The Common Name is a mystery short story by Isaac Asimov.
Part of the Union Club series, it was first published in the December 1986 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.
Summary[]
In the Union Club, Jennings expresses frustration over his grandson being given the common name "David," sparking a discussion about names. This prompts Griswold to recount a case from his past involving a deathbed puzzle. A Department agent named Dan Carmody was investigating a suspected double agent within the organization. Before dying from a knife wound, Carmody gasped the word "Harry" in an ambulance. The Department had two agents named Harry: Harry Jardiniere, known as Red Harry due to his red hair, and Harry Beauchamp, known as Black Harry for his black hair. Both were investigated thoroughly, but no evidence of treason was found against either, and they were eventually encouraged to leave the Department.
The investigation revealed that both Harrys had dated the same woman, Edith Bond, but this seemed inconsequential at the time. Edith was interviewed but provided no useful information, and she later married a travel agent. The Department concluded that Carmody's last word was insignificant or misheard, and the case remained unsolved. Years later, Griswold learned of the case from a retired Department friend and identified the solution based on the details.
Griswold realized that Carmody's dying word "Harry" was not referring to either agent but to the historical spy Mata Hari. He deduced that Edith Bond had been acting in a similar role, extracting information from both Harrys through her relationships. Carmody, in his final moments, remembered the connection to Mata Hari but could only utter "Harry," implying Edith's espionage activities. This explained how the double agent operation worked without implicating either Harry directly.
Characters[]
- Griswold
- Club Member (the narrator)
- Jennings
- Baranov
- The Department Friend
- Dan Carmody
- Harry Jardiniere (Red Harry)
- Harry Beauchamp (Black Harry)
- Edith Bond
- The Chief
Historical Figures Mentioned[]
- Mata Hari
See Also[]
List of short stories by Isaac Asimov