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Bond scratched his head thoughtfully 'But the ball's still in play?'

'Oh yes, definitely'

'Can you keep it in play? I take it you haven't got Blofeld's present address?' Sable Basilisk shook his head 'Then would there be any conceivable excuse for an envoy from you?' Bond se to have an intervieith Blofeld - some tricky point that cannot be cleared up by correspondence, so that needs a personal inquiry from Blofeld?'

'Well, yes, there is in a way' Sable Basilisk looked rather dubious 'You see, in sooes on inevitably fro lip is a case in point So is the tendency to hae descendants of the Bourbons The hawk nose of the Medici is another A certain royal fainal ers on each hand I could go on indefinitely, but those are thearound in the crypt of the chapel at Blonville, having a look at the old Bleuville to over the stone faces, picked out a curious fact that I tucked away in ht to the surface None of the de Bleuvilles, as far as I could tell, and certainly not through a hundred and fifty years, had lobes to their ears'

'Ah,' said Bond, running over in his mind the Identicast picture of Blofeld and the conohts have lobes to his ears Or at any rate it would be a strong piece of evidence for his case if he hadn't?'

'That's right'

'Well, he has got lobes,' said Bond, annoyed 'Rather pronounced lobes as a in with, added to what I knoay, that makes him probably not a de Bleuville But after all' - Sable Basilisk looked sly -'there's no reason why he should knohat physical characteristic we're looking for in this interview'

'You think we could set one up?'

'Don't see why not But' - Sable Basilisk was apologetic -'would youof Arms? He's my boss, so to speak, under the Duke of Norfolk that is, the Earl Marshal, and I can't remember that we've ever been er stuff before Actually' - Sable Basilisk waved a deprecating hand -'we are, we have to be, damned meticulous You do see that, don't you?'

'Naturally And I'reed to see me, how in hell could I play the part? This stuff is all double Dutch to ule and a bezant and I've never been able to make out what a baronet is What's etting enthusiastic He said cheerfully, 'Oh that'll be all right I'll coach you in all the dope about the de Bleuvilles You can easilyup a few popular books on heraldry It's not difficult to be i about it'

'Maybe But this Blofeld is a pretty smart animal He'll want the hell of a lot of credentials before he sees anyone but his lawyer and his banker Who exactly am I?'

'You think Blofeld's smart because you've seen the smart side of him,' said Sable Basilisk sapiently 'I've seen hundreds of smart people from the City, industry, politics - fahtened to meet when they walked into this roo respectability so to speak, whether it's the title they're going to choose or just a coat of ar over their fire-places in Surbiton, they dwindle and dwindle in front of you' - he made a doard er than homunculi And the wo a “lady” in their s that the way they bare their souls is positively obscene It's as if' - Sable Basilisk furrowed his high, pale brow, seeking for a siood citizens, these Smiths and Browns and

Joneses and' - he sarded the process of ennoble themselves of all the drabness of their lives, of all their, so to speak, essential reness, their basic inferiority Don't worry about Blofeld He has already sed the bait He ster, and he h and ruthless in his corner of hu to prove that he is the Cos He wants to change his name That is obvious He wants to become a new, a respectable personality That is obvious too But above all he wants to becoht his hand flat down on his desk for enificant He is a rich and successful er ads, riches and power He is now 54, as I reckon it He wants a new skin I can assure you, Air Bond, that he will receive you, if we play our cards right that is, as if he were consulting his doctor about' - Sable Basilisk's aristocratic face took on an expression of distaste - 'as if he were consulting his doctor after contracting VD' Sable Basilisk's eyes were now coarette The smell of Turkish tobacco drifted across to Bond 'That's it,' he said with certitude 'This man knows he is unclean, a social pariah Which of course he is Now he has thought up this way of buying himself a new identity If you ask row and flourish on his heel of Achilles until it is so luxuriant that he trips on it'

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