Show Holmes a drop of water and he would deduce the existence of the Atlantic. Show it to me and I would look for a tap. That was the difference between us.

Routine is the one thing the can get you killed. It tells the enemy where you're going and when you're going to be there.

You weren’t in any real danger. We knew exactly where you were all the time.

Oh-do be careful with that! That's my Buddha hand grenade. Twist the head twice and throw it and anyone within ten yards can say their prayers.

In the old days, spies had done they'd done because they loved their country, because they believed in what they were doing. But he'd never been given a choice. Nowadays, spies weren't employed. They were used.

You couldn't trust anyone or anything that belonged to the world of espionage.

To enjoy something fully, you had to own it.