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le Carre: No smell to nothing
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Marius Hancu
Jan 6, 2012, 7:01:41 AM1/6/12
to
Hello:
--
[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
among her nether garments.
'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
questions to your staff under a pretext.'
John le Carré, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
---
"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
generate any smell?
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
--
[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
among her nether garments.
'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
questions to your staff under a pretext.'
John le Carré, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
---
"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
generate any smell?
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
Nick Spalding
Jan 6, 2012, 7:10:32 AM1/6/12
to
Marius Hancu wrote, in
<bc4b9d2b-a3f3-4af5...@s18g2000vby.googlegroups.com>
on Fri, 6 Jan 2012 04:01:41 -0800 (PST):
>Hello:
>
>--
>[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>
>To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
>from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
>recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
>
>'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
>among her nether garments.
>
>'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
>apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
>exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
>finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
>is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
>questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>
>John le Carré, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
>---
>
>"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
Well used one pound notes.
>"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
>generate any smell?
The used notes were untraceable.
--
Nick Spalding
BrE/IrE
<bc4b9d2b-a3f3-4af5...@s18g2000vby.googlegroups.com>
on Fri, 6 Jan 2012 04:01:41 -0800 (PST):
>Hello:
>
>--
>[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>
>To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
>from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
>recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
>
>'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
>among her nether garments.
>
>'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
>apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
>exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
>finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
>is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
>questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>
>John le Carré, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
>---
>
>"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
>"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
>generate any smell?
--
Nick Spalding
BrE/IrE
Marius Hancu
Jan 6, 2012, 7:52:21 AM1/6/12
to
On Jan 6, 7:10 am, Nick Spalding <spald...@iol.ie> wrote:
>
> >--
> >[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>
> >To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
> >from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
> >recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
>
> >'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
> >among her nether garments.
>
> >'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
> >apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
> >exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
> >finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
> >is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
> >questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>
> >John le Carré, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
> >---
>
> >"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
>
> Well used one pound notes.
>
> >"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
> >generate any smell?
>
> The used notes were untraceable.
Thanks.
>
> >--
> >[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>
> >To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
> >from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
> >recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
>
> >'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
> >among her nether garments.
>
> >'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
> >apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
> >exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
> >finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
> >is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
> >questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>
> >John le Carré, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
> >---
>
> >"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
>
> Well used one pound notes.
>
> >"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
> >generate any smell?
>
> The used notes were untraceable.
Marius Hancu
Don Phillipson
Jan 6, 2012, 9:49:05 AM1/6/12
to
"Nick Spalding" <spal...@iol.ie> wrote in message
news:73pdg7dqjnc1rfbde...@4ax.com...
I doubt it. This is an enthymeme for:
1. I (Mendel) am giving you money
2. Bribe money stinks.
3. This money does not stink.
4. Therefore the money I give you is not a bribe.
Thus, in Mendel's vernacular: "No smell to nothing."
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
news:73pdg7dqjnc1rfbde...@4ax.com...
1. I (Mendel) am giving you money
2. Bribe money stinks.
3. This money does not stink.
4. Therefore the money I give you is not a bribe.
Thus, in Mendel's vernacular: "No smell to nothing."
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
Marius Hancu
Jan 6, 2012, 10:06:29 AM1/6/12
to
On Jan 6, 9:49 am, "Don Phillipson" <e...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:
> "Nick Spalding" <spald...@iol.ie> wrote in message
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
> "Nick Spalding" <spald...@iol.ie> wrote in message
>
> news:73pdg7dqjnc1rfbde...@4ax.com...
>
>
>
> > Marius Hancu wrote, in
> > <bc4b9d2b-a3f3-4af5-b6dd-0258d7502...@s18g2000vby.googlegroups.com>
> news:73pdg7dqjnc1rfbde...@4ax.com...
>
>
>
> > Marius Hancu wrote, in
> > on Fri, 6 Jan 2012 04:01:41 -0800 (PST):
>
> >>Hello:
>
> >>--
> >>[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>
> >>To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
> >>from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
> >>recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
>
> >>'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
> >>among her nether garments.
>
> >>'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
> >>apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
> >>exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
> >>finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
> >>is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
> >>questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>
> >>John le Carr , Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
>
> >>Hello:
>
> >>--
> >>[Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>
> >>To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
> >>from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
> >>recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
>
> >>'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed, demurely stowing the notes
> >>among her nether garments.
>
> >>'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
> >>apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
> >>exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an emphatic
> >>finger - 'most of all, more important than you can possibly know, this
> >>is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an interest or putting
> >>questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>
> >>---
>
> >>"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
>
> > Well used one pound notes.
>
> >>"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
> >>generate any smell?
>
> > The used notes were untraceable.
>
> I doubt it. This is an enthymeme for:
> 1. I (Mendel) am giving you money
> 2. Bribe money stinks.
> 3. This money does not stink.
> 4. Therefore the money I give you is not a bribe.
>
> Thus, in Mendel's vernacular: "No smell to nothing."
Tough play.
>
> >>"dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
>
> > Well used one pound notes.
>
> >>"No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
> >>generate any smell?
>
> > The used notes were untraceable.
>
> I doubt it. This is an enthymeme for:
> 1. I (Mendel) am giving you money
> 2. Bribe money stinks.
> 3. This money does not stink.
> 4. Therefore the money I give you is not a bribe.
>
> Thus, in Mendel's vernacular: "No smell to nothing."
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
CDB
Jan 7, 2012, 7:51:45 AM1/7/12
to
Don Phillipson wrote:
> "Nick Spalding" <spal...@iol.ie> wrote:
no stink. Mrs PG's demure agreement, as she stows the unmentionable
where the sun don't shine, could also support this interpretation.
> "Nick Spalding" <spal...@iol.ie> wrote:
>> Marius Hancu wrote:
>>>
>>> --
>>> [Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>>>
>>> To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on
>>> account from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them,
>>> which he later recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is
>>> there?' he told her. 'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed,
>>> demurely stowing the
>>> notes among her nether garments.
>>>
>>> 'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
>>> apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
>>> exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an
>>> emphatic finger - 'most of all, more important than you can
>>> possibly know, this is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an
>>> interest or putting questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>>>
>>> John le Carr�, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
>>>
>>> --
>>> [Mendel is spying on Smiley, whom he "protects" ]
>>>
>>> To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on
>>> account from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them,
>>> which he later recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is
>>> there?' he told her. 'You could say so,' Mrs Pope Graham agreed,
>>> demurely stowing the
>>> notes among her nether garments.
>>>
>>> 'I'll want every scrap,' Mendel warned, seated in her basement
>>> apartment over a bottle of the one she liked. 'Times of entry and
>>> exit, contacts, life-style, and most of all' - he liked an
>>> emphatic finger - 'most of all, more important than you can
>>> possibly know, this is, I'll want suspicious persons taking an
>>> interest or putting questions to your staff under a pretext.'
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
>>> "dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
>>
>> Well used one pound notes.
>>
>>> "No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
>>> generate any smell?
>>
>> The used notes were untraceable.
>
> I doubt it. This is an enthymeme for:
> 1. I (Mendel) am giving you money
> 2. Bribe money stinks.
> 3. This money does not stink.
> 4. Therefore the money I give you is not a bribe.
>
> Thus, in Mendel's vernacular: "No smell to nothing."
>
Or maybe: Money? What money? What I gave you was nothing. No money,
>>>
>>> "dirty oncers": ? one-time payments?
>>
>> Well used one pound notes.
>>
>>> "No smell to nothing": money doesn't smell or be careful, don't
>>> generate any smell?
>>
>> The used notes were untraceable.
>
> I doubt it. This is an enthymeme for:
> 1. I (Mendel) am giving you money
> 2. Bribe money stinks.
> 3. This money does not stink.
> 4. Therefore the money I give you is not a bribe.
>
> Thus, in Mendel's vernacular: "No smell to nothing."
>
no stink. Mrs PG's demure agreement, as she stows the unmentionable
where the sun don't shine, could also support this interpretation.
Mark Brader
Jan 11, 2012, 6:06:14 PM1/11/12
to
Marius Hancu asks about:
negative seen in some lower-class accidents, as in "I ain't never
done nothing like that." If something has a smell, we may say that
there "is a smell to it" -- I think this is predominantly British
usage. So "No smell to nothing" means "There isn't anything with
a smell." And in this context it seems entirely possible that
"a smell" could mean that the money was traceable.
The Roman emperor Vespasian is supposed to have said "pecunia non
olet" -- money has no smell -- meaning that all money was equally
good no matter what its origins. But times have changed. I have
no idea whether the author had this quotation in mind, anyway.
--
Mark Brader | "If you have to go in, you go in.
Toronto | The choice was made the day you took your oath."
m...@vex.net | --Dan Duddy, New York Fire Department
My text in this article is in the public domain.
>> To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on account
>> from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
>> recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
Nick Spalding:
>> from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them, which he later
>> recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is there?' he told her.
> The used notes were untraceable.
I think this is it. "No... nothing" is the double (or multiple)
negative seen in some lower-class accidents, as in "I ain't never
done nothing like that." If something has a smell, we may say that
there "is a smell to it" -- I think this is predominantly British
usage. So "No smell to nothing" means "There isn't anything with
a smell." And in this context it seems entirely possible that
"a smell" could mean that the money was traceable.
The Roman emperor Vespasian is supposed to have said "pecunia non
olet" -- money has no smell -- meaning that all money was equally
good no matter what its origins. But times have changed. I have
no idea whether the author had this quotation in mind, anyway.
--
Mark Brader | "If you have to go in, you go in.
Toronto | The choice was made the day you took your oath."
m...@vex.net | --Dan Duddy, New York Fire Department
My text in this article is in the public domain.
CDB
Jan 13, 2012, 10:03:19 AM1/13/12
to
Mark Brader wrote:
> Marius Hancu asks about:
>
>>> To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on
>>> account from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them,
>>> which he later recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is
>>> there?' he told her.
>
> Nick Spalding:
>> The used notes were untraceable.
>
> I think this is it. "No... nothing" is the double (or multiple)
> negative seen in some lower-class accidents, as in "I ain't never
> done nothing like that." If something has a smell, we may say that
> there "is a smell to it" -- I think this is predominantly British
> usage. So "No smell to nothing" means "There isn't anything with
> a smell." And in this context it seems entirely possible that
> "a smell" could mean that the money was traceable.
>
But Mrs PG agreed as she disappeared the bribe, which suggests he was
> Marius Hancu asks about:
>
>>> To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on
>>> account from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them,
>>> which he later recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is
>>> there?' he told her.
>
> Nick Spalding:
>> The used notes were untraceable.
>
> I think this is it. "No... nothing" is the double (or multiple)
> negative seen in some lower-class accidents, as in "I ain't never
> done nothing like that." If something has a smell, we may say that
> there "is a smell to it" -- I think this is predominantly British
> usage. So "No smell to nothing" means "There isn't anything with
> a smell." And in this context it seems entirely possible that
> "a smell" could mean that the money was traceable.
>
making a general observation (perhaps "If I have given you nothing,
there is no smell of corruption), not telling her something particular
she hadn't known.
>
> The Roman emperor Vespasian is supposed to have said "pecunia non
> olet" -- money has no smell -- meaning that all money was equally
> good no matter what its origins. But times have changed. I have
> no idea whether the author had this quotation in mind, anyway.
>
Or "denarius". I think it was "*the* money", the proceeds from a tax
> The Roman emperor Vespasian is supposed to have said "pecunia non
> olet" -- money has no smell -- meaning that all money was equally
> good no matter what its origins. But times have changed. I have
> no idea whether the author had this quotation in mind, anyway.
>
on public urinals.
Iain Archer
Jan 13, 2012, 10:44:41 AM1/13/12
to
CDB wrote on Fri, 13 Jan 2012
doesn't seem to be a regular payment. And his question definitely seems
to really be an affirmation. I don't think it's quite a bribe. I think
he might be simply giving her the nod that it's not money that she's
ever going to need to report in any business or income tax accounts.
Perhaps he also thinks that involving her in this tacit quasi-collusion
may help reinforce her sense of loyalty.
[Ch.15] http://www.e-reading.org.ua/book.php?book=88671
No exegetic help within the book: the only other smells found within it
are:
real: cheap scent, sweet dust and jasmine tea, curry, garlic, oil paint
and baby, alcohol;
virtual: the opposition, water under the ground, a rat, the fox.
--
Iain Archer
>Mark Brader wrote:
>> Marius Hancu asks about:
>>
>>>> To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on
>>>> account from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them,
>>>> which he later recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is
>>>> there?' he told her.
>>
>> Nick Spalding:
>>> The used notes were untraceable.
>>
>> I think this is it. "No... nothing" is the double (or multiple)
>> negative seen in some lower-class accidents, as in "I ain't never
>> done nothing like that." If something has a smell, we may say that
>> there "is a smell to it" -- I think this is predominantly British
>> usage. So "No smell to nothing" means "There isn't anything with
>> a smell." And in this context it seems entirely possible that
>> "a smell" could mean that the money was traceable.
>>
>But Mrs PG agreed as she disappeared the bribe, which suggests he was
>making a general observation (perhaps "If I have given you nothing,
>there is no smell of corruption), not telling her something particular
>she hadn't known.
>>
It's a fascinating one. She's a long term informant of his, yet it
>> Marius Hancu asks about:
>>
>>>> To the fifty, Mendel privately had added a further twenty on
>>>> account from his own wallet, dirty oncers as he called them,
>>>> which he later recovered from Smiley. 'No smell to nothing, is
>>>> there?' he told her.
>>
>> Nick Spalding:
>>> The used notes were untraceable.
>>
>> I think this is it. "No... nothing" is the double (or multiple)
>> negative seen in some lower-class accidents, as in "I ain't never
>> done nothing like that." If something has a smell, we may say that
>> there "is a smell to it" -- I think this is predominantly British
>> usage. So "No smell to nothing" means "There isn't anything with
>> a smell." And in this context it seems entirely possible that
>> "a smell" could mean that the money was traceable.
>>
>But Mrs PG agreed as she disappeared the bribe, which suggests he was
>making a general observation (perhaps "If I have given you nothing,
>there is no smell of corruption), not telling her something particular
>she hadn't known.
>>
doesn't seem to be a regular payment. And his question definitely seems
to really be an affirmation. I don't think it's quite a bribe. I think
he might be simply giving her the nod that it's not money that she's
ever going to need to report in any business or income tax accounts.
Perhaps he also thinks that involving her in this tacit quasi-collusion
may help reinforce her sense of loyalty.
[Ch.15] http://www.e-reading.org.ua/book.php?book=88671
No exegetic help within the book: the only other smells found within it
are:
real: cheap scent, sweet dust and jasmine tea, curry, garlic, oil paint
and baby, alcohol;
virtual: the opposition, water under the ground, a rat, the fox.
--
Iain Archer
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