Chapter 16 Summary

Smiley thinks about how Percy Alleline and Control came to be combatants. Alleline was involved in an attempt to replace a local potentate in the Middle East. Alleline blamed Control for the aborted mission. Alleline was retired from the field and received a charter, but the restrictions were like a straight jacket. Some of the Operation Witchcraft files arrive via a visitor. The first document is written by Alleline, who established a reading room known as the Adriatic Working Party. Readers would be watched over by a janitor who would have a list with pictures of those authorized to have access to the information. Smiley remembers doubting the authenticity of a document Alleline had prepared concerning a high level Soviet naval dispatch. Alleline refuses to allow Circus personnel evaluate the document but does say it came from a man code named Merlin. Control...