The little woman hurried ahead of me opening doors, waving me through, sorting amongst a bundle of large keys, locking each door and then darting around me and hurrying on ahead. Finally, she showed me into the lounge. It was soft and florid after the stark austerity of the rest of the house. There were four sofas with huge floral patterns, plants, knick-knacks, antique cases full of antique plates. Silver-framed photos, a couple of bizarre modern paintings in primary colours and a kidney-shaped bar trimmed in golden tin and plastic. Behind the bar were bottles of drink and arranged along the bar-top some bartender’s implements: strainers, shakers and ice-buckets.
‘I’m delighted to see you,’ said Monsieur Datt.
‘That’s good.’
He smiled engagingly. ‘How did you find me?’
‘A little bird told me.’
‘Damn those birds,’ said Datt, still smiling. ‘But no matter, the shooting season begins soon, doesn’t it?’
‘You could be right.’
‘Why not sit down and let me get you a drink. It’s damned hot, I’ve never known such weather.’
‘Don’t get ideas,’ I said. ‘My boys will come on in if I disappear for too long.’
‘Such crude ideas you have. And yet I suppose the very vulgarity of your mind is its dynamic. But have no fear, you’ll not have drugged food or any of that nonsense. On the contrary, I hope to prove to you how very wrong your whole notion of me is.’ He reached towards a bevy of cut-glass decanters. ‘What about Scotch whisky?’
‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘Nothing at all.’
‘You’re right.’ He walked across to the window. I followed him.
‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘Nothing at all. We are both ascetics.’
‘Speak for yourself,’ I said. ‘I like a bit of self-indulgence now and again.’
The windows overlooked a courtyard, its ivy-covered walls punctuated by the strict geometry of white shutters. There was a dovecote and white doves marched and counter-marched across the cobbles.
There was a hoot at the gate, then into the courtyard drove a large Citroën ambulance. ‘Clinique de Paradis’ it said along the side under the big red cross. It was very dusty as though it had made a long journey. Out of the driver’s seat climbed Jean-Paul; he tooted the horn.
‘It’s my ambulance,’ said Datt.
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘Jean-Paul driving.’
‘He’s a good boy,’ said Datt.
‘Let me tell you what I want,’ I said hurriedly.
Datt made a movement with his hand. ‘I know why you are here. There is no need to explain anything.’ He eased himself back into his armchair.
‘How do you know I’ve not come to kill you?’ I asked.
‘My dear man. There is no question of violence, for many reasons.’
‘For instance?’
‘Firstly you are not a man to use gratuitous violence. You would only employ violent means when you could see the course of action that the violence made available to you. Secondly, we are evenly matched, you and I. Weight for weight we are evenly matched.’
‘So are a swordfish and an angler, but one is sitting strapped into an armchair and the other is being dragged through the ocean with a hook in his mouth.’
‘Which am I?’
‘That’s what I am here to discover.’
‘Then begin, sir.’
‘Get Kuang.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean get Kuang. K.U.A.N.G. Get him here.’
Datt changed his mind about the drink; he poured himself a glass of wine and sipped it. ‘I won’t deny he’s here,’ he said finally.
‘Then why not get him?’
He pressed a buzzer and the maid came in. ‘Get Monsieur Kuang,’ he said.
The old woman went away quietly and came back with Kuang. He was wearing grey flannel trousers, open-neck shirt and a pair of dirty white tennis shoes. He poured himself a large Perrier water from the bar and sat down in an armchair with his feet sprawled sideways over the arm. ‘Well?’ he said to me.
‘I’m bringing you an American hydrogen expert to talk to.’
Kuang seemed unsurprised. ‘Petty, Barnes, Bertram or Hudson?’
‘Hudson.’
‘Excellent, he’s a top man.’
‘I don’t like it,’ said Datt.
‘You don’t have to like it,’ I said. ‘If Kuang and Hudson want to talk a little it’s nothing to do with you.’ I turned to Kuang. ‘How long will you want with him?’
‘Two hours,’ said Kuang. ‘Three at the most, less if he has written stuff with him.’
‘I believe he will have,’ I said. ‘He’s all prepared.’
‘I don’t like it,’ Datt complained.
‘Be quiet,’ said Kuang. He turned to me. ‘Are you working for the Americans?’
‘No,’ I said. ‘I’m acting for them, just this one operation.’
Kuang nodded. ‘That makes sense; they wouldn’t want to expose one of their regular men.’
I bit my lip in anger. Hudson had, of course, been acting on American instructions, not on his own initiative. It was a plan to expose me so that the CIA could keep their own men covered. Clever bastards. Well, I’d grin and bear it and try to get something out of it.
‘That’s right,’ I agreed.
‘So you are not bargaining?’
‘I’m not getting paid,’ I said, ‘if that’s what you mean.’
‘How much do you want?’ asked Kuang wearily. ‘But don’t get big ideas.’
‘We’ll sort it out after you’ve seen Hudson.’
‘A most remarkable display of faith,’ said Kuang. ‘Did Datt pay you for the incomplete set of documents you let us have?’
‘No,’ I said.
‘Now that our cards are on the table I take it you don’t really want payment.’
‘That’s right,’ I said.
‘Good,’ said Kuang. He hooked his legs off the arm of the chair and reached for some ice from the silver bucket. Before pouring himself a whisky he pushed the telephone across to me.
Maria was waiting near the phone when I called her. ‘Bring Hudson here,’ I said. ‘You know the way.’
‘Yes,’ said Maria.