CHAPTER ONE. A Memorandum for M

The memorandum came to M from the Head of Station S of the Secret Service. It read:

SUBJECT:

LE CHIFFRE RUSSIA’S CHIEF AGENT IN FRANCE - A PLAN FOR HIS DESTRUCTION.

THIS INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO US BY ONE OF LE CHIFFRE’S GIRLFRIENDS.

LE CHIFFRE IS TREASURER OF SODA. SODA IS A COMMUNIST-CONTROLLED TRADE UNION IN FRANCE.

LE CHIFFRE IS NEAR FINANCIAL RUIN. IN JANUARY 1946, HE ‘BORROWED’ FIFTY MILLION FRANCS FROM SODA’S FUNDS. HE USED THE MONEY TO MAKE BAD INVESTMENTS. THESE INVESTMENTS ARE NOW WORTH NOTHING.

LE CHIFFRE HOPES TO REPAY THE MONEY TO SODA. HE HAS RENTED A SMALL VILLA NEAR ROYALE-LES-EAUX FOR A WEEK FROM 15 JUNE. LE CHIFFRE WILL TRY TO WIN FIFTY MILLION FRANCS PLAYING BACCARAT.

THIS POWERFUL RUSSIAN AGENT MUST BE DESTROYED. THIS WILL HAPPEN IF LE CHIFFRE DOES NOT WIN AT ROYALE.

WE MUST SEND OUR BEST GAMBLER TO ROYALE. OUR MAN MUST BEAT LE CHIFFRE AT BACCARAT.

NOTE A) LE CHIFFRE IS ABOUT 45 YEARS OLD. HEIGHT I.70M. WEIGHT 114.3KG. HAIR RED-BROWN. EYES DARK BROWN. HE SPEAKS FRENCH, GERMAN, ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN. HE DRIVES FAST CARS AND IS A GOOD GAMBLER. HE ALWAYS TRAVELS WITH TWO ARMED GUARDS. HE IS A CLEVER AND DANGEROUS RUSSIAN AGENT.

NOTE B) SMERSH IS THE MOST POWERFUL AND FEARED ORGANIZATION IN RUSSIA. SMERSH’S JOB IS TO FIND AND KILL ALL ENEMIES OF THE RUSSIAN SECRET SERVICE AND SECRET POLICE. WE NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION. WE NEED TO DESTROY ITS AGENTS.

Commander James Bond was an agent of the British Secret Service. He was a handsome man with blue eyes and dark hair. His interview with M was short.

‘Well, Bond.’ asked M, when Bond had finished reading the memorandum.

Bond looked across the desk at M.

‘I’d like to do it,’ he said. ‘But I can’t promise I’ll win. I could have had luck and - .’

Bond was stopped by M’s cold eyes. Of course M knew this. M was Head of the British Secret Service. It was M’s job to know Bond’s chances of winning at baccarat.

‘Le Chiffre can have bad luck, too,’ M replied. ‘You’ll have twenty-five million francs. We will give you ten million now. Then we will send you another ten million later.’ He smiled. ‘You can win the extra five million yourself. I’ll ask headquarters at Deuxieme to send Mathis. You did a good job with him at the Casino in Monte Carlo. I’ll also tell the CIA’ in Washington to send somebody. Make sure that you win. And be careful. Le Chiffre is a dangerous man. Good luck.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ said Bond. He went to the door.

‘Wait a minute,’ said M. ‘I may send you an assistant.

They can contact you at Royale. Don’t worry, it will be someone good.’

Bond liked to work alone, but he didn’t argue with M. ‘Yes, sir,’ he said, and left the room.