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The servant entered with a tray and poured coffee。 〃Very conventional；〃 I said； accepting the cup he handed me。 〃Do you want to guess the identity of the person who wishes to speak to us？〃
〃No need to guess；〃 Ramses said。 〃He's been behind this all along。〃
It was indeed the Honorable Algernon Bracegirdle…Boisdragon whom the servant ushered in。 He came straight to me； his hands extended； his thin lips stretched in a smile。 〃Mrs。 Emerson。 What can I say？〃
〃A great deal； I trust。 I do not know that I care to take your hand。〃
〃I cannot say I blame you。〃 He turned to Ramses； who had risen； and his smile faded。 〃Sit down； please。 I heard of your injury。 You may not want to take my hand either； but I must express my thanks and admiration。 You acplished everything we hoped； and more。〃
〃It wasn't I； as you are well aware；〃 Ramses said。 〃You knew when you sent me after Ismail Pasha that he was no traitor。 He was acting with your knowledge and under your orders。〃
〃The danger to him was real；〃 the other man said soberly。 〃Military intelligence knew nothing of our plans。 Call it interservice rivalry if you like； but they can't be trusted； and they disapprove of what they consider our unorthodox methods。〃
〃So；〃 I said； 〃your group is distinct from all those departments with confusing initials and meaningless numbers？〃
〃They are confusing； aren't they？〃 Smith agreed with a sardonic smile。 〃MO； EMSIB； MIa； b； and c 。 。 。 We don't go in for that sort of thing； Mrs。 Emerson。 Ours is a long and honorable history； going all the way to the sixteenth century。 Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell …〃
〃The Tudors； of course；〃 I said with a sniff。 〃They would be the ones to foster spying and subterfuge。 Spare us the history lesson； please。〃
〃As you like。 You are correct in assuming that our mutual friend was following our agenda。 He had several purposes； removing Sahin Pasha was only one of them。 Another was to investigate the network in Constantinople。 We had warned Ml that the man running that group was a double agent。 They didn't believe us。 Sethos got rid of the fellow by persuading the Turks that he had betrayed them … which was true。 The trouble with him is that he plays his roles too well！ I learned that my bumble…headed counterparts in military intelligence were planning to assassinate him。 The only way of preventing that was to persuade you to go after him。 If I had told them who he was and what he was doing； the word would have spread； and sooner or later it would have reached the ears of the enemy。〃
Ramses shook his head doubtfully。 〃Your solution was somewhat chancy。 What if they hadn't accepted me？〃
Smith leaned forward； his hands clasped。 〃You continue to astonish me。 Surely you know that your reputation is second only to that of your … that of Sethos。 There's not an intelligence officer in Egypt who wouldn't give his right hand to enlist you。 Cartright is an ass … military to the core； and he's held a grudge against you since you fooled him several years ago； but he knew you were the only man who could get into Gaza undetected。〃
〃And get Lieutenant Chetwode in。 I did wonder；〃 Ramses said deliberately； 〃whether the whole point of that operation was to convince the Turks of the genuineness of Ismail's conversion。〃
Under his steady gaze； Smith shifted unfortably。 〃You don't trust any of us； do you？ The only way that scheme could have succeeded was to have the Turks identify you and/or Chetwode as British agents。 Believe it or not； we don't risk our people so callously。〃
〃Not when they are as valuable as my son；〃 I said。
〃Touché； Mrs。 Emerson。 You are correct； of course。 Cartright's group isn't especially subtle； they wanted Ismail dead； and they were willing to hazard two men to acplish it。 To do them justice； none of them has the least idea of the difficulties involved in operating behind enemy lines； they still think of Johnny Turk as inpetent and cowardly。〃
〃But you knew；〃 I snapped。 〃And you let them send Ramses …〃
〃I had every confidence in his ability to get in and out undetected。〃
〃I'm flattered；〃 said Ramses； his lip curling。
〃Easy for me to say； you mean？ You have every right to feel that way。 But the last I heard； Cartright had agreed to your proposal of a reconnaissance and nothing more。 It never occurred to me that even Cartright would be stupid enough to go ahead with his little assassination attempt。 And； naturally； I assumed you would e back with information that would prove Ismail wasn't Sethos； even if you had to invent it。 The last thing we wanted was to have you fall into the hands of the Turks … particularly those of Sahin。 He'd been suspicious of Ismail from the start； and he hoped that Ismail would betray himself by trying to free you。〃
Ramses's tight lips relaxed into a faint smile。 〃He's a clever man； but trying to stay one step ahead of Sethos is a hopeless job。 Using the girl was brilliant。〃
〃If that hadn't worked； he'd have got you out some other way；〃 Smith said brusquely。 〃Whatever it took。〃
〃He told you that？〃 I asked。
〃He didn't have to tell me。 I know him rather well。 So。 Is there anything else you want to know？〃
He had already said more than he had meant to say； and Ramses was looking decidedly unfortable。 I rose。 〃Only your assurance that the young woman will be treated well。〃
〃We don't war on women； Mrs。 Emerson。 She'll be questioned courteously but intensively； and I expect we will get quite a lot out of her； she's an inquisitive creature； I understand。 I imagine she'll enjoy being the center of attention。〃 After a moment he added； 〃I cannot insist that you refrain from mentioning her to Ml … or any of those other confusing numbers … but I assure you she will be happier with us than she would be with them。〃
〃They will find out eventually； won't they？ Her father knows she is with us。〃
〃If Sahin Pasha is as intelligent a man as I believe him to be； he will not volunteer any more information than is necessary to keep them from hanging him。〃 He added； with a rather attractive smile； 〃With any luck； he should be able to hold them off until the war is over。〃
〃May that day be soon in ing；〃 I said with a sigh。
〃Amen；〃 said Mr。 Smith。
〃One more thing；〃 I said； drawing on my gloves。
〃Yes； of course。 He asked me to give you his regards and tell you he will 'turn up；' as he put it； before long。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃Not at all。〃 He himself showed us to the door。 〃If there is ever anything I can do for you； or any member of your family …〃
〃The kindest thing you can do for us is leave us strictly alone。〃 I swept past him in my best style。
〃All the same；〃 I said to Ramses； when we were again in the cab； 〃I don't think as badly of him as I do of some of the others。 Cartright lied to us。 Chetwode did not act without his authorization； did he？〃
〃Chetwode is another military pedant； he wouldn't dare act without orders。 They don't think of it as lying； you know。 Expediency； necessity； 'whatever it takes to get the job done。' Chetwode fooled me； though；〃 Ramses added； in chagrin。 〃That air of inept innocence was put on。 He couldn't have escaped from Gaza so handily if he had been as inpetent as he seemed。〃
〃He counted on y