The Legion of the Lost, стр. 35

Chapter Eighteen

The Chemist Named Dross

‘To help,’ said von Lichner. ‘Now, let me be quite straightforward, Palfrey. Had this encounter come about two years—even one year—ago, I should have concentrated on catching you. I should not have been lenient towards you, I should have realised that you were a danger to the security of the Third Reich. So I should have been compelled to have had you arrested and shot—we should not have wasted a great deal of time on a trial. The conditions are very different now. The best I could do by having you caught and shot would be—’ he paused, ‘perhaps postponement of the inevitable climax by a few days. Perhaps, by condemning to death Raffleck, Erikson and others for whom you are searching, and thus preventing some Allied Governments from completing their arrangements for post-war plans; I should have delayed recovery from the effects of the war. I should perhaps have increased the number of people who would die after your occupation of Europe. But no more than that. Palfrey. You see, I am a realist. For my country the war is lost.’

Brian said in a slow voice: ‘What are you driving at?’

‘I have acknowledged the inevitability of a German defeat,’ said von Lichner. ‘I have made it clear that I know that you are trying to obtain the release of certain important members of Governments in office prior to the Occupation, to help in the immediate post-war problems. Now, if I read you aright, your only concern is to make possible a quicker and more complete recovery in Europe after the war. Palfrey, you have the ear of the Marquis of Brett. The Marquis has the ear of the British Cabinet. Do I have to make myself more obvious?’

Gently, Stefan said: ‘I begin to see. Are these not called “peace feelers,” Sap?’

‘You see nothing at all,’ snapped von Lichner. ‘I have made it clear to all but imbeciles that I acknowledge the impossibility of a German victory. The war is lost for us. It is a good time for the victor and the loser to get together and to discuss post-war problems. I have a particular angle—that is your expression—a particular angle upon them which I think would be of interest. Do you wish to hear what I have to say, or do you not?’

Palfrey said: ‘The difficulty is time. We have to get away.’

‘If you listen to me and accept my proposals you will not have to worry about time,’ said von Lichner. He leaned forward and pointed at Palfrey, saying impressively: ‘I can unlock the doors of any prison or concentration camp, of all the houses of detention in Europe! The complete success of your mission can be assured by your co-operation with me.’

Brian interrupted, slowly.

‘Is there going to be a proposition?’

‘That is not a matter which I can discuss here and now,’ said von Lichner. ‘There is no time, as Palfrey has said—’

‘That’s contradictory,’ objected Palfrey. ‘Just now you discounted the time element.’

‘There is time now to discuss some things, but not to put my proposition,’ said von Lichner. ‘I act for others—I have principals to whom I must report. I have to assure them of your willingness to co-operate.’

‘The time element crops up again,’ murmured Palfrey.

‘We’ll need to think about it. On the whole—’ he looked at Stefan thoughtfully. ‘Do you think we can take him with us?’

‘We can’t carry him,’ Brian pointed out. ‘If we stroll across Denmark with him on a piece of string it would look odd. If we unpinion him and take him along with us, we’ll give away our friend at—’ he paused, then added: ‘the next port of call. He might break away and cause a disturbance. We could probably kill him without losing much time, but it would start a pretty fierce hue-and-cry. You just can’t trust the beggars. He looks as innocent as a new-born babe, but—’

‘I would hardly call him a newborn babe,’ objected Stefan judicially. ‘And you’re right, of course, those disadvantages are obvious. On the other hand, he might be telling the truth.’

‘They’re born liars,’ said Brian.

‘Difficult, yes,’ said Palfrey. He turned and looked at von Lichner, as if suddenly realising that the man was listening. He smiled vacantly. ‘You appreciate the difficulties, don’t you? You’ve had so many admirable liars working for you that we don’t feel disposed to trust you far. I don’t see any way out of it.’

The German said thickly: ‘If you refuse to listen to me, you will be missing one of the greatest chances of your life! Be wise, and you will become men of great renown. You will—’ he stopped abruptly and glared at Stefan. ‘What is there amusing in that, Andromovitch?’

‘Oh, the whole situation,’ said Stefan airily. ‘Sap, supposing we see whether there is another cave, where we can talk for a few minutes on our own. It would be better.’ As he finished he moved towards the entrance of the cave, which was immediately opposite a blank wall of rock. They squeezed through a narrow fissure and soon found themselves in a smaller cave.

Palfrey said dreamily: ‘Supposing we were to let him go now? Or leave him here and later let someone know where he can be found? Then we could go on to Berlin—he seems sure we’re going there, and I’m a little worried about that, but there isn’t a great deal we can do. We want Machez and Ridzer, that’s our job Number One. After we have got them out of the country, we could try to deal with von Lichner as far as finding out what he really wants. Meanwhile we could get a word to the Marquis, asking for instructions. On the whole,