The Spy Who Came in From the Cold: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

Leamas goes to lunch with Ashe the next day, arriving unshaved and smelling of whisky. Ashe gives him a check and they eat a luxurious lunch. Ashe tells Leamas that a friend of his, Sam Kiever, has gotten him some very high-paying work writing articles for foreign newspapers in foreign languages. When Leamas asks no follow-up questions, Ashe asks Leamas what he does, and whether Leamas was “one of the mysterious cold warriors” when in Berlin. Leamas blushes and says he was “an office boy for the bloody Yanks.” Ashe says Leamas should meet Sam and that he should come stay at his place.

Ashe brings Leamas back to his apartment, which is generic and hardly decorated. Ashe says Leamas should rest while he goes grocery shopping. When Ashe has left, Leamas makes a phone call. He asks for the secretary of a “Mr. Thomas” and tells her that he is calling on behalf of Mr. Sam Kiever, who has accepted the invitation and hopes to contact Mr. Thomas that evening. Leamas gives the secretary Ashe’s address. Then, after asking some questions at Ashe’s apartment’s reception desk, Leamas takes a nap. He falls asleep wondering what has happened to Liz.

Ashe returns with Sam Kiever, an older man with a central European accent. They go out for dinner, where Leamas says hostile things about Americans. Afterwards, they go to a strip club. On the way there, Leamas demands to know who will be paying for everything, acting suspicious. Ashe says he will pay, and looks worried. At the club, however, Leamas grabs Ashe’s membership card out of his hand, then pays the guest fee for himself and Kiever. Leamas confronts Ashe, saying that Ashe has been following him since he was released from prison and that both his membership card at the club and his apartment are registered under the name of “Murphy.” Kiever steps in, telling Ashe that he will handle Leamas from here. Ashe leaves.

Kiever tells Leamas that his agency will pay for “factual material” into foreign bank accounts without bothering about taxes. Leamas thinks to himself that “they” are coming on strong now, and that they would know that he had a lot of resentments, but might fear being prosecuted by his Service. He says that he would need a lot of money to agree. Kiever promises him fifteen thousand pounds and another five thousand a year later, and tells him that he will not need to write anything down, but only to tell the “client” what he knows. Kiever tells him the meeting will occur in Holland. Kiever pays the bill and takes Leamas back to another generic-looking apartment. Leamas asks if it is “paid for by the great Worker State,” and Kiever angrily tells him to shut up. The next morning, Kiever gives Leamas a fake passport and they set off.