There's a scene about 59m into Tinker Tailor Solder Spy (2011) where an operator is transcribing a recorded phone conversation between Bill Haydon and Toby Esterhase:
Haydon: I said, "You may fuck me, but you still have to call me 'Sir' in the morning."
Esterhase: Okay... Just need to let you know someone flew in to Paris last week on one of our escaped passports.
Haydon: And?
Esterhase: It was Rikki Tarr.
Haydon: Why are you telling me?
Esterhase: It could be coincidence but--
Haydon: You really are a poison dwarf, Toby. Why don't you fuck off to His Majesty and stop trying to involve me in your little cabaret.
The scene cuts to Percy Alleline in his office listening to the tape.
I've watched the film several times but this scene still eludes me. My questions:
- What is the coincidence Esterhase suggests? What is Esterhase's "cabaret"?
- Why does Haydon take offence?
- What is the significance of Alleline listening to the tape?