Читать книгу The Blade of Gilgamesh - Jeff Edwards - Страница 13

Chapter 5

My great-grandfather was Emil Schmidt, and like his father before him was employed as a teacher of history.’

‘During World War I he served in the ghastly terror of the Western Front and earned the respect of his fellow soldiers not only by his bravery but for the stories he told.’

‘Life in the mud and stench of the front line was hard and often short. Constant bombardment by the enemy artillery meant that much of the men’s time was spent in the darkened shelters dug deep below the earth, and with little light they had to rely on voices alone for entertainment.’

‘My great-grandfather would relate to his hushed audience the stories from Germany’s most ancient times. He would tell them the legends and describe exactly what the world had been like when the gods of old ruled the earth.’

‘Amongst the dedicated listeners was a certain corporal who took more than a passing interest in his tales, and who kept in contact with my great-grandfather when the war was over.’

‘The pair exchanged long letters throughout the damaging years of the Weimar Republic, particularly when the corporal spent a term in prison. On his release, the former corporal named Adolf Hitler began his rise to power the close personal friendship that had been cemented in adversity proved most beneficial to my family.’

‘My father Franz Schmidt was a historian as well and became a Professor at Berlin University. His preferred field of study was ancient artefacts and my great-grandfather used his friendship with Hitler to obtain permission for my grandfather to visit Rome and search through the ancient archives held there by the Catholic Church. He knew that the Vatican held some of the most significant items of historical interest that world had ever seen, but few, if any, of these items were ever allowed to be studied by people outside the Church. Instead they were left to lie unseen and mouldering in the vaults of the catacombs beneath the Holy City.’

‘And your grandfather discovered the sword?’ interrupted Samal.

‘No, unfortunately my father wasn’t allowed anywhere near the catacombs. The holy fathers restricted his research to the Vatican library alone. Besides, if he had gained access to the vaults he wouldn’t have found the sword because by then it was no longer there.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s what my grandfather found in the library that really excited him. In a pile of discarded ancient texts he came across a reference to the sword, and with it was a complete history, revealing where the sword had come from and how it had come to be in the Vatican.’

‘Why would that excite him?’

‘It was for precisely the same reason that you’re excited by its existence. The sword comes from a time that is so far removed from our own, and the very fact that it still existed at all is incredible. Added to that is promise of untold power that goes to the sword’s owner.’

‘Power?’

‘It was a part of the legend my grandfather found in the archives. I’ll explain it all to you when you hear the story of the sword.’

Ilmann was eager to hear more about the legend but decided to wait till he had heard more of her family’s relationship with the sword and decided whether she was telling the truth.

Heidi continued, ‘What excited my grandfather the most was that the sword had disappeared, and everyone believed that it had been stolen.’

‘What made them think that?’

‘It was found to be missing, and the last person to visit the vault was a certain Brother Cornelius van Gendt. Van Gendt also disappeared from the Vatican at the same time, only to reappear some time later in his brother’s home in Holland.’

‘And they believe Van Gendt had the sword.’

‘At that point in history the Catholic Church was in the throes of the mighty upheaval caused by the Reformation, and although they did make some effort to track the sword down, they decided that it wasn’t worth the effort of a well-funded expedition. It seems they were under the impression that it only had historical importance and had forgotten about the sword’s power by that time.’

‘My grandfather returned home and related the story of Gilgamesh’s sword to his father Emil and he in turn regaled the story to Hitler and his friends at a dinner party the following week. Hitler took a great interest in the story and invited Franz to his house so that he could question him more closely on the subject.’

‘It has become apparent that Hitler had the same idea in mind as our great leader,’ Ahmed said quietly in Arabic to his companion.

‘Shut up!’

Heidi overheard the comment and took note of it for later examination. She returned to her tale.

***

‘When the Germany Army swept across Europe in 1940 my grandfather was given a commission in the Einsatzstab Reichsleitter Rosenberg fur die Bestetzen Gebiete.’

‘I beg your pardon?’ said Ahmed.

‘I’ll translate,’ replied Heidi. ‘The Reichsleiter Rosenberg Institute for the Occupied Territories, or ERR for short. This unit was initially formed to collect Jewish and Freemason books and documents for removal from the occupied territories. They were then taken to Germany for further study or to be destroyed.’

‘Late in 1940 Hermann Goring issued an order that changed the mission of the ERR to that of seizing “Jewish” art and other objects. The war loot was to be collected at a central point in Paris.’

‘At the same time my grandfather received secret instructions from Hitler himself that he should use all measures at his disposal to recover the Sword of Gilgamesh from van Gendt’s family, and that it was to be sent directly to him, and not to Paris.’

‘Did your grandfather succeed?’

‘Unfortunately, he was unable to do so, but he did confirm that Cornelius van Gendt had, in fact, removed the sword from the Vatican for what he believed was a good and honourable reason.’

‘And the sword has since disappeared?’

‘Perhaps not entirely,’ responded Heidi, and the two men looked at her with renewed interest, ‘My grandfather, my father, and I, have all conducted searches and travelled down many dead ends, but with the recent release of previously classified World War II documents I have been able to move closer to the sword than ever before.’

‘You’ve found it?’

‘I’ve found out where it went, but the people I’ve approached have claimed to have no knowledge of the sword, which is the opposite to the documentary evidence.’

Heidi looked up at the men before her, ‘That was my real reason for using the legend of the sword as the topic of my thesis. I had to make its existence known to the outside world. It was the only way I had of applying pressure to these people. If they wouldn’t tell me where the sword is hidden then perhaps someone else who is close to them might be of a different mind. The world deserves to know about such an important part of history.’

Ilmann and Samal began to discuss what they had heard and Heidi looked off into the distance pretending that she could not understand a word of what they were saying.

Finally, Ilmann gave a curt nod to his associate.

Ahmed Samal stood up, ‘It seems that Professor Ilmann and I agree. While we will not take what you have told us thus far as the truth, you have provided us with sufficient detail that we can confirm your information by other means. While we do that you will return to my home and remain there as my guest until we ask you to return with the rest of your tale.’

‘I’m only supposed to be away from the university for a couple of days,’ Heidi protested.

‘I promise you that while our enquiries will be very thorough, thanks to the world of computers it shouldn’t take long at all,’ Ahmed Samal assured her with an ingratiating smile.

***

After Heidi and Ahmed Samal left, Professor Ilmann made his way to the room next door.

He knocked quietly and entered.

Ilmann was surprised to find not only President Gaddafi present but several of his sons and advisors.

‘Well? What do you make of her Ilmann?’ asked the President.

‘The woman has said much, but there is also much to her story that has been kept from us.’

‘She’s lying?’

‘Oh no sir, I believe the woman omitted portions of her story that may place a far more unsavoury light on her family’s activities.’

‘Such as?’

‘Such as the activities of her grandfather during World War II, and how close her family really was to Hitler. I know much about the work done by the ERR. Its original aim was to collect Jewish and Freemason books and documents in order that they could be used to publicly discredit their followers and enable all those associated with them to be declared criminals. If that could be done then Hitler’s aim of eradicating the Jewish race could be done with beneath a façade of legality.’

‘A pity he didn’t succeed,’ sneered one of Gaddafi’s sons.

Ilman nodded, and then continued, ‘When Hermann Goring saw the fantastic works of art held by Jewish individuals he lost interest in the long tedious method of legitimizing their activities and simply changed the mission of the ERR to that of seizing the treasures using whatever means they needed. Torture, murder and transportation to the death camps in Poland ensured that their aims were achieved.’

‘If they cared more about their possessions than their lives and that of their family then they deserved whatever fate befell them,’ commented one of the advisors.

‘True,’ nodded Gaddafi, ‘What now Professor?’

‘We will confirm her story so far, and then we’ll listen to the entire tale. After that we can decide where to begin our own search. Our problem may be that she has been in contact with those she believes are in possession of the sword. If they do have it then they’ll be aware that there are persons other than themselves who wish to own it and will guard it even more carefully than before.’

‘That was an unwise move on the woman’s behalf and she’ll pay a high price for that act of stupidity,’ nodded Gaddafi as he stood, ‘I want a full report when the story is known. I’ll have Khan and her women work on this matter. We must recover the sword at all costs. Do you understand me Ilmann?’

‘Of course, sir. At all costs.’