I am English." "You are! Are you?
Eh ?" "A natural-born British subject," Mr Verloc said stolidly.

"But my father was French, and so--" "Never mind explaining," interrupted the other.

"I daresay you could have been legally a Marshal of France and a Member of Parliament in England--and then, indeed, you would have been of some use to our Embassy." This flight of fancy provoked something like a faint smile on Mr Verloc's face.

Mr Vladimir retained an imperturbable gravity.
"But, as I've said, you are a lazy fellow; you don't use your opportunities.

In the time of Baron Stott-Wartenheim we had a lot of soft-headed people running this Embassy.