Ashenden, Or: The British AgentAshenden: The British Agent is founded on Maugham's experiences in the English Intelligence Department during World War I, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction. This fascinating book contains the most expert stories of espionage ever written. For a period of time after it was first published the book became official required reading for persons entering the secret service. The plot follows the imaginary John Ashenden who during World War I is a spy for British Intelligence. He is sent first to Geneva and later to Russia. Instead of one story from start to finish, the chapters contain individual stories involving many different characters. All of the people whom Ashenden meets during his travels have their own reason for being involved in the spy game, and each are more complex than they first look. |
From inside the book
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Page 86
... Ashenden for an instant eyed the Hairless Mexican , then with a slight frown looked away . " I shall spend the ... Ashenden opened the door and looked out . He saw no one . The hotel in point of fact at that season was nearly empty ...
... Ashenden for an instant eyed the Hairless Mexican , then with a slight frown looked away . " I shall spend the ... Ashenden opened the door and looked out . He saw no one . The hotel in point of fact at that season was nearly empty ...
Page 174
... Ashenden saw that he was being given his oppor- tunity . The trap was prepared and all he had to do was to fall in . He turned to Mrs. Caypor with a manner that he tried to make shy , deprecating and modest . " Of course it would be too ...
... Ashenden saw that he was being given his oppor- tunity . The trap was prepared and all he had to do was to fall in . He turned to Mrs. Caypor with a manner that he tried to make shy , deprecating and modest . " Of course it would be too ...
Page 274
... Ashenden saw the boundless steppes of Russia , and the Kremlin with its pealing bells , and the solemn cere- monies of Easter at St. Isaac's , and forests of silver beeches and the Nevsky Prospekt ; it was astonishing how much he saw in ...
... Ashenden saw the boundless steppes of Russia , and the Kremlin with its pealing bells , and the solemn cere- monies of Easter at St. Isaac's , and forests of silver beeches and the Nevsky Prospekt ; it was astonishing how much he saw in ...
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Common terms and phrases
agent Alix ambassador Anastasia Alexandrovna answer Ashen Ashenden felt Ashenden knew Ashenden looked Ashenden saw Ashenden thought asked Ashenden baroness bassador Bolsheviks Brindisi Byring Caypor chance Chandra Colonel course cried Delilah detective dine dinner door enden English everything eyes face Fafner feeling fellow fool France Fritzi gave Geneva German Giulia give glance Gustav Hairless Mexican hand Harrington head heart Herbert Witherspoon Holzminden hour humour lake laughed Lausanne Lazzari letter Lucerne married Mexican opened mind Miss King Monsieur morning neutral country never night notion O'Malley once opened Paris passport Petrograd play round Russian scrambled eggs seemed shoulders shrugged Sir Herbert sitting smile Somerville stood story Swiss Switzerland talk tell there's thing Thonon tion told took train turned Vladimir wait walked watched wife woman wondered word write