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use it had once been the headquarters of the Empire League for Noise Abatement； and its entrance still bore the brass plate of this long…defunct organization； the empty shell of which had been purchased by the Secret Service through the monwealth Relations Office。 It also had a spacious old…fashioned basement； re…equipped as detention cells； and a rear exit into a quiet mews。
The Red Roses laundry van watched the front door shut behind James Bond and then moved off at a sedate speed to its garage not far from Scotland Yard while the process of developing the Canonflex film went on in its interior。
〃Appointment with Major Townsend；〃 said Bond。
〃Yes。 He's expecting you； sir。 Shall I take your raincoat？〃 The powerful…looking doorman put the coat on a coat hanger and hung it up on one of a row of hooks beside the door。 As soon as Bond was safely closeted with Major Townsend； the coat would go swiftly to the laboratory on the first floor where its provenance would be established from an examination of the fabric。 Pocket dust would be removed for more leisurely research。 〃Would you follow me； sir？〃
It was a narrow corridor of freshly painted clapboard with a tall； single window which concealed the fluoroscope triggered automatically from beneath the ugly patterned carpet。 The findings of its X…ray eye would be fed into the laboratory above the passage。 The passage ended intwo facing doors marked 〃A〃 and 〃B。〃 The doorman knocked on Room B and stood aside for Bond to enter。
It was a pleasant； very light room； close…carpeted in dove…grey Wilton。 The military prints on the cream walls were expensively framed。 A small； bright fire burned under an Adam mantelpiece； which bore a number of silver trophies and two photographs in leather frames…one of a nice…looking woman and the other of three nice…looking children。 There was a central table with a bowl of flowers and two fortable club chairs on either side of the fire。 No desk or filing cabinets； nothing official…looking。 A tall man； as pleasant as the room； got up from the far chair； dropped The Times on the carpet beside it； and came forward with a weling smile。 He held out a firm； dry hand。
This was the Soft Man。
〃e in。 e in。 Take a pew。 Cigarette？ Not the ones I seem to remember you favour。 Just the good old Senior Service。〃
Major Townsend had carefully prepared the loaded remark…a reference to Bond's liking for the Morland Specials with the three gold rings。 He noted Bond's apparent lack of prehension。 Bond took a cigarette and accepted a light。 They sat down facing one another。 Major Townsend crossed his legs fortably。 Bond sat up straight。 Major Townsend said； 〃Well now。 How can I help you？〃
Across the corridor； in Room A…a cold Office of Works cube； equipped only with a hissing gas fire； an ugly desk under a naked neon light； and two wooden chairs… Bond's reception by the Hard Man； an ex…police superintendent （〃ex〃 because of a brutality case in Glasgow for which he had taken the rap） would have been very different。 There； the man who went under the name of Mr。 Rob…son would have given him the full intimidation treatment …harsh； bullying interrogation； threats of imprisonment for false representation； and God knows what else； and； perhaps； if he had shown signs of hostility or developing a nuisance value； a little judicious roughing…up in the basement。
Such was the ultimate sieve which sorted out the wheat from the chaff from among those members of the public who desired access to the Secret Service。 There were other people in the building who dealt with the letters。 Those written in pencil or in multicoloured inks； and those enclosing a photograph； remained unanswered。 Those which threatened or were litigious were referred to the Special Branch。 The solid； serious ones were passed； with a ment from the best graphologist in the business； to the Liaison Section at Headquarters for 〃further action。〃 Parcels went automatically； and fast； to the Bomb Disposal Squad at Knightsbridge Barracks。 The eye of the needle was narrow。 On the whole； it discriminated appropriately。 It was an expensive setup； but it is the first duty of a secret service to remain not only secret but secure。
There was no reason why James Bond； who had always been on the operative side of the business； should know anything about the entrails of the service； any more than he should have understood the mysteries of the plumbing or electricity supply of his flat in Chelsea or the working of his own kidneys。 Colonel Boris； however； had known the whole routine。 The secret services of all the great powers know the public face of their opponents； and Colonel Boris had very accurately described the treatment that James Bond must expect before he was cleared and was allowed access to the office of his former chief。
So now James Bond paused before he replied to Major Townsend's question about how he could be of help。 He looked at the Soft Man and then into the fire。 He added up the accuracy of the description he had been given of Major Townsend's appearance； and before he said what he had been told to say； he gave Colonel Boris ninety out of a hundred。 The big； friendly face； the wide…apart； pale…brown eyes； bracketed by the wrinkles of a million smiles； the military moustache； the rimless monocle dangling from a thin black cord； the brushed…back； thinning sandy hair； the immaculate double…breasted blue suit； stiff white collar and brigade tie…it was all there。 But what Colonel Boris hadn't said was that the friendly eyes were as cold and steady as gunbarrels and that the lips were thin and scholarly。
James Bond said patiently： 〃It's really quite simple。 I'm who I say I am。 I'm doing what I naturally would do； and that's report back to M。〃
〃Quite。 But you must realize〃…a sympathetic smile… 〃that you've been out of contact for nearly a year。 You've been officially posted as 'missing believed killed。' Your obituary has even appeared in The Times； Have you any evidence of identity？ I admit that you look very much like your photographs； but you must see that we have to be very sure before we pass you on up the ladder。〃
〃A Miss Mary Goodnight was my secretary。 She'd recognize me all right。 So would dozens of other people at H。Q。〃
〃Miss Goodnight's been posted abroad。 Can you give me a brief description of H。Q。； just the main geography？〃
Bond did so。
〃Right。 Now； who was a Miss Maria Freudenstadt？〃
〃Was？〃
〃Yes； she's dead。〃
〃Thought she wouldn't last long。 She was a double； working for K。G。B。 Section One Hundred controlled her。 I wouldn't get any thanks for telling you any more。〃
Major Townsend had been pruned with this very secret top question。 He had been given the answer； more or less as Bond had put it。 This was the clincher。 This had to be James Bond。 〃Well； we're getting on fine。 Now； it only remains to find out where you've e from and where you've been all these months and I won't keep you any longer。〃
〃Sorry。 I can only tell that to M。 personally。〃
〃I see。〃 Major Townsend put on a thoughtful expression。 〃Well； just let me make a telephone call or two and I'll see what can be done。〃 He got to his feet。 〃Seen today's Times？〃 He picked it up and handed it to Bon