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English Channel, not necessarily in that order of importance, and had altogether adequate intelligence facilities, in contrast with a republic insulated, besides, by three thousand miles of ocean? But, of course, London was a great metropolis, where even people who looked like Peter Lorre sank into the woodwork, and Blackford’s job, presumably, would be to help the English locate the bad Peter Lorres. He thought for a while about it, but soon dismissed it, having by this time come around to the proposition that if the CIA was nuts, there was little he could do about it except discover it in due course and get the hell out. If it wasn’t, it would do him no good to try to outguess motives which very intelligent Americans were making it their business to make it hard for very intelligent Soviet agents to guess at, let alone bright young Yalies, fresh from their bright college years.
    Alistair told him that there was no point in his trying to answer questions until Black had gone through some of his homework. Most of those questions would be answered in his reading. But in each of the succeeding days, Alistair would brief Black on a technical aspect of his deep-cover life in London, and he would begin now, on the question of communication.
    As a general rule, he began, all communications will be oral—to your superior, given under circumstances prescribed by him.
    â€œIf your superior fails to make a rendezvous, or if communication with him through routine channels should lapse, you are to write a letter to”—he gave Black a note paper on the stationery of the Hay-Adams Hotel on which was written: Mr. Alan Wriston, United States Embassy, Grosvenor Square, London.”
    â€œIn that letter you will say, ‘Dear Mr. Wriston: I am informed you are the gentleman who can advise me what the duty is on taking English-made suits into America. I am traveling about Britain, but will telephone you in two or three days. Meanwhile this note, in the event it is necessary to undertake any research. Yours truly, G. Truax.’
    â€œTwo days after dispatching that letter, you are to sit by your telephone between five P . M . and seven P . M . and a substitute contact will be made. The person who telephones you will say, ‘This is George Allan from the Embassy.’
    â€œNow, if he says anything other than that, listen to what he has to say, and play along, agreeing to any suggested rendezvous. Then pack a bag and follow the same procedures you would follow in the event you find you need to leave the country.”
    â€œWhat are those?”
    â€œI’m coming to that.”
    He gave Blackford another piece of paper, on the stationery of the Pullman Company. Written on it was: “1. The London Library. 2. The Shakespeare Hotel, Chapel Street. 3. The Adelphi Hotel.”
    â€œThe London Library is in St. James’s Square—you will of course know the streets of London thoroughly, even before you arrive there. The Shakespeare Hotel in question is in Stratford-on-Avon. The Adelphi Hotel is in Liverpool.
    â€œAt the library, at the information desk, you will ask if there is a message for Geoffrey Truax. If there isn’t, proceed to Stratford and ask the same question at the Shakespeare Hotel. If there is none, you are to stay twenty-four hours waiting for a message. After that, go to Liverpool, same procedure, only you stay at that hotel for two days.”
    â€œWhat if there aren’t any rooms?”
    â€œThe hotels we’re talking about always have rooms. If you hit Liverpool the day of the Grand National, find someplace to stay and keep coming for messages.… Now, short of a world war, one of our people will have approached you by the time you have reached Liverpool and will give you instructions. If no one does, do your best to get out of the country. You will not be given a false passport unless London feels the situation requires you to have one. That decision will be