This too was answered with a burst of clapping. Even as he was joining in the applause, Bahram noticed that his two neighbours were exchanging smiles and glances that seemed to say: ‘Did I not tell you so?’

Under cover of the noise Dent leant close to Bahram’s ear: ‘You see, Barry, how things are disposed of amongst us?’

Bahram decided to answer cautiously. ‘Pray, Lancelot, what is your meaning?’

Dent’s voice, although low, became very intense: ‘We are at a critical juncture, Barry, and I do not think we have the leadership we need.’

He cut himself short as Mr Lindsay rose to his feet, glass in hand. ‘Gentlemen, the Queen …’

After the toasts had been drunk Mr Lindsay declared that the evening was not over yet, far from it. At a signal from him the sliding doors that connected the dining room to the reception room were thrown open: inside were three fiddlers, setting up their music stands. They struck up a waltz and Mr Lindsay gestured to his guests to rise. ‘Come, gentlemen, this would scarcely be a Canton evening if it did not end with some dancing. I am sure Mr Jardine and Mr Wetmore will lead the way, as they have so often in the past.’

Now, as the guests began to pair off around the table, Bahram realized that he would have to choose between Mr Slade and Mr Dent. He turned hurriedly to his right: ‘Shall we dance, Lancelot?’

‘Why certainly, Barry,’ said Dent. ‘But can I have a minute of your time before that?’

‘Of course.’

Linking his arm with Bahram’s, Dent led him out to the wide balcony that adjoined the dining room. ‘You must know, Barry,’ he said in a low voice, ‘that we are facing a crisis of unprecedented magnitude. It should come as no surprise that the Grand Manchu has decided to demonstrate his omnipotence by prohibiting the entry of opium into this country. It is in the nature of tyranny for tyrants to be seized by fancies, and it is clear that this one will stop at nothing to enforce his whim: arrests, raids, executions – the monster is willing to use every instrument of oppression that is available to him. None of this is perhaps surprising in a heathen despot – but I am sorry to say that there are some in our community here who would gladly march to the tyrant’s tune.’

‘Are you referring to Charles King?’ said Bahram.

‘Yes,’ said Dent. ‘My fear is that in Mr Jardine’s absence he will attempt to seize control of the Committee. Fortunately he has little support and Mr Jardine’s adherents will not allow them to prevail. Yet, the means by which Mr Jardine and his people propose to solve our problems are not much different: they speak of Free Trade and yet their intention is to invite the armed intervention of none other than Her Majesty’s government. To me this is not merely a contradiction of the principles of Free Trade, but a mockery of them: it is my belief that whenever governments attempt to sway the Invisible Hand, whenever they attempt to bend the flow of trade to their will, then must free men fear for their liberties – for that is when we know that we are in the presence of a power that seeks to make children of us, a force that seeks to usurp the sovereign will that God has bestowed equally on all of us. A pox on both their houses I say.’