Ashenden, or The British Agent. On the Chinese Screen

At the height of World War I. Intense battles are raging on the fronts, while in the rear a secret confrontation among European intelligence agencies unfolds, drawing in a writer recruited by the British secret service. Ashenden is the perfect candidate for intelligence work; he is observant, calm, and appears harmless, speaks several European languages, and his profession can serve as an ideal cover. Ashenden, changing one disguise for another without attracting attention, visits various countries, gathers and transmits information, accompanies and recruits agents.

The sketches "On the Chinese Screen" are a colorful kaleidoscope of fascinating stories about life in the East. These witty notes reveal the full depth of the mysterious Chinese civilization: there is room for the lost places on the great Yangtze River, the unusual colorful culture, and the subtle oriental mentality.