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duty。 This duty was espionage； and when necessary sabotage and subversion。 Anything else was a misuse of the Service and of Secret Funds which； God knows； were meagre enough。
〃Any questions？〃 M's jaw stuck out like the prow of a ship。 The jaw seemed to tell Bond to pick up the files and get the hell out of the office and let M move on to something important。
Bond knew that a part of all this … if only a small part … was an act。 M had certain bees in his bonnet。 They were famous in the Service； and M knew they were。 But that did not mean that he would allow them to stop buzzing。 There were queen bees； like the misuse of the Service； and the search for true as distinct from wishful intelligence； and there were worker bees。 These included such idiosyncrasies as not employing men with beards； or those who were pletely bilingual； instantly dismissing men who tried to bring pressure to bear on him through family relationships with members of the Cabinet； mistrusting men or women who were too 'dressy'； and those who called him 'sir' off…duty； and having an exaggerated faith in Scotsmen。 But M was ironically conscious of his obsessions； as； thought Bond； a Churchill or a Montgomery were about theirs。 He never minded his bluff； as it partly was； being called on any of them。 Moreover； he would never have dreamed of sending Bond out on an assignment without proper briefing。
Bond knew all this。 He said mildly： 〃Two things； sir。 Why are we taking this thing on； and what lead； if any； have Station I got towards the people involved in it？〃
M gave Bond a hard； sour look。 He swivelled his chair sideways so that he could watch the high； scudding October clouds through the broad window。 He reached out for his pipe； blew through it sharply； and then； as if this action had let off the small head of steam； replaced it gently on the desk。 When he spoke； his voice was patient； reasonable。 〃As you can imagine； 007； I do not wish the Service to bee involved in this drug business。 Earlier this year I had to take you off other duties for a fortnight so that you could go to Mexico and chase off that Mexican grower。 You nearly got yourself killed。 I sent you as a favour to the Special Branch。 When they asked for you again to tackle this Italian gang I refused。 Ronnie Vallance went behind my back to the Home Office and the Ministry of Health。 The Ministers pressed me。 I said that you were needed here and that I had no one else to spare。 Then the two Ministers went to the PM。〃 M paused。 〃And that was that。 I must say the PM was very persuasive。 Took the line that heroin； in the quantities that have been ing in； is an instrument of psychological warfare … that it saps a country's strength。 He said he wouldn't be surprised to find that this wasn't just a gang of Italians' out to make big money … that subversion and not money was at the back of it。〃 M smiled sourly。 〃I expect Ronnie Vallance thought up that line of argument。 Apparently his narcotics people have been having the devil of a time with the traffic … trying to stop it getting a hold on the teenagers as it has in America。 Seems the dance halls and the amusement arcades are full of pedlars。 Vallance's Ghost Squad have managed to penetrate back up the line to one of the middle…men； and there's no doubt it's all ing from Italy； hidden in Italian tourists' cars。 Vallance has done what he can through the Italian police and Interpol； and got nowhere。 They get so far back up the pipeline； arrest a few little people； and then； when they seem to be getting near the centre； there's a blank wall。 The inner ring of distributors are too frightened or too well paid。〃
Bond interrupted。 〃Perhaps there's protection somewhere； sir。 That Montesi business didn't look so good。〃
M shrugged impatiently。 〃Maybe； maybe。 And you'll have to watch out for that too； but my impression is that the Montesi case resulted in a pretty extensive clean…up。 Anyway； when the PM gave me the order to get on with it； it occurred to me to have a talk with Washington。 CIA were very helpful。 You know the Narcotics Bureau have a team in Italy。 Have had ever since the War。 They're nothing to do with CIA … run by the American Treasury Department； of all people。 The American Treasury control a so…called Secret Service that looks after drug smuggling and counterfeiting。 Pretty crazy arrangement。 Often wonder what the FBI must think of it。 However；〃 M slowly swivelled his chair away from the window。 He linked his hands behind his head and leaned back； looking across the desk at Bond。 〃The point is that the CIA Rome Station works pretty closely with this little narcotics team。 Has to； to prevent crossed lines and so on。 And CIA … Alan Dulles himself； as a matter of fact … gave me the name of the top narcotics agent used by the Bureau。 Apparently he's a double。 Does a little smuggling as cover。 Chap called Kristatos。 Dulles said that of course he couldn't involve his people in any way and he was pretty certain the Treasury Department wouldn't wele their Rome Bureau playing too closely with us。 But he said that； if I wished； he would get word to this Kristatos that one of our； er； best men would like to make contact with a view to doing business。 I said I would much appreciate that； and yesterday I got word that the rendezvous is fixed for the day after tomorrow。〃 M gestured towards the files in front of Bond。
〃You'll find all the details in there。〃
There was a brief silence in the room。 Bond was thinking that the whole affair sounded unpleasant probably dangerous and certainly dirty。 With the last quality in mind； Bond got to his feet and picked up the files。 〃All right； sir。 It looks like money。 How much will we pay for the traffic to stop？〃
M let his chair tip forward。 He put his hands flat down on the desk； side by side。 He said roughly： 〃A hundred thousand pounds。 In any currency。 That's the PM's figure。 But I don't want you to get hurt。 Certainly not picking other people's coals out of the fire。 So you can go up to another hundred thousand if there's bad trouble。 Drugs are the biggest and tightest ring in crime。〃 M reached for his in…basket and took out a file of signals。 Without looking up he said： 〃Look after yourself。〃
Signor Kristatos picked up the menu。 He said： 〃I do not beat about bushes； Mr Bond。 How much？〃
〃Fifty thousand pounds for one hundred per cent results。〃
Kristatos said indifferently： 〃Yes。 Those are important funds。 I shall have melon with prosciutto ham and a chocolate ice…cream。 I do not eat greatly at night。 These people have their own Chianti。 I mend it。〃
The waiter came and there was a brisk rattle of Italian。 Bond ordered Tagliatelli Verdi with a Genoese sauce which Kristatos said was improbably concocted of basil； garlic and fir cones。
When the waiter had gone； Kristatos sat and chewed silently on a wooden toothpick。 His face gradually became dark and glum as if bad weather had e to his mind。 The black； hard eyes that glanced restlessly at everything in the restaurant except Bond； glittered。 Bond guessed that Kristatos was wondering whether or not to betray somebody。 Bond said encouragingly： 〃In certain circumstances； there might be more。〃
Kristatos seemed to make up his mind。 H