The Third Man

After leaving Lime, Martins tells Calloway that he returned to the theater to find Anna. He reports that she was unhappy to see him, expecting more awkward attempts at romance, but he told her instead that he had met Lime. She wept at the news, clearly disturbed. She lamented that death would at least have saved Lime from the threat of further arrest. Martins, hoping to finally win her and change her affections, shows her the photographs of the children harmed by the diluted penicillin. He urges her to help him get Lime to the British zone, where Calloway has jurisdiction to detain him. She refuses, declaring, “I’ll never help you to get Harry. I don’t want to see him again, I don’t want to hear his voice. I don’t want to be touched by him, but I won’t do a thing to harm him” (72). She tells him that her affection is not the issue—her loyalty can’t be altered as his can.

Martins changes the subject to Lime’s capture and what Calloway envisions. Calloway tells him that he’s requesting formal permission to arrest both Kurtz and Lime, and he asks Martins to do his best to deceive Lime.