The conversation was amazingly indiscreet."

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http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2350/2350-h/2350-h.htm

"Meaning British prejudice in all its queer manifestations. As an example I may quote one of my own worst blunders--I can afford to talk of my blunders, for you know my work well enough to be aware of my successes. It was on my first arrival. I was invited to a week-end gathering at the country house of a cabinet minister. The conversation was amazingly indiscreet."

Von Bork nodded. "I've been there," said he dryly.

"Exactly. Well, I naturally sent a resume of the information to Berlin. Unfortunately our good chancellor is a little heavy-handed in these matters, and he transmitted a remark which showed that he was aware of what had been said. This, of course, took the trail straight up to me. You've no idea the harm that it did me. There was nothing soft about our British hosts on that occasion, I can assure you. I was two years living it down. Now you, with this sporting pose of yours--"
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1. The conversation was careless, but who is careless? It seems to be Herling, so their strict chancellor (heavy-handed) reproached him, but if it was not the British people at the gathering that were careless, what summary of events (=resume) could he send back to Berlin?

2. Does HEAVY HANDED etc here means the chancellor scolded Herling and the chancellor knew Herling had been careless in that gathering?

3. Does 'sporting pose' here mean the work von Bork is doing is about sports?

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@WBYeats,

1. The conversation was amazingly indiscreet.
All those there engaged in the conversation, with the English guests revealing things that should have remained private or secret.
The teller of this anecdote passed this information on to Berlin.

2. The Chancellor was heavy -handed: would do and say things without thinking about other people's feelings, and about the consequences.
And he did, and made a remark that showed he knew what was said during that weekend.
But then, think the English, how could he know?
Well, the only German there must have told him! That is, it "took the trail straight up to me."

3. A couple of paragraphs earlier, they were talking about fitting into British society. Well, the British are sporting people - fishing, hunting, shooting, yachting. So, as Von Bork's cover as a spy, he poses as a great sportsman:
"You yacht against them, you hunt with them, you play polo, you match them in every game...You are a 'good old sport' 'quite a decent fellow for a German,' ...And all the time this quiet country house of yours is the centre of half the mischief in England, and (while posing as) the sporting squire, (you are really) the most astute secret-service man in Europe. Genius, my dear Von Bork-- genius!"

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@Bazza6,

excellent!

thank you~

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The conversation was amazingly indiscreet."

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