“What’s the ‘good cause’?”
“Me, dear boy. I need a cure. I’ve been poorly.”
“Aye, and I know what your problem is. You’re feeling your oats. Disgusting for a man your age!”
“You should be so lucky, dear lad. Must admit I’m marvelous. Fifty’s not much for an impoverished immortal.”
“You’ll get your twenty guineas when I get the painting.” Struan bent down and whispered significantly, “Aristotle, do you want a commission? Say a hundred pounds? Gold?”
Immediately Quance stuck out his hand. “I’m your man. My hand on it. Who do I have to kill?”
Struan laughed and told him about the ball and the judgeship.
“Great balls of fire, never, by God!” Quance exploded. “Am I a bloody fool? Do you want me detesticled? In an early grave? Hounded by every doxy in Asia? Ostracized? Never!”
“Only a man of your knowledge, your stature, your—”
“Never, by God! You, my erstwhile friend—for a miserable hundred pounds you put me in mortal danger. Yes, by God! Mortal danger! To be deviled, hated, ruined, dead before my time . . . make it two hundred?”
“Done!” Struan said.
Quance threw his hat in the air and danced a jig and hugged his stomach. Then he adjusted his purple silk waistcoat and picked up his hat and set it rakishly on his head. “Tai-Pan, you’re a prince. Who but I, Aristotle Quance, would dare to do such a thing? Who but I would be the perfect choice? Perfect! Oh, marvelous Quance! Prince of painters! Two hundred. In advance.”
“After the judging.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“No. You might leave. Or have the vapors.”
“I’d get off my deathbed to judge this contest. In fact, I’d have volunteered. Yes, by the blood of Rembrandt, I’d willingly pay—I’d pay a hundred guineas, if I had to crawl to Brock to borrow it, to have that privilege.”
“What?”
Quance threw his hat into the air again. “Oh happy, happy day! Oh, perfect Quance, immortal Quance. You’ve got your place in history. Immortal, perfect Quance.”
“I don’t understand you at all, Aristotle,” Robb said. “You really want the job?”
Quance picked up his hat and brushed the sand off it, his eyes dancing. “Have you considered the advantages such a position gives me? Eh? Why, every doxy in Asia will be—how shall I put it?—will be ready to sway the judge, eh? In advance.”
“And you’ll be ready to be swayed!” Struan said.
“Of course. But it will be an honest choice. The perfect choice. I know the winner now.”
“Who?”
“Another hundred pounds? Today?”
“What do you do with all the money, eh? Between Robb, Cooper and myself we give you a fortune!”
“Give? Huh! Give? It’s your privilege to support immortality. Privilege, by Lucifer’s hind tit! By the way, is there any brandy in those barrels? I’ve an immortal thirst.”
“There’s none. None at all.”
“How uncivilized! Disgusting.” Quance took some more snuff, and saw Longstaff bearing down. “Well, I’ll be off. Good day, lads.” He walked off whistling, and as he passed Longstaff he raised his hat gravely.
“Oh, Dirk,” Longstaff said, a broad smile on his face. “Why is Aristotle in such a good humor?”
“He’s just glad, like you, that we’re still The Noble House.”
“And quite right, too, what?” Longstaff was jovial and full of respect. “I didn’t know there was that much bullion in Asia. Magnificent to pay like that. By the way, would you have dinner this evening? There are some matters I’d like your opinion on.”
“Afraid I’m busy this evening, Will. Tomorrow? Why not come aboard our headquarters,
Resting Cloud? At noon.”
“Noon would be perfect. Perfect. I’m so glad—”
“Oh, by the way, Will. Why do you na cancel the fleet’s order sending them north?”
Longstaff frowned. “But those devils have repudiated our treaty, what?”
“The Manchu emperor has, yes. But this is typhoon weather. Better to keep the fleet in one piece. And under your thumb.”
Longstaff took a pinch of snuff, and dusted the ruffles of his resplendent waistcoat. “The admiral’s not concerned about weather. But if you say so.” He sneezed. “If we don’t go north, what do we do, eh?”
“Let’s talk about it tomorrow, shall we?”
“Very wise. Sleep on it. That’s the ticket, what? I’ll be glad to have your counsel again. Well, looks like we’re ready to begin. Delighted, by the way, with your other gesture.” Longstaff departed happily.
“What did he mean by that?” Robb asked.
“I dinna ken. The bullion, I suppose. Listen, Robb, tomorrow you welcome him,” Struan said. “Tell him what to do.”
“What’s that?” Robb’s face crinkled into a smile.
“Take the Bogue forts. Then stab at Canton. At once. Ransom Canton. Six million taels of silver. Then when the wind’s right, north. Just as before.”
“But he wants to talk to you.”
“You can twist him around your finger now. He’s seen the bullion.”
“He won’t trust me like he trusts you.”
“In five-odd months he’ll have to. How did Sarah take it?”
“As you expected. She’ll leave anyway.” Robb looked at the dais as there was a rustle of excitement. Longstaff was mounting the steps. “You’re so nice to his face, Dirk, even after he was so insulting. Yet I know you’ll put your mark on him now. Won’t you?”
“He’s the first governor of Hong Kong. Governors last for four years. There’s time and to spare for Longstaff.”
“What about the knoll?”
“That’s already been decided on.”
“You’re going to leave Brock holding it?”
“Nay.”
“Gentlemen,” Longstaff said to the assembled traders, “before we begin, I wish to confirm the principles of land ownership and disposal that have been recommended by me to Her Majesty’s Government.” He began reading from an official document. “All land is vested in Her Majesty. Allotments are to be made at a public auction to the highest bidder of an annual ground rent—the annual rent to be the subject of the bidding. Nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine-year leases. A building of a minimum value of one thousand dollars is to be erected within one year, the rate being fixed at four shillings and fourpence to the dollar. Otherwise the allotment is forfeit. A deposit of half the amount bid is to be paid in specie at once.” He looked up. “Originally we planned to offer one hundred lots today, but it has not been possible to survey them all. Approximately fifty are offered and the rest as soon as practicable. I have also recommended that purchasers be allowed to buy their lots in freehold, subject to Her Majesty’s pleasure. Oh yes, and purchasers of ‘marine lots’ may also choose ‘suburban’ or ‘country’ lots. Marine lots are fixed at one hundred feet wide, fronting on Queen’s Road and stretching to the sea.” He looked up and smiled pleasantly. “With the offering of land for sale, today we can presume the foundations of the town to be laid. Land has been set aside for the Courthouse, government offices, governor’s mansion, jail, a cricket ground, market square, and for the Orientals. I formally have called our town-to-be Queen’s Town!”