Читать книгу Green Hazard - Cyril Henry Coles - Страница 10

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By the fifth day Hambledon was regretfully well enough to be moved, and not the faintest chance of escape had presented itself even though he was once more clothed in garments more suitable for travel than a pair of fawn Jaeger pajamas with pink stripes. He had spent hours trying to compose a telegram to Denton which would not tell the Gruppenfuehrer more than it was advisable for him to know, but had had to give it up. It would have to be signed “Ulseth,” and Denton would simply disbelieve it. It would be better to go on to Berlin and try to get in touch with one of the British agents there. All the same, his heart sank at the thought of traveling straight into the heart of Nazi Germany without a further effort to extricate himself, and he beat his brains till his head ached trying to think of some way out. But no solution came to him, and it was even dangerous to appear too unwilling. He gave it up.

“If I have got to be a distinguished chemist visiting Germany,” said Tommy crossly, “I will be the most irritable and eccentric scientist that ever stepped out of the pages of a book. The few real ones I’ve ever met have been singularly mild and unassuming. I’m hanged if I will be. If they annoy me—and they’re sure to—I will curse them from Hell to Halifax. I shall merely sneer whenever I’m asked questions I can’t answer. Like Professor Challenger with his ‘every schoolboy knows’ in a horrid sarcastic voice. I only wish I knew as much about chemistry as ‘every schoolboy knows.’ It is going to be difficult, very.”

He got up and looked at himself in the glass. He had been clean-shaven when he was in Germany before, with hair cut short and marks on his face which looked like dueling scars. He had been a soldier when he was a young man, and contact with the militaristic Nazis had kept him in the habit of walking like one. Now the scars on his face had disappeared; his hair was rough and getting long. The beard which had seemed such a good idea was ragged and uneven as a result of the explosion; one side was burned considerably shorter than the other. His eyebrows had been singed off, and various strips of sticking plaster decorated his skull. One of his knees had suffered quite severely, and he walked with a limp in consequence, a limp which he intended to last him throughout his stay in Germany. Hambledon noticed all these alterations with growing confidence.

“I don’t look like a leading Nazi now,” he remarked to the mirror. “I look like a dilapidated goat. I might get away with it—perhaps. Though I doubt it.”

He traveled by train to Berlin accompanied by the Group Leader, who combined the offices of courier, nurse, and, Tommy strongly suspected, warder. For one thing, there was no money forthcoming, though Hambledon did his best. He could not even attempt to escape without any, and Ulseth had left him none.

When the Gruppenfuehrer came to tell him the time of their departure, he said casually, “By the way, I should be glad of a couple of hundred marks or so, if you could oblige me. My own money is doubtless scattered broadcast over the landscape of Servatsch.”

“The Herr Professor,” said the Nazi awkwardly, “will not be put to any expense on the journey. He is the guest of the Reich.”

“I will not insult the Reich by suggesting that they expect me to work for my bare keep. What I want is a small advance to enable me to tip the boots here. He has been civil and obliging.”

“That has already been done.”

“Thank you,” said Tommy coldly, “but I should have preferred to do it myself. I also wish to make some small presents to my kind nurses.”

“They have already been more than adequately remunerated.”

“But——”

“In your name, Herr Professor, I myself have just given them fifty marks each. This is more than ample, besides the natural gratification they feel at having been of service to the famous Herr Ulseth,” said the Nazi in a tone meant to be soothing. But Tommy refused to be soothed.

“My good young man, when you have had a little more experience of life you will learn how narrow a line divides being helpful from being officious. You mean well, no doubt,” said Tommy with one of the sneers he had been practicing in the mirror, “but be so good in future as to permit the famous Herr Ulseth to manage his own unimportant affairs. For the last time, I refuse to be treated like a child. I want some money, Herr Gruppenfuehrer.”

“I regret——”

“What! Am I to come to you whenever I want a pfennig on the journey?”

“Oh, if it is a matter of a few copper coins,” said the German, “that is another matter.” He brought a handful of small change out of his pocket and laid it on the table. Tommy promptly picked it up and threw it at him, and the coins rolled about the floor.

“Who do you think you are?” he stormed. “Who do you think I am? A blind beggar at a street corner, I, Ulseth? You insult me!”

“I regret deeply,” said the Gruppenfuehrer, rising, “but I have no authority to——”

“Ah! Of course I had forgotten. An underling like you would not, naturally, have access to anything but the smallest petty cash. Send me the local gauleiter at once.”

“He is ill in bed,” said the Nazi, backing toward the door. “Patience, Herr Professor. In Berlin all will be explained.

“Yes, I will do the explaining and you will be regularized! and regularized.”

“Get out of my sight,” shouted Hambledon, just in time as the door closed behind the German. “Owl! Donkey! Jackass!” Retreating footsteps sounded along the passage.

“A moral victory, as people always say when they lose elections,” said Tommy ruefully. “I may as well have what there is, though.” He hunted about for the scattered coins and counted them up. “Three marks seventy-five pfennigs. Not so good. I shouldn’t get far on that.”

They arrived in Berlin late one evening, and Herr Ulseth was conducted to the Adlon, where the Reich parks its distinguished visitors. The Group Leader took a ceremonious leave of him, saying that one more worthy than himself would come in the morning adequately to welcome him; in the meantime let the Reich’s honored guest rest himself and sleep well. Hambledon, who was still suffering from the after-effects of the Servatsch affair, thought this an excellent idea. He thanked the Gruppenfuehrer in a few kindly if patronizing phrases, had a light supper in his own room, and went early to bed.

The Gruppenfuehrer left the Adlon and went to the Armaments Ministry to report. Yes, he had brought the Herr Professor Ulseth as directed. He described the occurrences at Servatsch with exactness and the explosion with awe. There was no doubt the Herr Professor had got something there. The Herr Professor had not talked about his experiments except to lament the loss of his notes, and the Gruppenfuehrer had not questioned him—— Oh, quite. A matter for experts. Not within his province at all. The Herr Professor was without doubt a very able man indeed; he had that authoritative manner one always found in the—— Well, a little dictatorial, perhaps. The Gruppenfuehrer had found it necessary to be diplomatic. One made excuses for a certain irascibility in one who had just suffered such a loss—— Well, yes, to be frank, definitely hot-tempered. A tendency to throw things. These scientists, these brilliant intellects, no one should be surprised if they exhibited impatience, even to the point of calling one names, when it was unfortunately necessary to refuse some request. The Gruppenfuehrer bore no malice; on the contrary, he would always recall with pleasure his good fortune in being brought into contact with—— Oh, certainly. His private opinions were not, indeed, of the slightest importance. No, he had nothing further to report. Heil Hitler!

After which the official at the Armaments Ministry knew what to expect when he called upon Hambledon at the Adlon next morning. He found the distinguished scientist in his bedroom, in dressing gown and slippers, consuming coffee and rolls without enthusiasm. The official introduced himself.

“Obersatz Erich Landahl, of the Armaments Ministry,” he said, bowing in the doorway. “I have the honor to address the Herr Professor Ulseth?”

“Heil Hitler!” said Hambledon smartly, with a Nazi salute rather spoiled by the fact that he had a coffee cup in the hand he used to make it. “Uttermost hells, I have now spilt my coffee——”

“Heil Hitler,” said the Obersatz, “let me help you to mop it.” He rushed forward.

“That is, if you can call it coffee,” went on Hambledon irritably. “Roast acorns, is it not? I thought the Adlon would be capable of producing——”

“A mistake has been made,” said Landahl, ceasing to mop Hambledon and ringing the bell instead. “I will give instructions that more care shall be taken in future.” He looked nervously at the coffee cup which Hambledon was holding more like a missile than a receptacle. “Coffee is becoming a difficulty in our Germany, but there is still enough for those whom the Reich delights to honor. A replacement shall be made.”

Hambledon relaxed slightly and put down the cup.

“A cold morning, is it not?” he said.

“We do, indeed, experience the onset of winter,” agreed the Obersatz.

“Especially when the door of the room has been left open,” remarked Hambledon, and Landahl shut it hastily, with apologies. Having thus established matters on the right footing, Tommy thought it time to be a little more friendly.

“It is a source of gratification to me,” he said politely, “that the Herr Obersatz should have honored me with a call in person.”

“The honor is bestowed upon me. Moreover, I do not come in my own person, but as representing the Armaments Minister, who has commanded me to greet you in his name, to make you welcome to the Reich, and particularly to ask what can be done to expedite in every possible way the prosecution of your invaluable experimental research work.”

“I thank the Armaments Minister,” said Tommy solemnly. A waiter came in response to the bell, and Landahl ordered coffee, “real coffee,” in a masterful voice. The waiter raised his eyebrows, Landahl glared, and the man withdrew.

“I trust the Herr Professor is completely recovered from the effects of the unfortunate accident at Servatsch?”

“I am recovering, thank you. My burns are almost healed and my bruises are disappearing. I still suffer daily from most devastating headaches,” said Hambledon, clutching at excuses for putting off the start of his chemical adventures. “My doctor told me they would pass in time, I must be patient.” He added with a laugh, “I fear patience is not my most outstanding virtue.”

Landahl thought of what the Gruppenfuehrer had told him.

“Patience and enthusiasm are bad yokefellows,” he said tactfully. “Nevertheless, certain preparations can be made. I understand the Herr Professor has lost all his apparatus in the accident?”

“Accident,” said Hambledon, becoming agitated. “The Herr Obersatz is mistaken in calling it an accident. It was due entirely to my own carelessness. I blame myself. I blame myself severely. I was engaged in a process of distillation with a small quantity of my product—I call it Ulsenite, Herr Obersatz; forgive the vanity of a creator, Ulsenite—in a laboratory flask. The laboratory was hot, the fumes were somewhat overpowering, I was tired and jaded, I had been working all night——”

“Indeed, I heard that the explosion took place early in the morning,” said Landahl, nodding his head.

“I always work at night. No distractions, no interruptions. As I was saying, no doubt fatigue had made me careless. I was gasping for air. I went outside and sat on a chair in the garden to smoke a cigarette, my eyes on my watch—I had a watch then,” added Hambledon with a sad little laugh. “The air was cool and refreshing. I remember thinking how brightly the stars shone as I rose from my chair to return to my labors. But the distillation must have proceeded more quickly than I expected, for at that moment—it happened.” Hambledon leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, as one overpowered by a painful memory.

“Unfortunate,” said Landahl, “most unfortunate. Had you much in the flask?”

“About half a liter,” said Hambledon, still with closed eyes.

“Then the bursting of the flask set off other explosive material in its immediate vicinity?”

“My good man,” said Tommy, sitting up sharply, “one does not have ‘other explosive material’ lying about in the vicinity of such experiments. One isolates them—one segregates them—every schoolboy knows that.” (“Got that one off,” he added to himself.)

“But—I do not understand,” said the Obersatz. “The flask containing half a liter exploded, and——”

“And the explosion took place,” said Tommy testily.

“Half a liter—then what blew up the house?”

“I’ve told you twice!” roared Hambledon. “Half a liter of Ulsenite. How many more times——”

“Half a liter!” gasped the astonished Landahl. “Only half a liter—half a— Merciful heavens, what an explosive!”

“What do you take me for?” asked Hambledon contemptuously. “A child playing with toys?”

“No, no, most excellent Herr Professor. No, no. I was surprised, that’s all. Forgive my foolishness. The Armaments Ministry will be most—half a liter—nothing like it has ever been heard of before.”

“Naturally. There is nothing like it,” said Hambledon with perfect truth. The waiter came with the fresh coffee and poured out a cup. Hambledon tasted it.

“This is better,” he said, “though still not equal to that my poor Joachim used to make.”

“And what will you require to continue your work?” asked Landahl, when the affronted waiter had gone.

“A well-equipped laboratory situated near the city, yet sufficiently isolated to be private. I shall want to visit makers of laboratory equipment in order to explain my requirements exactly. I shall want some books—my excellent technical library, all destroyed——”

“All these things shall be obtained,” said Landahl. “If necessary, a laboratory shall be built. You will doubtless require assistants.”

“I will choose my own assistant, thank you,” said Tommy loftily. “It is quite bad enough to blow oneself up. I have no wish to be assisted heavenward by ham-handed boneheaded of-the-necessary-experience-not-possessed chemists.”

“No, no. I will report to the Armaments Ministry. Is there anything else?”

“The tiresome but necessary money, Herr Obersatz. I am at the moment possessed of three marks twenty-five pfennigs, and until I get in touch with my bank in Zurich——”

“Your salary starts as from today and is payable monthly in advance,” interrupted Landahl. “The amount suggested is fifteen hundred marks per month.”

Tommy hastily altered his astonished expression to one of politely suppressed contempt. No wonder Ulseth had taken so much trouble to work up this pose; the financial rewards were worth it. Landahl noticed his expression and added hastily that, in addition, the expenses of fitting out and upkeep of the laboratory and the raw materials of his experiments would naturally be supplied by the Reich.

“Naturally,” said Hambledon in a bored voice.

“Then I can now tell my colleagues at the Armaments Ministry that Herr Ulseth will proceed with his work as soon as his health is sufficiently restored?”

“Certainly.”

“And in the meantime a suitable laboratory shall be found or erected.”

“Thank you.”

“I will supply you the names of firms manufacturing scientific appliances.”

“Reliable firms,” said Hambledon.

“All German firms are reliable since our Fuehrer weeded out the Jewish element in commerce.”

“One of the numerous blessings for which Germany has to thank her Fuehrer.”

“That is undoubtedly so,” said Landahl, rising. “By the way, one small item.”

“What is it?”

“An escort will be provided for you. There are too many people who would like to deprive the Reich of the Herr Professor’s eminent services.”

“But——” began Hambledon, seeing an inconvenient check upon his liberty of action.

“Forgive me,” said the Obersatz firmly, “but it must be so. Our Germany is at war—unwillingly, but still at war—and our enemies are bold and cunning.”

Tommy thought of the Swedes at Servatsch, patiently waiting at Ulseth’s gate. If a mention slipped into the German papers of Herr Ulseth’s arrival in Berlin, it would not be long before they arrived, too, and waited at his gate. They had known him as Hartzer, the traveler for the Heroas Company; if they saw him again as Ulseth, they would be naturally surprised, and their surprise might become vocal. Then a spark of doubt might kindle in the Nazi mind, and an explosion follow more fatal to Hambledon than the one at Servatsch. ... Something must be done to ward off the Swedes. Tommy turned a frank gaze upon Landahl.

“There are some Swedes,” he said.

“Swedes?” said Landahl, sitting down again.

“Swedes. They were negotiating with me for the purchase of the formula for Ulsenite before I was—er—approached by your government,” said Hambledon. “They insisted upon paying me a sum down as a lien upon future discoveries, and I saw no reason why I should not accept it. They may consider they have a prior right——”

“Pah,” said Landahl. “A prior right. Swedes. Pah.”

“Oh, quite. But they may come and worry me. I cannot be worried when I am working.”

“Fear nothing. You shall never see a Swede.”

Tommy felt that it was more important that they shouldn’t see him, but hardly liked to say so. If an emergency arose, it must be dealt with at the time.

“You will find these men tactful and unobtrusive,” said Landahl. “They have been carefully selected.”

“I will give you my opinion of them when I have seen them,” said Hambledon loftily. “I daresay I may find them useful.”

The Obersatz rose for the second time. “They have been so instructed,” he said. “I go now to convey the good news to my colleagues that our Germany has henceforth the collaboration of the eminent Herr Ulseth. I have the honor to wish you good day. Heil Hitler.”

“Heil Hitler. The honor is mine,” said Tommy politely, but when he was left alone he held his hand up before him and looked at his fingers. They were shaking.

“I have been in some damned tight corners in my time, but never one like this. I’m supposed to be an expert on a subject I know nothing about, in a city where I was once far too well known. I am to have two warders trailing me wherever I go unless I can do something about it. There are three perfectly intelligent neutrals who knew me as somebody else a week ago, and who may be in Berlin a week hence. There is also Ulseth, who said he was coming to Germany; it’s a large country, but it would add a lot to the fun if he turned up in Berlin too. As representative of the Heroas Company, this is where he’d make for. Well,” said Tommy, setting his teeth, “I think I can deal with Ulseth. As for the other emergencies, perhaps some solution will present itself. Let’s hope so. My time may be short, but it doesn’t look as though it was going to be dull.” He lifted his right hand in the Nazi salute and added, “Blast Hitler!”