In Joseph Conrad's novel "The Secret Agent," Mr. Verloc leads a double life, maintaining a quiet shop in London while secretly working as a spy for a foreign embassy. His mundane existence is disrupted by a demand for a terrorist act. The story explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the devastating consequences of political manipulation.

Mr. Verloc's Unexpected Summons

Mr. Verloc finds himself unexpectedly summoned to a foreign embassy at the unusual hour of eleven in the morning—a situation that fills him with apprehension. As he strolls down the street, his hefty and sluggish appearance betrays nothing of his secret role as an agent provocateur. Verloc owns a modest, seldom-visited shop, with living quarters located at the back where his family resides. Here, he often hosts a group of London anarchists, keeping his true allegiance to the embassy hidden from them. He mentally grumbles about how awkward it would be if any of his anarchist acquaintances caught sight of him entering such a place.

Tensions with Mr. Vladimir

Mr. Verloc's mood worsens during his meeting with Mr. Vladimir, the First Secretary. His complacency in his role as a foreign agent in England is shattered as Vladimir criticizes him harshly for his perceived laziness and inefficiency. Verloc is even threatened with dismissal unless he incites an event to disrupt English tranquility. Specifically, Vladimir demands an explosive incident targeting a monument of knowledge or science, suggesting the Greenwich Observatory as the ideal target.

Returning to Soho

Disturbed by the encounter, Mr. Verloc returns to his Soho shop, striving to maintain his usual facade of calm detachment. When his anarchist friends visit, he manages to keep his anxiety and fear hidden from them. However, his wife Winnie, perceptive and attentive, notices something amiss despite Verloc's attempts to conceal his turmoil. Although Winnie married Verloc more for stability than affection, her primary concern is the wellbeing of her brother Stevie, whom she has fiercely protected since childhood.

Winnie's Protective Nature

Winnie, significantly younger than her husband, prioritizes her brother Stevie's security over her own. Stevie, though grown, remains childlike in many ways—easily excited, inarticulate, yet generally gentle and trusting. He places great trust in Verloc, a sentiment encouraged by both Winnie and their mother, who also lives with them, to ensure Stevie views Verloc as benevolent and obliging. Meanwhile, Verloc remains largely indifferent to these efforts, tolerating Stevie's presence without much engagement.

A Change of Living Arrangements

Stevie and Winnie's mother, wanting to alleviate Verloc's burden, decides to move to an almshouse. This decision leaves Stevie despondent, prompting Winnie to devise a solution. She suggests that Stevie accompany Verloc on his mysterious walks, hoping this will lift his spirits. The plan proves successful, and soon it becomes routine for Stevie to join Verloc. Encouraged by this success, Winnie readily agrees when Verloc proposes that Stevie spend a few days with Michaelis, an elderly anarchist and family friend, in the countryside.

The Calm Before the Storm

Stevie departs for his countryside visit with Michaelis, and the Verloc household enjoys a brief period of calm. However, this tranquility is shattered one afternoon when Verloc returns from a walk visibly distressed. He hastily withdraws all their funds from the bank and mutters about a need to leave the country. Winnie is unimpressed by his vague plan to flee without her and dismisses his actions as nonsensical. Verloc ignores her protests but cannot dismiss the presence of a distinguished visitor, who unbeknownst to Winnie, is the Assistant Commissioner of London Police.

A Turning of the Tide

During Verloc's absence, another visitor arrives—a man identifying himself as Chief Inspector...