Play@YSDC

While Elisabeth has learned Chinese, the speed at which the sisters speak makes it hard to follow. "What was that about?" she asks curiously.

Prof. Pavlov, stood next to the buffet table, greets a sweating Prof. Eichenstein as he returns from the dance floor. Chunhua walks past, very trim in a tight fitting dress.



"Look at the legs on that!"

"Steady, Otto," says Prof. Pavlov, "you'll have a heart attack."

• ~

Mingzhu scowls at Chunhua as she departs. "Bitch!" Mingzhu rearranges her unpleasant face. "Sorry, Elisabeth, I don't like her--as you heard! . . . Chunhua was reminding me that Father wants us, in an hour or so, to help prepare for his speech."

"That's a shame that you don't get along with your sister," says Elisabeth, lowering her head. "I never had a sister, but I've always wanted one. I suppose it's not all it's cracked up to be."

Mingzhu's eyes wander to one side: she's thinking. "Chunhua is not my sister. I don't know what Father sees in her; actually, I could guess . . ."

"Oh..." says Elisabeth, her jaw dropping involuntarily. She then closes her mouth. "Well, no wonder you dislike her. She's certainly young enough to be his daughter, and that's how he introduced her."

Mingzhu fumbles at her cigarette packet, pulls one out, lights it, and begins drawing breath and exhaling a little too fast. She does not look at Elisabeth during these moments.

Elisabeth quickly changes the subject. "That Japanese chap certainly can eat a lot," she says. "I wonder if perhaps Professor Pavlov would find him an interesting study."

"Akita," says Mingzhu, "they're Japanese--a big powerful dog; our guest is meant to be Sumo? but he's more slug-like! Anyhow, I hate the Japanese, especially since they seized a huge chunk of Chinese territory. Why Father allowed him, and that witch, inside I have no idea. I suppose he wanted to avoid a scene."

Tatsuo stares towards the gaming tables for a long while. He then sucks the meat off a dried pork rib before stuffing three spicy wantons into his mouth.

He looks to his mother and bows.



[Japanese] I am going to the gaming tables mother... to try my fortune at dice.. I feel lucky mother...

Arashi scowls.. the lines in her aged face thicken and her eyes darken for a long moment before Tatsuo's mother composes herself and sighs....



[Japanese] We have no money to spare Tatsuo.

[Japanese] We have plenty mother.. I will not spend carelessly...

[Japanese] To gamble is to be careless Tatsuo. But if you must.. then go. I will be watching you my son! Do not dishonor your poor mother in front of all these dignified strangers. Do you understand?

Hai!

With that, Tatsuo stuffs four pork filled dumplings into his mouth and heads towards the gaming tables. He smiles at the little white girl Posie as he passes her and risks a wave. Luckily his mother was enjoying her own shark fin soup to be bothered.

Elisabeth shrugs. "Could be," she says. "Does your father often host this sort of party?"

Mingzhu discards her cigarette again. "About once a year. The parties are nearly always for Chinese dignitaries from the ports: Canton, Shanghai, Macau; we even had a warlord here!--I was quite young, the year when that beast with the string-like moustache stank out the hall. Tonight was organised because Father heard of Fleming and Maillart and their 'secret' objective."

Elisabeth grins. "When one wishes to keep something secret," she says, "one usually does not hold a party to celebrate it. If your father knows, I'm sure word has spread. The authorities must simply be looking the other way - probably because they've been paid to."

"Too right. The corruption in this country is incredible!

"The piano player in the "Harry Roy" band is a bit of a dish; let's go and have look-see."

"Oh, yes, let's!" says Elisabeth with a broad grin. She goes arm in arm with Mingzhu towards the piano.