Endnote 40 — Marathe's stacked loyalties
Untangles the recursive double- and triple-agent arrangement: the A.F.R. thinks Marathe is only feigning defection to the U.S.; in fact Steeply and the B.S.S. know Marathe truly responds to their summonses, while Fortier does not realize the Americans know that he knows of the meetings — and any misstep about the true parity of Marathe's loyalties would get him killed.
What links here
- Gertraude's terminal illness; Marathe agrees to betray the A.F.R. for U.S. cardiac care — the triple/quadruple-agent structure
- The cell penetrated from within: Marathe's quadruple-agent structure
- The mountainside interface with Marathe — the Office runs the A.F.R. from inside
- The price of the betrayal: her medical care is what Marathe sells his loyalty for