Call for the Dead

by John le Carré

‘What games did you think you were playing, you two? Do you think you can flirt with power like theirs, give a little and not give all? Do you think that you can stop the dance – control the strength you give them? What dreams did you cherish, Mrs Fennan, that had so little of the world in them?’ She buried her face in her hands and he watched the tears run between her fingers. Her body shook with great sobs and her words came slowly, wrung from her. ‘No, no dreams. I had no dream but him. He had one dream, yes … one great dream.’ She went on crying, helpless, and Smiley, half in triumph, half in shame, waited for her to speak again. Suddenly she raised her head and looked at him, the tears still running down her cheeks. ‘Look at me,’ she said. ‘What dream did they leave me? I dreamt of long golden hair and they shaved my head, I dreamt of a beautiful body and they broke it with hunger. I have seen what human beings are, how could I believe in a formula for human beings? I said to him, oh I said to him a thousand times: “Only make no laws, no fine theories, no judgements, and the people may love, but give them one theory, let them invent one slogan, and the game begins again.” I told him that. We talked whole nights away. But no, that little boy must have his dream, and if a new world was to be built, Samuel Fennan must build it. I said to him, “Listen,” I said. “They have given you all you have, a home, money and trust. Why do you do it to them?” And he said to me: “I do ...