The Legion of the Lost, стр. 57
Palfrey said slowly: ‘Not as new as all that, no.’
‘There is something new to follow,’ she said very softly. ‘Because we are to give a time limit to our people. If they do not do as they are bidden, quickly—’ she drew a deep breath. ‘No, no, it is too dreadful, too dreadful. They will—’
Then she broke off abruptly.
There was a buzzing sound near the door, and she stared towards it. Palfrey saw a green light glowing above the lintel. She rose quickly to her feet and stared at them, not in alarm but in warning. She went swiftly and gracefully towards the door, unlocked it and stepped into the passage. They heard another door opening as they stared at one another all feeling something of the cold horror which she had managed to pass on to them before the interruption.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Palfrey Goes on a Journey
It was Karl.
He bowed frigidly when he saw them, evincing even less friendliness than von Otten had revealed, although Palfrey believed that this fresh-faced youth was nothing like so dangerous. He was no more than twenty-two or three, Palfrey thought, and although his face was set and grim it lacked the inhuman lifelessness so frequently seen in Nazis.
‘I regret that I am late,’ said Karl stiffly. ‘I was detained by His Excellency. How much do they know?’
Palfrey said quietly: ‘It would be wise for you to assume that we know nothing, Herr Leutnant.’
Karl looked as if he found that easy enough and began to talk. He did not sit down, but addressed them as if they were at a lecture. For the first few minutes it was a spate of Nazi propaganda which they had heard a hundred times before, nothing which seemed to justify the summoning of delegates from the occupied countries. But as Karl went on the truth began to assert itself. He listed order after order, showing the tightening of the Nazi yoke, describing the methods which were to be adopted to break resistance. Palfrey began to realise that the fear behind this new drive was solely that, unless the back of all resistance was broken, the Nazis would have a hopeless task to prevent Allied forces sweeping through the continent.
Some of them must know that military defeat was inevitable, as well as von Lichner. For the first time Palfrey saw a connection between von Lichner’s approach to him and the Legion of the Lost. He believed von Lichner was trying to arrange safe custody for himself and others when the collapse came; the others were trying to stave off that collapse. Both were active at the same time.
That was what mattered – the growing appreciation in both factions of the approach of disaster. It had a queer effect on Palfrey, half exhilarating, half depressing.
Karl was still talking.
Switzerland was not occupied by the Germans yet, but loyal Nazis who had escaped from Swiss police must make considerable contributions to the common cause. The Führer looked upon Switzerland as a vassal State, which was understandable. The difficulties in that country were greater than in some of the others, but they must be overcome. In the case of Professor Pienne and his fellow-Nazis, it was their duty to make what preparations they could and to send information to Berlin regularly. Karl did not hide the fact that for his part he considered the Swiss negligible; he was merely carrying out instructions. Karl, thought Palfrey, was a little too indiscreet.
It puzzled him, and he was puzzled by other things as he listened. The way the man talked, the wildness of some of his phrases – he must realise that it would strike dread into the hearts of anyone from Switzerland. The most stalwart Swiss Nazis – and what few remained free must be stalwart believers – would have found it hard to stomach.
‘Now,’ said Karl sharply. ‘You have been given demonstrations of what has happened in other vassal States because of opposition. You have an opportunity of saving your own country. Your influence may be great or small, but you will prepare the ground for Swiss help for the Third Reich.’ He drew in a sharp breath. ‘Is that understood?’
Palfrey said humbly: ‘Clearly understood, Herr Leutnant.’
‘You will remain in Berlin for a short while longer,’ said Karl, ‘and you will be given instructions and information on how best to make your own arrangements. This time there will be no exceptions. Co-operation will be absolute, the whole man-power of Europe must be put at the disposal of the Führer. Or—’
His eyes were glittering and he seemed to be labouring under some great emotion. Palfrey watched, fascinated. It was as if the man knew of the monstrousness of what he was saying, knew of the horror which was implicit in that ‘or,’ and was keying himself up to utter the next sentence.
Abruptly: ‘Plans have been worked out for the complete subjugation of the people of all occupied countries unless cooperation is full and comprehensive. You understand? If the men and women will not have the sense to understand it, they and their children will be starved into submission.’ Karl drew a deep breath, there were spots of colour on his cheeks and his eyes were blazing. ‘That is the order! The only means of avoiding it is in your hands, and the hands of the people themselves. You have two months—that