On Her Majesty's Secret Service Page #5

Anyway, what are you doing here?

Genealogy, sir. Fascinating subject.

Came across a letter from Gebrder

Gumbold, solicitors in Switzerland

to a certain

Count Balthazar de Bleuchamp.

- De Bleuchamp?

- French form of "Blofeld".

You've been relieved from

Operation Bedlam, 007. Remember?

I assumed you'd reassign me, sir.

This is a Photostat copy of a letter

to our College of Arms

in the City of London

with the request they try to establish

de Bleuchamp's claim to the title,

and Sir Hilary Bray

has replied to Gumbold

suggesting that he should meet

de Bleuchamp in person.

I've taken the liberty, sir,

of working with the college on this,

using an examination

of my own family tree as cover.

I've also been reading up

on the technical side of heraldry.

Sir Hilary Bray, please. Commander Bond.

Ah, yes, sir.

So that, should he consent to meet, I can

act as a representative of the college.

Come.

- Good afternoon.

- Good afternoon, Sir Hilary.

Have a look at this: Arms of Sir Thomas

Bond. Baronet of Peckham. Died 1734.

Argent on a chevron sable.

Three bezants.

Good motto, eh?

"The world is not enough."

- You're doing a splendid job.

- Thank you, Mr Sable Basilisk.

We've traced your line

back to Sir Otho le Bon.

Held the manor of Wickhambreux by a

knight's fee from the Earl of Thanet, 1387.

We're in luck.

Gumbold's telephoned from Bern

to say his client has consented to see me.

- You mean me?

- Yes, you.

But, Commander Bond, I am only able

to countenance this deception

if the matter is of national importance.

I haven't exaggerated.

We appreciate your help.

All right, then. I've arranged to lose myself

amongst the churches of Brittany.

I want to do brass rubbings there anyway.

- Where do I go for this meeting?

- Well, they want a description of myself.

- Tactfully adjusted to favour me.

- Yes.

They will send the time and place

from where I am to be

"collected", as they put it.

It's not our sort of thing,

but under the circumstances...

- Sounds as if they're suspicious.

- No, no, no, not suspicious. Just discreet.

There was no objection to my fee

of a thousand guineas.

- Could their claim be genuine?

- Hard to say. Our methods are exacting.

We never speak until we're absolutely

certain there's no error on our side or

- forgery on anybody else's.

- I hope I live up to your high standards.

One helpful physical point may be that the

real de Bleuchamps are without ear lobes.

It's not the sort of thing we rely on,

but it could help.

- No ear lobes.

- Invite him to Augsburg.

The de Bleuchamps have been

coming from there for generations.

Yes, I'd like to get him

away from Switzerland.

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