As Gregory walked back to the Air Ministry he could hardly believe that he had not dreamed his interview with Hitler. The thought that without any hocus-pocus or aid from Malacou he had succeeded in having Germany's most competent General sacked, and that Hitler should not even have consulted Keitel, Jodl or Burgdorf before taking such a momentous decision, left him utterly dumbfounded. No clearer
proof could be needed that the proper place now for the tyrant was a lunatic asylum.
During the next few days further calamities befell the Third Reich. Himmler had again left his headquarters at Prenzlau and was now directing his Army Group from his bed in Dr. Gebhardt's clinic at Hohenlychen. This direction consisted of Orders of the Day such as: `Forward through the mud! Forward through the snow! Forward by day! Forward by night! Forward for the liberation of German soil!'-orders that the relatives of soldiers who were taken prisoner unwounded were to be shot-and an order to his subordinate who had been left to defend besieged Danzig which led to scores of people, including boy ack-ack gunners, being strung up to the poplar trees that lined the principal streets with placards on their chests that read, `I am hanging here because I left my post.' But such frightfulness did not prevent the ill armed half-trained troops that now made up the bulk of his Army from being constantly driven back by the Russians, or their capture of Danzig.
Although the Russian advance on the northern front now directly threatened Berlin, disaster in the south-east was felt in the bunker to be an even more shattering blow. Rather than spare Budapest from the horrors of a siege and bombardment, Hitler had sent Sepp Dietrich there with the flower of the. Waffen S.S., and they had stubbornly defended the Budaberg until all its beautiful old palaces had been shelled into rubble. Then, on the 13th, the news came through that he had withdrawn the remnants of his Army and was retreating on Vienna.
Two days earlier Hitler had sent detailed orders for a new counter attack. It had taken place on a day of torrential rain and had resulted in a wholesale slaughter of Dietrich's best troops. When Hitler heard of this and that his most trusted General had ordered a general retreat, his rage knew no bounds. He raved for hours on end and that night issued a decree that as a punishment his own pet regiment, the Leibstandarte Addolf Hitler, should be deprived of the distinguishing armbands that were their special pride, thus inflicting the ultimate disgrace upon men utterly devoted to him.
A few days later it was learned that Dietrich had flatly refused to promulgate the order; then a parcel arrived at the bunker addressed to the Fьhrer. It contained a chamber-pot in which were all Dietrich's decorations.
It was owing to Hitler's addled mind being so taken up with these disasters that Gregory put down the fact that he and Malacou were not sent for during the week following his interview with the Fuhrer. By then, for over a fortnight, he had spent several hours each day in the outer bunker and although he was not subject to claustrophobia he found conditions there extremely trying. It was always crowded with people coming and going, some in fear of being the victims of the Fьhrer’s terrible angers, others bewailing his insane orders that it was their duty to transmit to the Army, Navy and Luftwaffe; all harassed by fears for their families during the air-raids or their own ever more uncertain futures. In consequence, by the 17th of the month he felt that he positively must escape for a while and get a little relaxation.
During the past nine months he had often wondered what was happening to Sabine and since his return to Berlin he had several times contemplated taking a few hours off to find out if she was still in the city. So on that Saturday he asked Koller's permission` to absent himself for the afternoon, then set off for the Villa Seeaussicht.
He had not passed through East Berlin since the previous. July. It had been depressing enough then, but now it was a revelation of the state too which a great city could be reduced by modern warfare. Although the upper storeys of many of the big buildings in central Berlin had been rendered untenable, their steel, concrete and stone facades, which still stood, saved them from appearing to have been greatly damaged; whereas the older blocks and brick houses, of which by far the greater part of the city consisted, told the full story.
The great highway through Charlottenburg was now a broad defile between two endless mounds of jagged rubble. Hardly a building had its roof intact; not an unbroken window was to be seen.- Many of the side streets were now impassable; on either hand lay acre upon acre of burnt and blackened ruins. People with gaunt faces and sunken eyes moved among them, wearily clambering over charred beams and emerging from
holes at the roadside, that led to deep, crowded shelters or cellars wherein they dwelt like half-starved rats in filth and squalor.
In the suburbs along the Havel the picture was, by comparison, much less terrible, although they had also suffered severely. Here and there houses had been burnt out or partially wrecked. In many gardens there lay uprooted trees, the glass in porches and conservatories had been shattered, gates swung askew on broken hinges and every few hundred yards gaps had been torn in walls and fences. And when, at last, Gregory came in sight of the villa he was greatly worried to see that its upper storey had been blown to pieces…
Since Sabine had hidden him when he was on the run he had no fear that on his turning up again in the uniform of a Luftwaffe Major she might betray him, or that Trudi would do so-if they were still alive and there. But Goering had said he believed von Osterberg to have survived. It was therefore possible that he too was living in the house, and for Gregory, to run into him would be disastrous; so he approached the villa with caution.
As he came nearer he saw with relief that although all the windows, bar one downstairs, were broken and had been boarded over, through that one. he could make out a pot of hyacinths, which implied that the house was still occupied. - Having made certain that no-one was about, he slipped through the side entrance, took the path behind the garage and rang the back door bell. A moment later it was opened by Trudi.
On recognizing him her mouth fell open with surprise, butt he smiled at her and said, `I'm not a ghost, Trudi, and I'm delighted to see you safe and well. I only hope your mistress is, too. Is she about?'
Trudi returned his smile. `Not at the moment, mein Herr. She is at the doctor's. But she should soon be back and, I am sure, will be most happy to see you. Please to come inside.'
`How about the Herr Graf?' Gregory asked. `Is he still living here; or anyone else?'
She shook her head. 'Nein, mein Herr. For a long time past we have been living here alone.'
`That's good. But what's this about the gniidige Baronin having gone to the doctor? I trust it's not for anything serious.'
'Nein, mein Herr. Just a slight indisposition from which she has been suffering for the past few weeks.'
Reassured, Gregory entered the house and followed Trudi through to the sitting room. Several large sections of plaster had come down from the ceiling and there were damp stains on the walls, but otherwise it was clean and tidy. Trudi told him then about the house being hit. It had happened in September, but fortunately the bomb had not been a large one; so only the top storey had been wrecked and no-one injured: Gregory was still talking to her when, ten minutes later, he heard the slam of the front door, and as he got up from the sofa Sabine came into the room.
She did not appear ill and was as lovely as ever, but he noted a look of strain on her face. The instant she saw him it disappeared and with a cry of joy she ran to embrace him. After their first greetings were over she stroked his smart uniform and asked how he had come by it.
`That's a long story,' he smiled, `and I'll tell you it later. The essential points are that after six months in a prison camp I succeeded in getting to Goering, and he has given me a job sticking pins in maps at the Air Ministry.'
'Darling Gregory,' she laughed. `Far audacity you are unbeatable.'
He shrugged. `Oh, once I succeeded in getting an interview with him it wasn't difficult. He is an old friend of mine.'
`What!
Do you mean that he actually knows you to be an Englishman?'
Gregory nodded. `Yes; but he also knows that I was always pro-Fascist. I told him that I had been put in prison in my own country and that having escaped I felt so bitter about the way I'd been treated that I decided to offer my services to Germany; and that having managed to reach Germany I had had the ill luck to be arrested and again put into prison.'
This mendacious account of himself corresponded sufficiently closely with that he had given Sabine in July for her to accept it without comment; but. she asked, `How is your wound?'
He had been ready for that and, as he was no longer in a situation where expediency demanded that he should give the impression that he longed to make love to her, he replied with a laugh, `Healed perfectly; but don't let that give you any naughty ideas. I've come only as an old friend, to find out if you were still here and had escaped injury in the air-raids.'
She made a rueful face. `That's not very complimentary, but perhaps it's just as well. For the past few weeks I haven't been at all fit; so for the moment I'm rather off being made love to.' Before he could ask her what was wrong with her she added quickly, `I see that silly Trudi didn't provide you with a drink while you were waiting for me. I'll go down to the cellar and fetch a bottle of wine.'
When, a few minutes later, she returned with the bottle of champagne, he saw that she had brought only one glass and he asked in surprise, `Aren't you going to join me?'
As she filled the glass for him, she shook her head. `No; for the time being I'm not allowed alcohol.'
'Really!' He raised his eyebrows. Then a possible connection between her surprising abandonment of her favourite pastime and her no longer drinking suddenly struck him and he added, `Surely you don't mean…?'
Tears came into her lovely eyes and she nodded. `Yes. I wouldn't tell anyone else, but I can tell you. I've been an awful fool. I hate and despise myself. Of course, from fear they'll never live through another night practically every woman in Berlin has become promiscuous, and I suppose at least half of them are in the same state as I'm in. But that's no consolation. I feel so horribly unclean-like a leper. When I realized what had happened I had half a mind to kill myself.'
They were sitting side by side on the sofa. Flopping over towards him, she buried her face in his chest and burst into a fit of uncontrollable sobbing.
Stroking her hair, he tried to soothe her and gradually, as her sobs eased, she told him how she had come by her misfortune.
`It was just a month ago. I went in the afternoon for Kaffee trinken with a friend. She was not in her apartment, but her son was. He told me that his mother had been suddenly called away because her sister had been injured in an air-raid, and that she would not be back that night; but he insisted on making coffee for me. He was only a boy; a child almost, barely fifteen. But he was in uniform. He had been called up to join a Hitler Youth Battalion that in two days' time was being sent to fight the Russians. I've never cared much for young men; particularly inexperienced ones. You know that. And when he started to make love to me I hadn't the least intention of having anything to do with him. But he pleaded with me desperately. All the usual things about my being the loveliest person he'd ever seen and the rest of it. That wouldn't have moved me, but what did was his saying that in a week or two he would almost certainly be dead; that it would be terrible to die never having had the experience, and if I'd let him he'd have something wonderful to think of when he lay gasping out his life. What could I do, darling? What could any woman with any decent feelings do but let him have her?'
After another bout of sobbing, Sabine went on. `Having reluctantly decided to let him, I felt it would be mean not to give him as good a time as I could; so I let him undress me, then he stripped and we got into his mother's bed. I'd expected it to be all over quickly, but he recovered in no time and begged for more. After that, I confess, I rather enjoyed it, so we stayed there for more than two hours. By that time it was dark and an early air-raid started; so I was afraid to leave the building and, as the apartment was on the ground floor of a big block, we were fairly safe there. If only I had gone home I should have taken the usual precautions. But I stayed on and slept with him all night. Then… then ten days later I found that the little swine had lied to me. I hadn't been his first experience at all. He'd had some little bitch, or perhaps several, and must have been riddled with it.'
`You poor darling,' Gregory murmured. `It's a horrid business, but nothing to be really worried about. The same thing is happening to thousands of men and women all over Europe every day now that this accursed war has separated so many people from their wives, husbands and sweethearts. And don't regret having given yourself so generously to that wretched boy. If you are receiving proper treatment you'll be as right as rain again in a few weeks.'
Sabine sat up, took a little embroidered handkerchief from her bag and mopped her eyes with it. `Yes. That's what my doctor says. But in the meantime it's simply ghastly. As I mustn't drink anything I have to refuse all invitations to lunch or parties, in case people suspect what is wrong with me; and God knows if I'll ever be able to look at a man in future without being scared that the same thing will happen again.'
`Talking of men,' Gregory said, `I heard a rumour that van Osterberg is still alive. Is it true?
'Yes. Kurt had the luck to make a mess of things. When he shot himself the bullet only fractured his skull. He was in hospital for three months; then, as there was no real evidence that he had been involved in the plot, Speer got him a clearance so that he could go back to his job making explosives for the Secret Weapons.'
`Have you seen him lately?
'No. It seems, though, the old boy had developed a really serious passion for me. As soon as he was out of hospital he came here several times and implored me to let him come back and live here. But the purge after the conspiracy was so thorough that there was not the least likelihood of its starting up again, so Ribb said there was no point in my keeping tabs on Kurt any longer. That let me out, and I politely but firmly refused to play. He had gone back to his quarters in the underground laboratory near Potsdam and, as far as I know, he's still there.'
Gregory told her about his car smash and how he had been sent to Sachsenhausen as Prince Hugo. Then he said how sorry he was that he had wrecked her car and assured her that he would pay her for it as soon as that became possible.
She shrugged. `You don't have to. I got the money for it out of the insurance people. Thank God you said at your trial that you had stolen it. When first I heard what had happened I was terribly scared; but I might have known, darling, that you would have the wit to think up some story that would prevent anyone from finding out that I had been hiding you here.'
That was the very least I could do. But we had planned that the car should be returned to you, so that you could use it to get away if you decided to leave Berlin.'
`You needn't worry on that score either. Now that nobody can get any petrol cars can be bought for a song. With only a small part of the insurance money I was able to buy another, and I've still a good supply of petrol.'
`In that case, what on earth induces" you to remain here? If I'd been you I'd have got out of this ghastly city weeks ago.'
Sabine sighed and shook, her head. `I've often thought of leaving, but I hated the idea of not having my own home and I had no other except in Budapest. With the Russians in Hungary to go there was out of the question, and now my lovely little palace in Buda will have been destroyed with all the others.'
`I know; to give orders that the Budaberg should be held and have it reduced to rubble was another of Hitler's crimes. But, my dear, you really must leave. Within a month, perhaps less, the Russians will be in Berlin. If you are still here, God alone knows what will happen to you. It's too frightful to contemplate.'
Again she shook her head. `I can't leave yet. The best specialist in Berlin is looking after me and I wouldn't be able to find another half as good. My every thought is set on get
ting well again; so I am determined to remain until I have completed my treatment.'
In vain Gregory begged her to alter her mind. Then, finding her adamant, he changed the subject and told her of some of his experiences while at Sachsenhausen. Later they had supper together. Her larder was nowhere near as lavishly stocked as it had been in July but black-marketeers were still bringing her palatable items from the country, so they had an enjoyable meal.
Afterwards Gregory said that he must get back to the Air Ministry and, since she was so depressed and lonely, he promised to come out again to see her as often as he could; but he told her he doubted if he would be able to get away from his duties more than once a week.
It took him over two hours to make his way through the blackout to central Berlin and when he did reach the Air Ministry, a little after eleven o'clock, he found Koller waiting for him in his cubicle. In a great state of agitation the elderly General told him that the Fьhrer had asked for him and his servant over an hour ago. Having collected Malacou, they hurried up the street to the Chancellery.
Down in the bunker Gregory was for the second time taken through the partition in the passage beyond which only the very senior members of the Fuhrer's entourage were permitted to go. There, as before, Bormann was sitting at the narrow conference table. He told Koller that his presence was not required, then said to Gregory:
`The Fьhrer has ordered that you and your man should hold a sйance for him. But I wish to warn you again that you are not to air your own opinions, as you did in the case of von Rundstedt.'
'Herr Parteifuhrer,' Gregory replied, `I shall translate only what my man may say when he is under the control of occult forces. But I will keep my eye on you, and should he begin to make any prediction that is displeasing to you just close your eyes for a second, then I will refrain from translating further, or alter the sense of what he has said.'
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