- Oliver Lacon: When you came to me a year ago with similar suspicions, I'm afraid I threw you out.
- George Smiley: You told me to abandon my enquiries, as they were unconstitutional.
- Oliver Lacon: Oh, was that the word I used? How very pompous of me.
- Irina: I like being in the presence of Christianity. I understand why some women become nuns. Give themselves, their whole lives given... willingly. There's freedom in that.
- Boris: You think we Russians disapprove of comfort. No, you're wrong, that's the Chinese. All miserable boiler suits and the smallest comfort for the biggest number. Not for me. Boris looks after number one like any real person the wide world over.
- Irina: You should be careful what you say about my husband. He's an important man, he has influential friends...
- Ricki Tarr: You frightening me off, Mrs. Boris? I've got quite a name for looking after myself. I'm your original Australian self-made success story. Rags to richess and punching all the way. Bureaucrats don't scare me, not even the bloody Russian kind!
- Irina: Don't call me Mrs. Boris. My name is Irina.
- Irina: It's the way we look for things, isn't it? We don't stare. We don't seem to be looking. We are not like tourists or prostitutes or pickpockets. We just know how to see.
- Ricki Tarr: [reporting to Thesinger] And I am telling you we're definitely in the wrong ball game with this Johnny! That is a professional, a Moscow Centre-trained hood!
- Irina: I need someone to help me. You'll have to be quite brave, Lawrence...
- Ricki Tarr: Tony...
- Irina: I shall call you Lawrence. Colonel Lawrence, Like in "Lawrence of Arabia"?
- Ricki Tarr: He was English.
- Irina: I know.
- Irina: Boris isn't as good as he ought to be. He enjoys showing off too much, so he misses things. He missed you, didn't he? But you didn't miss him, did you, Colonel?
- Irina: I know something. Something so important, it's one of the biggest secrets ever. It would make you so famous... but it's so secret...
- Irina: Have you heard of Karla? He is an old fox, the most cunning of them all, and he works so secretly some people don't even know he exists.
- Irina: Do you know what is meant by the word "mole"? Moles burrow deep into the fabric of western imperialism.
- Irina: [in a diary, to Tarr] Lawrence, listen: I'm talking to you. This is my gift for you in case they take me away before I can speak to Alleline. I would prefer to give you my life, Lawrence, but I think it more likely that this wretched secret will be all I have to make you happy. Use it well.
- Peter Guillam: As soon as he gave me his story I rang Sir Oliver from a call box. I rang him here, from London.
- [Smiley stares at Guillam]
- Peter Guillam: Well, at the time there was no reason to suppose the phone was tapped...
- George Smiley: There was every reason.
- George Smiley: It's very unusual for Moscow Centre to use a husband-and-wife team. Hard to believe. Unless of course they have children in Moscow, hostages...
- Ricki Tarr: They have.
- Peter Guillam: Common-law marriage. Unofficial, but permanent.
- Ricki Tarr: There's a lot the other way around these days, believe it or not, Mr. Smiley.
- George Smiley: The state of my marriage must be very common knowledge if it's gone as far down the line as Ricki Tarr. For the record, the thing with Ann and Bill Haydon is long over. My wife's present infatuation is with a young actor, currently unemployed.
- Ricki Tarr: Nags me a bit, though, this Boris. Makes his rounds every night, does he?
- Tufty Thessinger: Never missed yet. I told you, my boys...
- Ricki Tarr: Well, before I go, I might just take a peep inside Boris's kennel, see what's under the mattress. Can't be any harm in that, can there?
- Tufty Thessinger: Orders is orders.
- Ricki Tarr: I like keeping my hand in. It's been quiet lately. You can get rusty.
- [Tarr walks towards the door]
- Tufty Thessinger: Well, enjoy yourself, my son, but don't break any eggs, Ricki, please.
- [Tarr smiles at him and walks out the door]
- Tufty Thessinger: I have to live here, remember!
- [first lines]
- [Tarr arrives in Lisbon]
- Ricki Tarr: Our resident buffoon - old galloping major called Tufty Thesinger - wanted a helping hand.
- Ricki Tarr: My boss says you've got your eyes on a likely piece of merchandise for us. So what's your style, this Boris?
- Tufty Thessinger: He's a real Flash Harry!
- [Tarr looks at Thesinger]
- Tufty Thessinger: Exactly. Not your common in-the-garden Russian granite face at all!
- Oliver Lacon: So I can tell the Minister you'll do it, can I? You'll take the job, clean the stables, go backwards, go forwards, whatever's necessary. It's your generation, your legacy.
- [last lines]
- George Smiley: While you enjoy yourself, I shall visit Oxford, to look up an old and invaluable friend.
- Oliver Lacon: Please, don't take any unnecessary risks!
- Peter Guillam: I'm doing what I can to check...
- Ricki Tarr: Well, you be damn careful baby, because I don't want the wrong people on my back!
- George Smiley: Oh, I quite understand your position.
- Oliver Lacon: Thank you. After all, it's not every day one's head of secret service embarks on a private war against the Czechs.