an epileptic and her spouse a morphia addict. There could be no doubt about either of these
facts, for they had been proved in court when the baroness was refused custody of her son by a
former marriage. Later on, the lady had died of tuberculosis, and Göring, returning to Germany,
had chosen Thyssen and the former Crown Prince for his cronies, and the steel king's sister for
his "secretary"; the quotation marks were indicated by the Fürstin's tone as she said the last
word. It had been assumed that he would marry this Anita Thyssen, but it hadn't come off;
perhaps he had become too great—or too fat! At the moment Anita was "out," and the "in"
was Emmy Sonnemann, a blond Nordic Valkyrie who acted at the State Theater and could
have any role she chose. "But that doesn't exclude other
Fürstin Donnerstein.
So Irma learned a new German word.
VI
The utility king's daughter had lived most of her life in marble halls, and wasn't going to be
awed by the livery of Göring's lackeys or the uniforms of his staff and self. The lion cub was
not for ladies, it appeared—and she didn't miss him. The great ebony table with gold curtains
behind it was really quite stunning; they made Irma think of Dick Oxnard's panels, and she
couldn't see why Lanny had made fun of them. Pink jackets and white silk pumps and
stockings for footmen—yes, but hardly in the daytime; and the General's medals seemed more
suited to a state dinner than a private luncheon.
However, the ex-aviator was very good company; he spoke English well, and perhaps wanted
to prove it. He did most of the talking, and laughed gaily at his own jokes. There was nobody
else present but Furtwaengler and another staff officer, and needless to say they laughed at the
jokes and didn't tell any of their own. Apparently it was a purely social affair; not a word about
ransoms or hostages, Jews or concentration camps. No need for Lanny to say: "I hope you have
noticed, Exzellenz, that I have kept my agreement." The fact that he was here, being served cold-
storage plovers' eggs and a fat squab was proof enough that he had kept it and that his host
had made note of the fact.
The assumption was that the holder of eight or ten of the most responsible positions in the
"Third Reich" enjoyed nothing so much as sipping brandy and chatting with two idle rich
Americans; it was up to Lanny to play his role, and let it come up quite by accident that he and
his wife had visited Lausanne in the early days of the Conference on Arms Limitation, and
could tell inside stories about the prominent personalities there, including the German. This
led to the mention that Lanny had been on the American staff at Paris, and had met many of
the men, and had helped a German agent to escape to Spain. He knew leading members of
several of the French parties, including Daladier, the Premier, and he had visited in the homes
of some of the British Foreign Office set—yes, there could be no doubt that he was a young man of
exceptional opportunities, and could be very useful to a Reichsminister without Portfolio if he
happened to be well disposed! Not a word was spoken, but always there was floating in the air
the thought: "Why not take a chance, Exzellenz, and turn loose my Jewish
VII
Herr Reichsminister Joseph Goebbels was so gracious as to indicate his opinion that the work
of Marcel Detaze was suitable for showing in Germany; quite harmless, although not especially
distinguished. Lanny understood that he could expect no more for a painter from a nation
which the Führer had described as "Negroid." It was enough, and he wired Zoltan to come to
Berlin.
What did one do to obtain publicity with a
before his friend arrived. A youngish, very businesslike gentleman called; one of those Berliners
who wear a derby hat, and on a hot day a vest-clip on which they may hang the hat, thus
preserving comfort and respectability at the same time. His card made him known as Herr
Privatdozent Doktor der Philosophie Aloysius Winckler zu Sturmschatten. In a polite
philosophical voice he informed Lanny that he was in position to promote the reputation of
Detaze—or otherwise. The Privatdozent spoke as one having both authority and
determination; he didn't evade or drop his eyes, but said:
properly presented; and it happens that I am a
intimate friend of persons of great influence. In past times I have rendered them services and
they have done the same for me. You understand how such things go."
Lanny said that he understood; but that this was not entirely a commercial undertaking, he
was interested in making known the work of a man whom he had loved in life and admired
still.
