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e characters of the shop sign and to recognize a face； his face。 In the background was an ancient car。 Behind it stood a European； his face half turned away。 Spectacles Wu had identified the store as the pharmacy at the crossroads in Ning…tok； the property of the Tok…ling Wu family。 Ah Tam had identified the woman as her mistress。
〃And the man？ Who's the man standing beside her？〃
〃Oh that's her son； Lord。 I've told you。 He's Second Son Chu…toy。 Now he lives with the foreign devils across the sea in the north； the north of the Land of the Golden Mountains；〃 the old woman had whimpered from the white room。
〃You're lying again。〃
〃Oh no； Lord； he's her son； Chu…toy。 He's her Second Son and he was born in Ning…tok and I helped deliver him with my own hands。 He was Mother's second born who went away as a child。 。。。〃
〃He went away？ He went where？〃
〃To 。。。 to the Rain Country； then to the Golden Mountains。 Now he has a restaurant and two sons。 。。。 He's a businessman there and he came to see Father。 。。。 Father was dying then and he came as a dutiful son should e but then he went away and Mother wept and wept。 。。。〃
〃How often did he visit his parents？〃
〃Oh； it was only once。 Lord； only that once。 Now he lives so far away； in such a far place； such a far place but he came as a dutiful son should and then he left。 It was just by chance I saw him； Lord。 Mother had sent me to visit some relations in the next village but I was lonely and I came back early and saw him。 。。。 It was just before he left。 The young Master left in a foreign devil car。 。。。〃
〃Where did he get the motorcar？ It was his？〃
〃I don't know； Lord。 There was no car in Ning…tok。 Even the village mittee did not possess one； even Father who was the pharmacist in our village。 Poor Father who died in such pain。 He was a member of the mittee。 。。。 They left us alone； Chairman Mao's people； the Outsiders。 。。。 Yes they did because though Father was an intellectual and pharmacist he was always a secret Mao supporter though I never knew。 Lord； I swear I never knew。 Chairman Mao's people left us alone； Lord。〃
〃What was his name； the son of your Mistress？ The man in the photo？〃 he had repeated； trying to shake her。
〃Chu…toy Wu； Lord； he was her second born。 。。。 I remember when he was sent from Ning…tok to 。。。 to this foul place； this Fragrant Harbor。 He was five or six and he was sent to an uncle here and… 〃
〃What was the uncle's name？〃
〃I don't know； Lord； I was never told； I only remember Mother weeping and weeping when Father sent him away to school。 。。。 Can I go home please now； I'm tired； please。 。。。〃
〃When you tell us what we want to know。 If you tell us the truth。〃
〃Oh I tell you the truth； anything anything。 。。。〃
〃He was sent to school in Hong Kong？ Where？〃
〃I don't know； Lord； my Mistress never said； only to school and then she put him out of her mind and so did I； oh yes； it was better； because he was gone forever； you know always second sons must leave。 。。。〃
〃When did Chu…toy Wu return to Ning…tok？〃
〃It was some years ago when Father was dying。 He only returned that once； it was only once。 Lord； don't you remember me saying； I remember saying that。 Yes it was the once of the photo。 Mother insisted on the photo and wept and begged him to have one taken with her。 。。。 Surely she felt the hand of death on her now that Father had gone and she was truly alone 。。。 Oh she wept and wept so Chu…toy let her have her way as a dutiful son should and my Mistress was so pleased。 。。。〃
〃And the barbarian in the photo； who is he？〃 The man was half turned around； in the background； not easy to recognize if you did not know him； standing beside the car that was parked beside the pharmacy。 He was a tall man； European； crumpled clothes and nondescript。
〃I don't know； Lord。 He was the driver and he drove Chu…toy away but the mittee of the village and Chu…toy himself bowed many times to him and it was said he was very important。 He was the first foreign devil I had ever seen； Lord。 。。。〃
〃And the people in the other photograph？ Who're they？〃 This photograph was ancient； almost sepia and showed a self…conscious couple in ill…fitting wedding clothes staring bleakly at the camera。
〃Oh of course they're Father and Mother； Lord。 Don't you remember me saying that？ I told you many times。 That's Mother and Father。 His name was Ting…top Wu and his tai…tai my Mistress was Fang…ling。 。。。〃
〃And the cutting？〃
〃I don't know； Lord； it was just stuck to the photo so I left it there。 Mother had stuck it there so I left it。 What should I want with foreign devil nonsense or writing。 。。。〃
Robert Armstrong sighed。 The yellowed clipping was from a Chinese newspaper of Hong Kong； dated July 16； 1937； that told of three Chinese youths who had done so well in their term examinations that they had been granted scholarships by the Hong Kong Government to an English public school。 Kar…shun Kwok was the first named。 Kar…shun was Brian Kwok's formal Chinese name。
〃You did very well； Robert；〃 Crosse said； watching him。
〃Did I？〃 he replied through the fog of his misery。
〃Yes； very well。 You came to me at once with the evidence； you've followed instructions perfectly and now our mole is safely asleep。〃 Crosse lit a cigarette and sat at the desk。 〃I'm glad you drank the right beer。 Did he suspect anything？〃
〃No。 No I don't think so。〃 Armstrong tried to get a hold on himself。 〃Would you excuse me； sir； please。 I feel filthy。 I've 。。。 I've got to get a shower。 Sorry。〃
〃Sit down a minute； please。 Yes； you must be tired。 Very tiring； these sort of things。〃
Christ； Armstrong wanted to shout in anguish； it's all impossible！ Impossible for Brian to be a deep…cover agent but it all fits。 Why else would he have a pletely different name； different birth certificate？ Why else such a carefully constructed cover story … that his parents were killed in Canton during the war； murdered by munists？ Why else would he risk sneaking secretly back to Ning…tok； risking everything so carefully constructed over thirty years unless his own father was really dying？ And if those facts are true then others automatically follow： That he must have been in continual contact with the Mainland to know about his father's approaching death； that as a superintendent of H。K。 Police he must be totally persona grata with the PRC to be allowed in secretly and allowed out secretly again。 And if he was persona grata then he must be one of them； groomed over the years； nurtured over the years。 〃Christ；〃 he muttered； 〃he'd've bee assistant missioner easily； perhaps even missioner 。。。！〃
〃What do you suggest now； Robert？〃 Crosse asked； his voice soft。 Armstrong tore his mind into the present； his training overing his anguish。 〃Check backwards。 We'll find the link。 Yes。 His father was a tiny mie cog but a Ning…tok cog nonetheless； so the Hong Kong relation he was sent to would be also。 They'd've kept a tight rein on Brian in England； in Canada； here； wherever … so easy to do that； so easy to feed a hatred for quai lohs； so easy for a Chinese to hide such a hatred。 Aren't they the most patient and secretive people on earth？ Yes； you check back and eventually you find the link and find the truth。〃
〃Robert； you're right again。 But first you begin his interrogation。〃
Armstrong felt a chill of horror rush into his stomach。 〃Yes；〃 he said。
〃I'm delighted to tell you that that's your honor。〃
〃No。〃
〃You'll oversee the interrogation。 No Chinese in this； just senior British agents。 Except Wu； Spectacles Wu。 Yes； he'll be a help … just him； he's good that fellow。〃
〃I can't 。。。 I won't。〃
Crosse sighed and opened the large manila envelope he had brought with him。 〃What do you think of this？〃
Shakily Armstrong took the photograph。 It was an eight…by…ten blowup of a tiny section of the Ning…tok photograph； the European's head that was part of the background beside the car。 The man's face was half turned and blurred； the grain from the magnification dense。 〃I 。。。 I'd say he saw the camera and turned or was turning to avoid being photographed。〃
〃My thought too。 Do you recognize him？〃
Armstrong peered at the face； trying to clear his head。 〃No。〃
〃Voranski？ Our dead Soviet friend？〃
〃Perhaps。 No； no I don't think so。〃
〃How about Dunross； Ian Dunross？〃
More shaken； Armstrong took it to the light。 〃Possible but 。。。 improbable。 If 。。。 if it's Dunross then 。。。 you think he's the Sevrin plant？ Impossible。〃
〃Improbable； not impossible。 He's very good friends with Brian。〃 Crosse took the photo back and looked at it。 〃Whoever he is he's familiar； what you can see of him； but I can't place the man or where I've seen him。 Yet。 Well； never mind。 Brian will remember。 Yes。〃 His voice became silky。 〃Oh； don't worry； Robert； I'll set Brian up for you but you're the one for the coup de grace。 I want to know who this fellow is very quickly； in fact I want to know everything Brian knows very； very quickly。〃
〃No。 Get someone els… 〃
〃Oh Robert； don't be so bloody boring！ Chu…toy Wu； alias Brian Kar…shun Kwok； is an enemy mole who's eluded us for years； that's all。〃 Crosse's voice cut into Armstrong。 〃By the way； you're on the 16/2 tonight at 6 30 and you're also seconded to SI。 I've