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 90
... door and stepped out . The pas- sage was dimly lit. It exasperated him to feel so nerv- ous when he could not but be aware that his companion was perfectly at ease . When they reached the door the Hairless Mexican inserted the key ...
... door and stepped out . The pas- sage was dimly lit. It exasperated him to feel so nerv- ous when he could not but be aware that his companion was perfectly at ease . When they reached the door the Hairless Mexican inserted the key ...
Page 134
... door locked . He knocked for some time , there was no an- swer . He called her . " Madame Lazzari , you must open the door . I want to speak to you . ' " " " I am in bed . I am ill and can see no one . " " I am sorry , but you must open ...
... door locked . He knocked for some time , there was no an- swer . He called her . " Madame Lazzari , you must open the door . I want to speak to you . ' " " " I am in bed . I am ill and can see no one . " " I am sorry , but you must open ...
Page 162
... door for her- self . She did not know how to . In a minute the colonel with his old , old gait came to the door and opened it ; she passed out and he followed . The little incident offered a key to their whole lives , and from it Ashen ...
... door for her- self . She did not know how to . In a minute the colonel with his old , old gait came to the door and opened it ; she passed out and he followed . The little incident offered a key to their whole lives , and from it Ashen ...
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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