyond Cap Ferrat to Nice。 〃Thank you； Mr。 Deland。 I've telexed you 10；000 U。S。 for Mme。 deVille's expenses and anything else。 Whatever's necessary please do it。 Call me at once if there's anything 。。。 yes and ask the specialist to call me immediately after he's examined Mme。 Escary。 Have you talked with Mr。 Jacques deVille？〃
〃No； tai…pan。 You did not instruct this。 Should I phone？〃
〃No。 I'll call him。 Thank you again。〃 Dunross hung up and told Penelope everything； except about the internal injuries。
〃How awful！ How 。。。 how senseless！〃
Dunross was looking out at the sunset。 It was at his suggestion the young couple had gone to Nice and Monte Carlo where he and Penelope had had so much fun； and marvelous food； marvelous wine and a little gambling。 Joss； he thought； then added； Christ all bloody mighty！
He dialed Jacques deVille's house but he was not there。 He left a message for him to return the call。 〃I'll see him at the dinner tonight；〃 he said； the champagne now tasteless。 〃Well； we'd better get changed。〃
〃I'm not going； dear。〃
〃Oh but 。。。〃
〃I've lots to do to get ready for tomorrow。 You can make an excuse for me … of course you have to go。 I'll be ever so busy。 There's Glenna's school things … and Duncan gets back on Monday and his school things have to be sorted。 You'll have to put him on the aircraft； make sure he has his passport 。。。 You can easily make an excuse for me tonight as I'm leaving。〃
He smiled faintly。 〃Of course； Penn； but what's the real reason？〃
〃It's going to be a big do。 Robin's bound to be there。〃
〃They're not back till tomorrow！〃
〃No； it was in the Guardian's Extra。 They arrived this afternoon。 The whole delegation。 They're sure to be invited。〃 The banquet was being given by a multimillionaire property developer； Sir Shi…teh T'Chung； partially to celebrate the knighthood he had received in the last Honors List； but mostly to launch his latest charity drive for the new wing of the new Elizabeth Hospital。 〃I've really no wish to go； and so long as you're there； everything'll be all right。 I really want an early night too。 Please。〃
〃All right。 I'll deal with these calls； then I'll be off。 I'll see you though before I go。〃 Dunross walked upstairs and went into his study。 Lim was waiting there； on guard。 He wore a white tunic and black pants and soft shoes。 〃Evening； Lim；〃 Dunross said in Cantonese。
〃Good evening； tai…pan。〃 Quietly the old man motioned him to the window。 Dunross could see two men； Chinese； loitering across the street outside the high wall that surrounded the Great House； near the tall； open iron gates。 〃They've been there some time； tai…pan。〃
Dunross watched them a moment； disquieted。 His own guard had just been dismissed and Brian Kwok； who was also a guest at Sir Shi…teh's tonight； would e by shortly and go with him； acting as a substitute。 〃If they don't go away by dusk call Superintendent Crosse's office。〃 He wrote the number down； then added in Cantonese； his voice abruptly hard； 〃While I think of it； Lim； if I want any foreign devil car interfered with； I will order it。〃 He saw the old eyes staring back at him impassively。 Lim Chu had been with the family since he was seven； like his father before him； and his father； the first of his line who； in the very old days； before Hong Kong had existed； had been Number One Boy and looked after the Struan mansion in Macao。
〃I don't understand； tai…pan。〃
〃You cannot wrap fire in paper。 The police are clever and old Black Beard's a great supporter of police。 Experts can examine brakes and deduce all sorts of information。''
〃I know nothing of police。〃 The old man shrugged then beamed。 〃Tai…pan； I do not climb trees to find a fish。 Nor do you。 May I mention that in the night I could not sleep and I came here。 There was a shadow on the veranda balcony。 The moment I opened the study door the shadow slid down the drainpipe and vanished into the shrubs。〃 The old man took out a torn piece of cloth。 〃This was on the drainpipe。〃 The cloth was nondescript。
Dunross studied it； perturbed。 He glanced at Dirk Struan's oil painting over the fireplace。 It was perfectly in position。 He moved it away and saw that the hair he had delicately balanced on a hinge of the safe was untouched。 Satisfied； he replaced the picture； then checked the locks on the French windows。 The two men were still loitering。 For the first time Dunross was very glad that he had an SI guard。
34
7：58 P。M。：
It was hot and humid in Phillip Chen's study and he was sitting beside the phone staring at it nervously。 The door swung open and he jumped。 Dianne sailed in。
〃There's no point in waiting anymore； Phillip；〃 she said irritably。 〃You'd better go and change。 That devil Werewolf won't call tonight。 Something must have happened。 Do e along！〃 She wore an evening chong…sam in the latest； most expensive fashion； her hair bouffant； and she was bejeweled like a Christmas tree。 〃Yes。 Something must have happened。 Perhaps the police 。。。 huh； it's too much to expect they caught him。 More likely that fang pi devil's playing with us。 You'd better change or we'll be late。 If you hurr… 〃
〃I really don't want to go；〃 he snapped back at her。 〃Shitee T'Chung's a bore and now that he's Sir Shitee he's a double one。〃 Years ago Shi…teh had adulterated down to bee the nickname Shitee to his intimate friends。 〃Anyway； it's hardly eight o'clock and dinner's not till 9：30 and he's always late； his banquets are always at least an hour late。 For God's sake； you go！〃
〃Ayeeyah you've got to e。 It's a matter of face；〃 she replied； equally ill…tempered。 〃My God； after today at the stock market 。。。 if we don't go we'll lose terrible face and it's sure to push the stock down further！ All Hong Kong will laugh at us。 They can't wait。 They'll say we're so ashamed the House can't pay its bills that we won't show our face in public。 Huh！ And as for Shitee's new wife； Constance； that mealy…mouthed whore can't wait to see me humbled！〃 She was near screeching。 Her losses on the day exceeded 100；000 of her own secret private dollars。 When Phillip had called her from the stock market just after three to relate what had happened she had almost fainted。 〃Oh ko you have to e or we'll be ruined！〃
Miserably her husband nodded。 He knew what gossips and r