James Clavell - Gai-Jin

by Gai-Jin(Lit)

  And our house is in turmoil, he thought disgustedly. Ah Tok is more difficult than ever, Ah Soh grumbling about the extra work and worry, the cooks complaining about his loss of appetite, the houseboys moaning that nothing pleases him, and all because this cowlike barbarian whore won't just do her duty. General opinion amongst the staff was that she must have one of those

  Rapacious Ravines Emperor Kung warned against:

  There are some the gods have lined with demons, their magnetic force so strong as to send men mad, and make them forget an immortal truth that one Yin is like another when the need is great, and worse, when at last one such Ravine opens to receive the

  Yang, this Heaven becomes Hell for there is never enough.

  "Ayeeyah, Tai-pan," Chen said, aiding him to undress. "This person was only saying your banquet pleased everyone."

  "Your Lord and Master knows exactly what you were saying." Malcolm struggled out of his shirt. His uncle, Gordon Chen, whom he treasured, had lectured him about the Emperor Kung's work, telling him this information, and other pieces of important knowledge about the Yang and Yin, was just between them and to be kept secret from his mother.

  "You are an impertinent bugger,"

  Malcolm said in English, his main defense with both Chen and Ah Tok. He could never seem to best them in Cantonese, but speaking English to them infuriated them. "And I know you were trying to be snide about the Mistress, but you'd better stop, by God."

  The round face twisted. "Tai-pan," Chen said, in his best Cantonese, helping him into bed,

  "this person has only the interests of his Master before all else."

  "Ayeeyah!" Malcolm scoffed. "Words from a forked tongue are as precious as mildew fish bones to a starving man." He noticed an envelope propped on the bureau. "What's that?"

  Chen hurried to fetch it, happy that the subject had changed from him. "A foreign devil arrived tonight to see you. Our shroff Vargas saw him. The foreign devil said the letter was urgent so the shroff asked this person to put it here in case our

  Illustrious Master wanted it."

  The writing was not familiar. "Which foreign devil?"

  "I don't know, Tai-pan. Is there anything else?"

  Malcolm shook his head, yawned and put the envelope on the side table and dismissed him. The medicine bottle beckoned. "I won't," he said firmly, started to turn down the oil flame, then changed his mind and opened the letter with sudden expectation, thinking it was from Heavenly, or even

  Father Leo.

  Dear Mr. Struan: Perhaps I may introduce myself, Edward Gornt of

  Rothwell's, Shanghai, late of Virginia, presently here in Yokohama for training with Mr.

  Norbert Greyforth at the request of Sir

  Morgan Brock.

  Mr. Greyforth has asked me to act as his second in the private, though pressing matter of the duel you challenged him to. Perhaps I could wait upon you tomorrow? Would the morning be convenient, say noon or thereabouts? I have the honor to be,

  Sir, your most obedient servant, Edward

  Gornt.

  The signature was as neat as the copperplate writing.

  Tuesday, 2nd December:

  "'Morning, Mr. Gornt. May I introduce Mr. McFay, chief of

  Struan's, Japan. Please make yourself comfortable--Jamie, you too. Coffee, tea, sherry, champagne?"

  "Nothing thank you, Mr. Struan."

  "Mr. McFay's one of my seconds.

  Details are supposed to be arranged by seconds, I believe. Yes?"

  "Yes, suh. I've met Mr. Syborodin but didn't discuss anything with him, according to Mr.

  Greyforth's wishes."

  The two young men studied each other. From the first instant both had experienced the same strange sensation: an intense attraction to the other. Each was thinking, How odd you could instantly like some people, for no apparent reason, while disliking others, loathing some, dismissing many. Even so, both were sure that however fierce their initial affinity, it would make no difference. Soon--today, tomorrow, even in the next few minutes--something would as quickly revert them to normality, to the comfortable historic enmity that bound their firms together and would reach down the ages, dismissing the first affinity as a peculiar aberration.

  Malcolm said, "What can I--we--do for you?"

  Gornt's smile was genuine, his teeth white, like Malcolm's. He was of similar height but built lighter, his clothes less elegant, dark hair against the reddy-brown of Struan, brown eyes against the blue. "Mr. Greyforth wanted to confirm dates, weapons, et cetera."

  Jamie said, "You know this is all against the law, Mr. Gornt, and the duel formally forbidden by Sir William?"

  "Yes, Mr. McFay."

  Jamie shifted uncomfortably, detesting his involvement more than ever, and further unsettled by the curious mood in the room. He could not read it.

  Where there should have been ice and enmity, it seemed more a waiting moment, weirdly pleasant and preordained. "That being said, what did Norbert have in mind?"

  "Today's Tuesday. Would a week from today be okay?"

  "I'd prefer Wednesday, the 10th,"

  Malcolm said at once. He had made a plan in the early hours. Sleep had eluded him. He had fought the dragon that was in the little bottle and had won, though the fight had taken its toll and this morning's measure had been a pathetic relief.

  Prancing Cloud would arrive Sunday and was due to leave Wednesday evening. He would arrange secretly with her captain to sail the moment he could get aboard after the duel. Either he would have already smuggled Angelique aboard or would organize Jamie to escort her home in the next ship, to be decided at the last minute, the latest by Tuesday. It might be best to bring

  Jamie with Angelique, thus negating part of his mother's fury against Jamie by being obedient to one of her wishes and, hopefully, make her withdraw the termination order--he owed it to Jamie to try in every way to extricate him. If Angelique was aboard, perhaps he could find a way to persuade

  Captain Strongbow to forget his mother's orders.

  It's a long shot, he thought, a very long shot but a faint heart never won a fair lady and it's the best I can do. Joss. "I'd prefer

  Wednesday."

  "I imagine that will be all right, suh. As to the place, we suggest first light at No Man's

  Land twixt the village and Drunk Town, not the racecourse as that's too public with early morning riders and so on."

  Malcolm laughed, not knowing why. "A good choice," he said before Jamie could answer. Much better for me, more secluded, closer to the sea, much easier to slip out to the clipper from the Drunk

  Town wharf than ours. "It's apparent you know a lot about Yokohama and you're here only a day."

  "It was Mr. Greyforth's suggestion, but I did check out both early this morning. No

  Man's Land is better, safer."

  "That's agreed. It will be difficult for me to walk my ten paces. I suggest we take our positions and on someone's order, yours if you wish, aim and fire."

  "I will consult Mr. Greyforth."

  "What else?"

  Gornt hesitated, then glanced at Jamie.

  "We can arrange details later, how our principals arrive, by what routes, which doctor we can trust who should be present, etc. Lastly, th--"

  "You seem to be very well informed about duels, Mr. Gornt," Jamie said thinly.

  "You've been involved in one?"

  "Several, Mr. McFay. As a principal once, and twice as a second, while I was at the Richmond University." Again the smile, warm, kind and sincere. "We take matters of honor very seriously in the South, suh."

  The pleasant unreality of the back and forth, and

  Jamie's belief that the tai-pan had been set up by Greyforth--notwithstanding Malcolm's stubbornness--broke his control. "Then you should know

  Norbert was in the wrong," he said angrily,

  "Norbert went out of his way to provoke the tai-pan, has done several times and there's no doubt he should apologize and then we could all stop t
his stupidity."

  "Jamie!" Malcolm said sharply, and would have told him to leave but for yesterday. Yesterday's debt was vast and forever so he just said as to the real friend that Jamie was, "This isn't your problem, and I know how you feel." He looked back at

  Gornt. "He is right you know, Norbert has been personally very difficult." Gornt did not reply. Malcolm shrugged and smiled. "Joss.

  It's not your problem either, Mr. Gornt. So, you were once a principal and twice a second.

  Clearly you won. The other man?"

  "I didn't kill him, suh, wasn't trying to kill him. I just wounded him."

  Both men watched each other, weighing the other.

  Jamie said nervously, "Then everything's settled."

  "Yes, except weapons. Mr. Greyforth chooses swords." Malcolm gasped and

  Jamie blanched.

  "Duelling pistols were agreed," Jamie said.

  "Agreed."

  "So sorry, suh, it wasn't agreed. Mr.

  Greyforth as the challenged party has the right to choose weapons."

  "But it was ag--"

  "Jamie, let me deal with this," Malcolm said, astonished with his own detachment, expecting trickery from Norbert. "It was always presumed we were gentlemen and would use pistols."

  "I'm sorry but those aren't my instructions, suh. As to gentlemen, my principal considers himself one, and chooses to defend his honor with a sword, which is quite customary."

  "Obviously that's not possible."

  "Mr. Greyforth also said--I must tell you I do not approve of this and told him so--he also said if you wanted, he would agree to knives, swords or fighting irons." Jamie began to get up but Malcolm stopped him.

  "In my present state, that's impossible,"

  Malcolm said, then gathered himself and said firmly,

  "If this is a ploy for Norbert to gain face, to humiliate me and call off the duel, then I spit in his eye and will continue to do so."

  Jamie flushed at the bravado, admired it and hated it, then suddenly realized this could be a perfect face-saver for both men. "Tai-pan, don't you think--"

  "No. Mr. Gornt, obviously I can't, now, even use a sword. Please ask

  Norbert to accept pistols."

  "Well, suh, I will certainly ask, certainly the first duty of a second is to try to bring about a reconciliation and it seems to me there's room enough for both you gentlemen in Asia.

  I'll ask."

  Jamie said, "Mr. Gornt, I'll be here.

  Anything I can do to help stop this insanity, just say the word."

  Gornt nodded, began to rise but stopped as

  Malcolm said, "Perhaps I could have a private word, Mr. Gornt? You don't mind, do you,

  Jamie?"

  "Not at all." Jamie shook hands with

  Gornt, then said to Malcolm, "There's a meeting of all traders to discuss Sir

  William's bombshell at noon in the

  Club."

  "I'll be there, Jamie, though there won't be much discussion, just a lot of shrieking and foul temper."

  "I agree. See you later, Tai-pan."

  Jamie left.

  In the fine office once more the two men watched each other. "You're aware of our Parliament's stupidity?"

  "Yes, suh, I am. All governments are stupid."

  "Would you join me in a glass of champagne?"

  "A celebration?"

  "Yes. I don't know why but I'm pleased to meet you."

  "Ah, then you felt the same? Not right, is it?"

  Malcolm shook his head and rang the bell.

  Chen appeared and when the champagne was opened and poured he went away, his little eyes darting from silent man to silent man. "Health!"

  "Health." Gornt replied, savoring the chilled wine.

  "I got the impression you wanted to speak privately."

  Gornt laughed. "I did indeed. Dangerous for an enemy to be able to read your mind, eh?"

  "Very, but we needn't be enemies.

  Rothwell's is a good client, the hatred and blood feud between the Struans and the Brocks needn't touch you, whatever Tyler or Morgan say."

  Gornt put his eyes on the cut-glass crystal and the bubbles, asking them if he was correct in thinking that the time was now or if he should wait. The tawny eyes considered Struan. He decided to dismiss the danger. "You are reputed to like secrets, to be trustworthy."

  "Are you?"

  "In matters of honor, yes. Your reputation... do you like stories, legends?"

  Malcolm concentrated, the unreality of the meeting and this man disorienting him. "Some better than others."

  "I'm here under false pretenses."

  Gornt's sudden smile lit up the room.

  "Christ Jesus I don't believe I'm truly here with the future tai-pan of the Noble

  House. I've waited and planned so long for this meeting and now it's arrived, before I came here I had no intention of saying anything now, other than what Mr. Greyforth asked me to say. But now?"

  He raised his glass. "To revenge."

  Malcolm thought about that, unafraid and spellbound, then drank and poured again. "It's a good toast in Asia."

  "Anywhere. First: I need your word of honor, the honor of the tai-pan of the Noble House, before

  God, that what I tell you will remain secret between us, until I release you."

  Malcolm hesitated. "So long as it's a story." Then he swore the oath.

  "Thank you. A story then. Are we safe here? Can anyone overhear us?"

  "In Asia, usually. We're aware doors have ears as well as walls, but I can fix that.

  Chen!" he called out. The door opened at once. In Cantonese he said, "Stay away from the door, keep everyone else away, even Ah Tok!"

  "Yes Tai-pan." The door closed.

  "Now you're safe, Mr. Gornt. I've known Chen all my life and he doesn't speak

  English, I think. You speak Shanghainese?"

  "A little, the same with Ning poh dialect."

  "You were saying?"

  "This is the first time I have ever told this story,"

  Gornt said and Malcolm believed him. "Once upon a time," he began, no lightness now, "a family went to England from Montgomery,

  Alabama--their home for generations--father, mother, and two children, a boy, and girl. She was fifteen, her name Alexandra and her father was the youngest of five brothers, Wilf Tillman was the oldest."

  "The co-founder of Cooper-Tillman?"

  Struan said, jarred.

  "The same. Alexandra's father was a minor tea and cotton broker, an investor with brother

  Wilf in Cooper-Tillman, and he went to London to work with Rothwell's on a three-year contract to advise on cotton--

  Cooper-Tillman was their major supplier.

  They stayed just under a year. Unfortunately both parents had gotten very ill, no wonder, eh, with the fogs and that weather, I nearly died myself while

  I was there--I spent two years in London training with Brock's, one with Rothwell's.

  Anyway, the Tillmans decided to go home.

  Halfway across the Atlantic Alexandra discovered she was pregnant."

  "Ayeeyah," Malcolm muttered.

  "Yes. The shock, on top of her adored father's illness, killed him. He was thirty-seven. They buried him at sea. The

  Captain's death certificate just said

  "brainstorm" but both she and her mother knew the real cause was the bad news. Alexandra was just sixteen, as pretty as a picture. That was in

  '35, twenty-seven years ago. Alexandra had a son, me. For an unmarried girl to have a child out of wedlock, to be a fallen woman... well,

  Mr. Struan, no need to tell you what a stigma and disaster that is, and Alabama's Bible country, our part, and the Tillmans gentry.

  Earlier we talked about honor, it's true what

  I said, that we take honor seriously, and dishonor. May I?" Gornt motioned to the champagne.