Simeon sat in the library, looking nervously between me and Priscus. ‘What we have to discuss is a somewhat delicate matter, and I hope you will agree that this generally unfrequented place is most appropriate for our discussion.’ I smiled and looked at Priscus. ‘You reorganised the Intelligence Bureau, dear boy,’ he said. ‘This is best coming from you.’ He switched for a moment into Slavic: ‘Besides, my darling, I’d only spoil things by enjoying myself too much.’ He walked over a few yards and leaned nonchalantly against one of the bookracks that was still in place. I sat down at the desk and looked over at Simeon. His face had now turned pale in the lamplight. If he didn’t know any Slavic, he knew Priscus well enough to follow his tone of voice in any language. ‘Very well, My Lord,’ I went on. ‘I thought we had reached agreement when we sat here together yesterday evening. Perhaps, as a foreigner who only learned Greek when already mature, I was mistaken as to the extent of our agreement.
