‘No. I’m the District Leader of Moravia. And head of the Party Liaison Office in Prague. Before the war I was deputy leader of the Nazi Party in Austria. And if all of that sounds important, well, it isn’t. Not any longer. Not since General Heydrich took over. I had hoped to persuade the Leader to break up the Protectorate in order that Moravia could become a separate state. Which is really what it’s always been. But that isn’t going to happen. Or so I’ve been told. I had also hoped to be able to discuss the matter with Heydrich, but one of his minions told me that this wouldn’t be possible. Which leaves me rather wondering why I bothered to come along on this little weekend. In the circumstances, I’m surprised that I was asked at all.’
‘That makes two of us, sir. General Heydrich and I were never what you might call close. Then again, one hesitates to decline such an invitation.’
‘Quite so.’
By now we were about halfway back down the road to the Lower Castle and during our stroll no traffic had passed us, not even a man on a bicycle or a horse. Somewhere in the distance shots were being fired; presumably one of Heydrich’s guests was trying to bag something for the pot. There were certainly plenty of pheasants about. Up ahead we saw Captain Kuttner standing in the Lower Castle gateway; and seeing us, he threw down his cigarette and ran toward us.
He was light on his toes; but there was also something vaguely girlish about the elbows-out way he ran.
‘I loathe this little bastard,’ murmured Doctor Jury. ‘This is the cunt who told me I wasn’t going to be able to have any time with General Heydrich.’ Jury let out a sigh. ‘Just look at him. Little fucker.’
‘Hmm.’
‘Like all of the General’s henchmen he’s a bit of a golem. Except that he’s a German, of course. The original Golem of Prague was—’
‘Jewish. Yes, I know.’
‘Like his master.’ Doctor Jury smiled. ‘Rabbi Loew that is. Not General Heydrich.’
Kuttner clicked his heels and bowed a curt little bow. ‘General,’ he said. ‘Captain. I regret I forgot to inform you both that for security reasons if you leave the grounds of the Lower Castle you will need a password to get back in.’
‘And that is?’ asked Doctor Jury.
‘Lohengrin.’
‘Very appropriate.’
‘Sir?’
‘The new king has assembled all of the German tribes in order to expel the Hungarians from his dominions,’ said Doctor Jury. ‘That’s the plot of Wagner’s opera. Or at least, that’s how it begins.’
‘Oh. I didn’t know. Unlike you, sir, I don’t go to the opera very often. In fact, hardly at all.’
‘Hmm. Waste of a life.’
‘Sir?’
‘You seem to be as ignorant as you are stupid,’ said Jury. Then he smiled at me, bowed slightly, and said: ‘Nice talking to you, Captain Gunther.’
He walked quickly down toward the sentry box and then, having uttered the password, passed through the gate leaving me alone with Captain Kuttner.
‘Bastard,’ said Kuttner. ‘Did you hear what he said? How unbelievably rude.’
‘I wouldn’t let it bother you, Captain. I don’t much like opera either. Especially Wagner. There’s something about Wagner that’s just too piss-German, too fucking Bavarian for a Prussian like me. I like my music to be every bit as vulgar as I am myself. I like a bit of innuendo and stocking top when a woman’s singing a song.’
Kuttner smiled. ‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘But the real reason why Doctor Jury likes opera so much is every bit as vulgar as you describe. Rumour has it that he’s been having an affair with a young singer at the Deutsches Oper in Berlin. Rather an attractive creature by the name of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. And that would be vulgar enough were it not for the fact that she’s also singing a duet with Doctor Goebbels. At least, that’s what General Heydrich says.’
‘Then it must be true.’
‘Yes, that’s what I thought.’
‘General Heydrich always knows our dirtiest little secrets.’
‘Oh God, I hope not.’
‘Well, he certainly knows mine,’ I said. ‘You see, after lunch we went for a short walk in the castle grounds and I made the mistake of reminding him exactly what they are, just in case he’d forgotten.’
‘I hardly think that can be true. Not if he’s appointed you as his new bodyguard.’ Kuttner lit a cigarette. ‘Is it true? That you’re going to be his detective?’
‘I had thought I might have been arrested by now. So it would seem so.’
‘Congratulations.’
‘I’m not so sure about that.’
‘You’re right, it won’t be easy. But he’s fair, you know. And a good man to have on your side. I don’t know what would have happened to my SS career if he hadn’t taken me on. By the way, how’s your stomach for flying?’
‘Not good.’
‘What a pity. The General insists on flying himself to Berlin and Rastenburg. Frankly, I’m always terrified. He thinks he’s a much better pilot than he really is. He’s had several crashes.’
‘That’s a comforting thought.’ I shrugged. ‘Perhaps we’ll get lucky and end up in Scotland. Like Hess.’
‘Yes. Quite.’ Kuttner laughed. ‘Still, I hate to think what would happen if we ever flew into some real trouble.’
