[…]

Much more real and dangerous? More real and dangerous to him, maybe. I searched desperately for an argument for them to protect me rather than him. 'He's Russian,' I said. 'I'm British!'

Then Sir Humphrey revealed further reasons why my protection was to be withdrawn.

'In fact, Minister, the Special Branch are confident that the threat to your life has diminished.'

Naturally I was anxious to know how they could be so bloody con­fident.

'Surveillance, Minister. They overheard a conversation.' Hum­phrey seemed reluctant to tell me. I told him to spit it out, that I had a right to know, and that I wanted a straight answer!

He nodded, and then went into his normal mumbo-jumbo. God knows what he said, I couldn't unravel it.

 

SIR BERNARD WOOLLEY RECALLS:

 

I recall what Sir Humphrey said because I minuted it at the time. He ex­plained that in view of the somewhat nebulous and inexplicit nature of Hacker's remit and the arguably marginal and peripheral nature of Hack­er's influence on the central deliberations and decisions within the political process, there would be a case for restructuring their action priorities in such a way as to eliminate Hacker's liquidation from their immediate agenda.

 

[Hacker's diary continues  Ed.]

 

So I asked him to put it into English. He then said that the Freedom Army had apparently decided that I wasn't really important enough for it to be worth assassinating me.

He put it as gently as he could, I could see that. Even so, it was a bit of a blow. Not that they'd decided not to assassinate me, of course, but a bit of a blow to my pride nonetheless.

I asked Humphrey what he thought of this new situation. I don't agree with them, of course,' he said.

'You mean,' I asked, you think I should be assassinated?'

'No, no.'

'You mean, I'm not important enough?'

'Yes. No! I mean you are important enough but they shouldn't assassinate you anyway.' He breathed a sigh of relief.

Anyway, it seemed I was off the hook, and perhaps that's all to the good. I mean, there's no point in being important but dead, is there?