Herr Kretzschmar did not conceal his anxiety. A frown of what seemed to be genuine concern clouded his smooth face and he spoke quite sharply.
‘How so an accident? What sort of accident?’
‘A fatal one. I came to warn Otto and talk to him.’
Herr Kretzschmar owned a fine gold pencil. Taking it deliberately from an inside pocket he popped out the point and, still frowning, drew a pure circle on the pad before him. Then he set a cross on top, then he drew a line through his creation, then he tutted and said ‘Pity,’ and when he had done all this he straightened up, and spoke tersely into a machine. ‘No disturbances,’ he said. In a murmur, the voice of the grey receptionist acknowledged the instruction.
‘You said Herr Leipzig was an old acquaintance of your parent company?’ Herr Kretzschmar resumed.
‘As I believe you yourself were, long ago, Herr Kretzschmar.’
‘Please explain this more closely,’ Herr Kretzschmar said, turning the pencil slowly in both hands as if studying the quality of the gold.
‘We are talking old history, of course,’ said Smiley deprecatingly.
‘This I understand.’
‘When Herr Leipzig first escaped from Russia he came to Schleswig-Holstein,’ Smiley said. ‘The organization which had arranged his escape was based in Paris, but as a Balt, he preferred to live in northern Germany. Germany was still occupied and it was difficult for him to make a living.’
‘For anyone,’ Herr Kretzschmar corrected him. ‘For anyone at all to make a living. Those were fantastically hard times. The young of today have no idea.’
‘None,’ Smiley agreed. ‘And they were particularly hard for refugees. Whether they came from Estonia or from Saxony, life was hard for them.’
‘This is absolutely correct. The refugees had it worst. Please continue.’
‘In those days there was a considerable industry in information. Of all kinds. Military, industrial, political, economic. The victorious powers were prepared to pay large sums of money for enlightening material about each other. My parent company was involved in this commerce, and kept a representative here whose task was to collect such material and pass it back to London. Herr Leipzig and his partner became occasional clients. On a freelance basis.’
News of the General’s fatal accident notwithstanding, a swift and most unexpected smile passed like a breeze across the surface of Herr Kretzschmar’s features.
‘Free lance,’ he said, as if he liked the words, and was new to them. ‘Free lance,’ he repeated. ‘That’s what we were.’
‘Such relationships are naturally of a temporary nature,’ Smiley continued. ‘But Herr Leipzig, being a Balt, had other interests and continued over a long period to correspond with my firm through intermediaries in Paris.’ He paused. ‘Notably a certain General. A few years ago, following a dispute, the General was obliged to move to London, but Otto kept in touch with him. And the General on his side remained the intermediary.’
‘Until his accident,’ Herr Kretzschmar put in.
‘Precisely,’ Smiley said.
‘It was a traffic accident? An old man – a bit careless?’
‘He was shot,’ said Smiley and saw Herr Kretzschmar’s face once more wince with displeasure. ‘But murdered,’ Smiley added, as if to reassure him. ‘It wasn’t suicide or an accident or anything like that.’
‘Naturally,’ said Herr Kretzschmar, and offered Smiley a cigarette. Smiley declined, so he lit one for himself, took a few puffs, and stubbed it out. His pale complexion was a shade paler.
‘You have met Otto? You know him?’ Herr Kretzschmar asked in the tone of one making light conversation.
‘I have met him once.’
‘Where?’
‘I am not at liberty to say.’
Herr Kretzschmar frowned, but in perplexity rather than disapproval.
‘Tell me, please. If your parent company – okay, London – wanted to reach Herr Leipzig directly, what steps did it take?’ Herr Kretzschmar asked.
‘There was an arrangement involving the Hamburger Abendblatt.’
‘And if they wished to contact him very urgently?’
‘There was you.’
‘You are police?’ Herr Kretzschmar asked quietly. ‘Scotland Yard?’
‘No.’ Smiley stared at Herr Kretzschmar and Herr Kretzschmar returned his gaze.
‘Have you brought me something?’ Herr Kretzschmar asked. At a loss, Smiley did not immediately reply. ‘Such as a letter of introduction? A card, for instance?’