MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

[3503] my back against a trunk, drew my feet up under me, took my legs in my arms
and rested my chin on my knee. [3504] Even in this posture I could throw no light
on the matter. [3505] What was I looking for exactly? [3506] It is hard to say. [3507] I was
looking for what was wanting to make Gaber's statement complete. [3508] I felt
he must have told me what to do with Molloy once he was found. [3509] My
particular duties never terminated with the running to earth.

[3510] That would
have been too easy. [3511] But I had always to deal with the client in one way
or another, according to instructions. [3512] Such operations took on a multitude
of forms, from the most vigorous to the most discreet. [3513] The Yerk affair,
which took me nearly three months to conclude successfully, was over on the
day I succeeded in possessing myself of his tiepin and destroying it.

[3514] Establishing contact was the least important part of my work. [3515] I found Yerk
on the third day. [3516] I was never required to prove I had succeeded, my word
was enough. [3517] Youdi must have had some way of verifying. [3518] Sometimes I was
asked for a report.

[3519] On another occasion my mission consisted in bringing the person to a
certain place at a certain time. [3520] A most delicate affair, for the person
concerned was not a woman. [3521] I have never had to deal with a woman. [3522] I regret
it. [3523] I don't think Youdi had much interest in them. [3524] That reminds me of the
old joke about the female soul. [3525] Question, Have women a soul? [3526] Answer, Yes.
[3527] Question, Why? [3528] Answer, In order that they may be damned. [3529] Very witty.

[3530] Fortunately I had been allowed considerable licence as to the day. [3531] The hour
was the important thing, not the date. [3532] He came to the appointed place and
there I left him, on some pretext or other. [3533] He was a nice youth, rather sad
and silent. [3534] I vaguely remember having invented some story about a woman.
[3535] Wait, it's coming back. [3536] Yes, I told him she had been in love with him for
six months and greatly desired to meet him in some secluded place. [3537] I even
gave her name. [3538] A quite ^{[place = supralinear] [⁁]Quite a} well-known acr ^{[place = overwritten] t}ress. [3539] Having brought him to the place