Free The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré

make you a
proposition, a journalisticproposition.”
    There was a pause.
    “Journalistic,” Leamas repeated. “I
see.”
    “I run an agency, an international feature
service. It pays well—very well—for interesting material.”
    “Who publishes the material?”
    “It pays so well, in fact, that a man with
your kind of experience of…the international scene, a man with your
background, you understand, who provided convincing, factual material, could
free himself in a comparatively short time from further financial worry.”
    “Who publishes the material, Kiever?”
There was a threatening edge toLeamas’
voice, and for a moment, just for a moment, a look of apprehension seemed to
pass across Kiever’s smooth face.
    “International clients. I have a correspondent in Paris who disposes of a gooddeal of my stuff. Often I don’t even know who does publish. I confess,” he added with a disarming smile, “that I don’t
awfully care. They pay and they ask for more. They’re the kind of people, you
see, Leamas, who don’t fuss about awkward details; they pay promptly, and
they’re happy to pay into foreign banks, for instance, where noone bothers about things like
tax.”
    Leamas said nothing. He was holding his glass with
both hands, staring into it.
    Christ, they’re rushing their fences, Leamas
thought; it’s indecent. He remembered some silly music hail joke—”This is
an offer no respectable girl could accept—and besides, I don’t know what it’s
worth.” Tactically, he reflected, they’re right to rush it. I’m down and
out, prison experience still fresh, social resentment strong. Fm an old horse,
I don’t need breaking in; I don’t have to pretend they’ve offended my honor as
an English gentleman.
    On the other hand they would expect practical objections. They would expect him to be afraid; for his Service pursued
traitors as the eye of God followed Cain across the desert. And finally, they
would know it was a gamble. They would know that inconsistency in human
decision can make nonsense of the best planned espionage approach; that cheats,
liars and criminals may resist every blandishment while respectable gentlemen
have been moved to appalling treasons by watery cabbagein a departmental canteen.
    “They’d have to pay a hell of a lot,”
Leamas muttered at last. Kiever gave him some more whisky.
    “They are offering a down payment of fifteen
thousand pounds. The money isalready
lodged at the Banque Cantonale in Bern .
On production of a suitable identification, with which my clients will provide
you, you can draw the money. My clients reserve the right to put questions to
you over the period of one year onpayment
of another five thousand pounds. They will assist you with any…resettlement
problems that may arise.”
    “How soon do you want an answer?”
    “Now. You are not
expected to commit all your reminiscences to paper. You will meet my client and
he will arrange to have the material…ghost written.”
    “Where am I supposed to meet him?”
    “We felt for everybody’s sake it would be
simplest to meet outside the UnitedKingdom .
My client suggested Holland .”
    “I haven’t got my passport,” Leamas said
dully.
    “I took the liberty of obtaining one for
you,” Kiever replied suavely; nothing inhis voice or his manner indicated that he had done other than
negotiate an adequatebusiness
arrangement. “We’re flying to The Hague tomorrow morning at nine forty-five .
Shall we go back to my flat and discuss any other details?”
    Kiever paid and they took a taxi to a rather good
address not far from St. James’s Park.
***
    Kiever’s flat was luxurious and expensive, but its
contents somehow gave theimpression
of having been hastily assembled. It is said there are shops in London which will sell
you bound books by the yard, and interior decorators who will harmonize the
color scheme of the walls with that of a painting. Leamas, who was notparticularly receptive to