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t remained only to locate the passport factory that operates in every big seaport and purchase a Canadian seaman's passport for 2；000。 Then he was off to Sweden by the next boat。 After a pause in Stockholm for a careful look round the world and some cool thinking about the probable course of the war； he flew to Turkey on his original Polish passport； transferred his money from Switzerland to the Ottoman Bank in Istanbul； and waited for Poland to fall。 When； in due course； this happened； he claimed refuge in Turkey and spent a little money among the right officials in order to get his claim established。 Then he settled down。 Ankara Radio was glad to have his expert services and he set up RAHIR； another espionage service built on the lines of TARTAR； but rather more solidly。 Blofeld wisely waited to ascertain the victor before selling his wares； and it was only when Rommel had been kicked out of Africa that he plumped for the Allies。 He finished the war in a blaze of glory and prosperity and with decorations or citations from the British； Americans； and French。 Then； with half a million dollars in Swiss banks and a Swedish passport in the name of Serge Angstrom； he slipped off to South America for a rest； some good food； and a fresh think。
And now Ernst Blofeld； the name to which he had decided it was perfectly safe to return； sat in the quiet room in the Boulevard Hauss…mann； gazed slowly round the faces of his twenty men； and looked for eyes that didn't squarely meet his。 Blofeld's own eyes were deep black pools surrounded…totally surrounded； as Mussolini's were…by very clear whites。 The doll…like effect of this unusual symmetry was enhanced by long silken black eyelashes that should have belonged to a woman。 The gaze of these soft doll's eyes was totally relaxed and rarely held any expression stronger than a mild curiosity in the object of their focus。 They conveyed a restful certitude in their owner and in their analysis of what they observed。 To the innocent they exuded confidence； a wonderful cocoon of confidence in which the observed one could rest and relax； knowing that he was in fortable； reliable hands。 But they stripped the guilty or the false and made him feel transparent…as transparent as a fishbowl through whose sides Blofeld examined； with only the most casual curiosity； the few solid fish； the grains of truth； suspended in the void of deceit or attempted obscurity。 Blofeld's gaze was a microscope； the window on the world of a superbly clear brain； with a focus that had been sharpened by thirty years of danger； and of keeping just one step ahead of it； and of an inner self…assurance built up on a lifetime of success in whatever he hadattempted。
The skin beneath the eyes that now slowly； mildly； surveyed his colleagues was unpouched。 There was no sign of debauchery； illness； or old age on the large； white； bland face under the square； wiry black crew…cut。 The jaw line； going to the appropriate middle…aged fat of authority； showed decision and independence。 Only the mouth； under a heavy； squat nose； marred what might have been the face of a philosopher or a scientist。 Proud and thin； like a badly healed wound； the pressed； dark lips； capable only of false； ugly smiles； suggested contempt； tyranny； and cruelty…but to an almost Shakespearian degree。 Nothing about Blofeld was small。
Blofeld's body weighed about two hundred and eighty pounds。 It had once been all muscle…he had been an amateur weight…lifter in his youth…but in the past ten years it had softened and he had a vast belly that he concealed behind roomy trousers and well…cut double…breasted suits； tailored； that evening； out of beige doeskin。 Blofeld's hands and feet were long and pointed。 They were quick…moving when they wanted to be； but normally； as now； they were still and reposed。 For the rest； he didn't smoke or drink and he had never been known to sleep with a member of either sex。 He didn't even eat very much。 So far as vices or physical weaknesses were concerned； Blofeld had always been an enigma to everyone who had known him。
The twenty men who looked up the long table at this man and waited patiently for him to speak were a curious mixture of national types。 But they had certain characteristics in mon。 They were all in the thirty…to…forty age…group； they all looked extremely fit； and nearly all of them…there were two who were different…had quick； hard； predatory eyes； the eyes of the wolves and the hawks that prey upon the herd。 The two who were different were both scientists with scientists' other…worldly eyes…Kotze； the East German physicist who had e over to the West five years before and had exchanged his secrets for a modest pension and retirement in Switzerland； and Maslov； formerly Kandinsky； the Polish electronics expert who； in 1956； had resigned as head of the radio research department of Philips AG of Eindhoven and had then disappeared into obscurity。 The other eighteen men consisted of cells of three （Blofeld accepted the munist triangle system for security reasons） from six national groups and； within these groups； from six of the world's great criminal and subversive organizations。 There were three Sicilians from the top echelon of the Unione Siciliano； the Mafia； three Corsican Frenchmen from the Union Corse； the secret society contemporary with and similar to the Mafia that runs nearly all organized crime in France； three former members of SMERSH； the Soviet organization for the execution of traitors and enemies of the State that had been disbanded on the orders of Khrushchev in 1958 and replaced by the Special Executive Department of the M。W。D。； three of the top surviving members of the former Sonderdienst of the Gestapo； three tough Yugoslav operatives who had resigned from Marshal Tito's Secret Police； and three highland Turks （the Turks of the plains are no good） formerly members of Blofeld's RAHIR and subsequently responsible for KRYSTAL； the important Middle East heroin pipeline whose outlet is Beirut。 These eighteen men； all experts in conspiracy； in the highest ranges of secret munication and action and； above all； of silence； also shared one supreme virtue…every man had a solid cover。 Every man possessed a valid passport with up…to…date visas for the principal countries in the world； and an entirely clean sheet with Interpol and with their respective national police forces。 That factor alone； the factor of each man's cleanliness after a lifetime in big crime； was his highest qualification for membership of S。P。E。C。T。R。E。…The Special Executive for Counterintelligence； Terrorism； Revenge； and Extortion。
The founder and chairman of this private enterprise for private profit was Ernst Stavro Blofeld。
6。 Violet…Scented Breath
Blofeld pleted his inspection of the faces。 As he had anticipated； only one pair of eyes had slid away from his。 He had known he was right。 The double…checked reports had been entirely circumstantial； but his own eyes and his intuition had to be the seal。 He slowly put both hands under the table。 One hand remained flat on his thigh。 The other went to a side pocket and drew out a thin gold vinaigrette and placed it on the table in front of him。 He prised open the lid with his thumbnail； took out a violet…scented cachou； and slipped it into his mouth。 It was his custom； when unpleasant things had to be said； to sweeten his breath。
Blofeld tucked the cachou under his tongue and began to talk in a soft； resonant； and very beautifully modulated voice。
〃I have a report to make to members about The Big Affair； about Plan Omega。〃 （Blofeld never prefixed his words with 〃Gentlemen；〃 〃Friends；〃 〃Colleagues；〃 or the like。 These were fripperies。） 〃But before I proceed to that matter； for security's sake I propose to touch upon another topic。〃 Blofeld looked mildly round the table。 The same pair of eyes evaded his。 He continued in a narrative tone of voice： 〃The Executive will agree that the first three years of our experience have been successful。 Thanks in part to our German section； the recovery of Himmler's jewels from the Mondsee was successfully acplished in total secrecy； and the stones disposed of by our Turkish section in Beirut。 Ine： ￡750；000。 The disapp