'Say that Richard Hannay is detained at the A.P.M.'s office in Claxton Street. Say he's got important news - say urgent and secret news - and ask Mr Macgillivray to do something about it at once.'
'But 'Annay ain't the name you gave.'
'Lord bless you, no. Did you never hear of a man borrowin'
another name? Anyhow that's the one I want you to give.'
'But if this Mac man comes round 'ere, they'll know 'e's bin rung up, and I'll 'ave the old man down on me.'
It took ten minutes and a second pound note to get him past this hurdle. By and by he screwed up courage and rang up the number.
I listened with some nervousness while he gave my message - he had to repeat it twice - and waited eagerly on the next words.
'No, sir,' I heard him say, "e don't want you to come round 'ere.
E thinks as 'ow - I mean to say, 'e wants -'
I took a long stride and twitched the receiver from him.
'Macgillivray,' I said, 'is that you? Richard Hannay! For the love of God come round here this instant and deliver me from the clutches of a tomfool A.P.M. I've got the most deadly news.
There's not a second to waste. For God's sake come quick!' Then Iadded: 'Just tell your fellows to gather Ivery in at once. You know his lairs.'
I hung up the receiver and faced a pale and indignant orderly.
'It's all right,' I said. 'I promise you that you won't get into any trouble on my account. And there's your two quid.'
The door in the next room opened and shut. The A.P.M. had returned from lunch ...
Ten minutes later the door opened again. I heard Macgillivray's voice, and it was not pitched in dulcet tones. He had run up against minor officialdom and was ****** hay with it.
I was my own master once more, so I forsook the company of the orderly. I found a most rattled officer trying to save a few rags of his dignity and the formidable figure of Macgillivray instructing him in manners.
'Glad to see you, ****,' he said. 'This is General Hannay, sir. It may comfort you to know that your folly may have made just the difference between your country's victory and defeat. I shall have a word to say to your superiors.'
It was hardly fair. I had to put in a word for the old fellow, whose red tabs seemed suddenly to have grown dingy.
'It was my blame wearing this kit. We'll call it a misunderstanding and forget it. But I would suggest that civility is not wasted even on a poor devil of a defaulting private soldier.'
Once in Macgillivray's car, I poured out my tale. 'Tell me it's a nightmare,' I cried. 'Tell me that the three men we collected on the Ruff were shot long ago.'
'Two,' he replied, 'but one escaped. Heaven knows how he managed it, but he disappeared clean out of the world.'
'The plump one who lisped in his speech?'
Macgillivray nodded.
'Well, we're in for it this time. Have you issued instructions?'
'Yes. With luck we shall have our hands on him within an hour.
We've our net round all his haunts.'
'But two hours' start! It's a big handicap, for you're dealing with a genius.'
'Yet I think we can manage it. Where are you bound for?'
I told him my rooms in Westminster and then to my old flat in Park Lane. 'The day of disguises is past. In half an hour I'll be Richard Hannay. It'll be a comfort to get into uniform again. Then I'll look up Blenkiron.'
He grinned. 'I gather you've had a riotous time. We've had a good many anxious messages from the north about a certain Mr Brand. I couldn't discourage our men, for I fancied it might have spoiled your game. I heard that last night they had lost touch with you in Bradfield, so I rather expected to see you here today. Efficient body of men the Scottish police.'
'Especially when they have various enthusiastic ******* helpers.'
'So?' he said. 'Yes, of course. They would have. But I hope presently to congratulate you on the success of your mission.'
'I'll bet you a pony you don't,' I said.
'I never bet on a professional subject. Why this pessimism?'
'Only that I know our gentleman better than you. I've been twice up against him. He's the kind of wicked that don't cease from troubling till they're stone-dead. And even then I'd want to see the body cremated and take the ashes into mid-ocean and scatter them.
I've got a feeling that he's the biggest thing you or I will ever tackle.'
