I think he imagined that if I went to Wheeler and asked him about Smiley, then Wheeler would make up a story and bore me to death with some terribly long, exasperating, useless tale.

• 我估计他是这么想的：你找到惠勒问斯麦尔利的事，老惠就会编个又臭又长又无聊的故事来挤兑你。