A SMALL TOWN IN GERMANY by John le Carré

‘So Harting proposed himself for the task.’

‘Precisely.’

‘And you agreed.’

‘On a provisional basis. He should try his hand and see how it went. He has been working at it off and on for five months. When in doubt, I told him, he was to consult de Lisle. He never did so.’

‘Where did he actually do this work? In his room?’

Bradfield barely hesitated. ‘In Chancery Registry, where the most sensitive documents are kept. He had the run of the strong-room. He could draw whatever he wanted provided he didn’t overplay his hand. There isn’t even any record of what he did look at. There are also some letters missing; the Regis­trar will give you the details.’

Slowly Turner stood up, brushing his hands together as if they had sand on them.

‘Of the forty-odd missing files, eighteen are drawn from the Personality Survey and contain the most sensitive material on high-ranking German politicians. A careful reading would point clearly to our most delicate sources. The rest are Top Secret and cover Anglo-German agreements on a variety of subjects: secret treaties, secret codicils to published agree­ments. If he wished to embarrass us, he could hardly have chosen better. Some of the files go right back to forty-eight or nine.’

‘And the one special file? “Conversations Formal and Informal”?’

‘Is what we call a Green. It is subject to special procedures.’

‘How many Greens are there in the Embassy?’

‘This is the only one. It was in its place in Registry strong­room on Thursday morning. The Registrar noticed its absence on Thursday evening and assumed it was in operation. By Saturday morning he was deeply concerned. On Sunday he reported the loss to me.’

‘Tell me,’ said Turner at last. ‘What happened to him dur­ing last year? What happened between the two Decembers? Apart from Karfeld.’

‘Nothing specific.’

‘Then why did you go off him?’

‘I didn’t,’ Bradfield replied with contempt. ‘Since I never had any feeling for him either way, the question does not arise. I merely learnt during the intervening year to recognise his technique. I saw how he operated on people; how he wheedled his way in. I saw through him, that’s all.’

Turner stared at him.

‘And what did you see?’

Bradfield’s voice was as crisp and as finite and as irreducible as a mathematical formula. ‘Deceit. I’d have thought I had made that plain by now.’

Turner got up.

‘I’ll begin with his room.’

‘The Chancery Guard has the keys. They’re expecting you. Ask for Macmullen.’

‘I want to see his house, his friends, his neighbours; if neces­sary I’ll talk to his foreign contacts. I’ll break whatever eggs I’ve got to, no more no less. If you don’t like it, tell the Ambassador. Who’s the Registrar?’

‘Meadowes.’

‘Arthur Meadowes?’

‘I believe so.’

Something held him back: a reluctance, a hint of uncer­tainty, almost of dependence, a middle tone quite out of character with anything that had gone before.

‘Meadowes was in Warsaw, wasn’t he?’

‘That’s correct.’

Louder now: ‘And Meadowes has a list of the missing files, has he?’

‘And letters.’

‘And Harting worked for him, of course.’

‘Of course. He is expecting you to call on him.’

‘I’ll see his room first.’ It was a resolution he seemed to have reached already.

‘As you wish. You mentioned you would also visit his house -‘

‘Well?’

‘I am afraid that at present it is not possible. It is under police protection since yesterday.’

‘Is that general?’

‘What?’

‘The police protection?’

‘Siebkron insists upon it. I cannot quarrel with him now.’

‘It applies to all hirings?’

‘Principally the more senior ones. I imagine they have included Harting’s because it is remote.’

‘You don’t sound convinced.’

‘I cannot think of any other reason.’

‘What about Iron Curtain Embassies; did Harting hang around them at all?’

‘He went to the Russians occasionally; I cannot say how often.’

‘This man Praschko, the friend he had, the politician. You said he used to be a fellow-traveller.’

‘That was fifteen years ago.’

‘And when did the association end?’

‘It’s on the file. About five years ago.’

‘That’s when he had the fight in Cologne. Perhaps it was with Praschko.’

‘Anything is possible.’

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