“My hypothesis was that this was just the sort of establishment our politicians and hangers-on were eagerly awaiting, somewhere that they could host friends and enemies alike, butter them up, get them drunk, wheel and deal to their hearts’ content.”

“Non, Tonton, tu ne sais pas de quoi tu parles.”

“Guns are dangerous. People end up dead for all the wrong reasons, when there are guns around.”

“And another thing. The men that have been serving you all night are my own husband and the husbands of my two closest friends, also my friends. So, Madam, either you can apologise to this nice couple, who seem to be well known to the good Inspector Fatima Dieng, and to the lovely gentlemen behind the bar, and wait your turn to be served, or you can take your custom elsewhere.”

“Now when I get worried, I usually need a drink. Actually, even when I’m not worried, I still like to have one.”

“I am sure it will be no surprise that my preference is to read about civilisations and their works, rather than to spend my time wandering around them.”

“Let’s all give praise to the male ego. Perhaps we can spend the rest of the evening getting melancholically drunk on gin, instead of doing something.”

“If the British offer you something for free, take it with both hands, before they take something from you, like your whole country.”