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 Kaffeetrinken 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 von 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 getting 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 Führer 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 Führer’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 Führer has ordered that you and your man should hold a séance 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 Parteiführer,’ 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.’
Bormann gave a pale smile and replied, ‘I am glad that we understand one another, Herr Major, Go out now and wait in the sitting passage until I call you.’
It was two hours before
the summons came and during that time Gregory was as near panic as he had ever been. He tried to take comfort from the fact that, although pale, Malacou seemed calm and unafraid. But there was no way of disguising his markedly Jewish features and in them lay a terrible danger. It was possible that the very sight of them might drive the mad Führer into one of his fits of ungovernable rage, in which he would not listen to assurances or explanations. Should he decide on the instant that a Jew had been brought to him, before either Gregory or Malacou could open their mouths he might order them to be taken up to the Chancellery garden and shot.
Gregory wondered if that possibility could have occurred to his companion and thought probably not; for during their time in Berlin Malacou had played his role as a soldier servant admirably, happy in the obscurity that he considered his best protection, confident that by doing so he would, in due course, be able to strike a great blow in revenge for the persecution of his race, and armoured against fear for himself by his conviction that he would outlive Hitler.
At last the almost unbearable strain ended. Bormann opened the door in the partition and beckoned, then led them through the little ante-room to the Führer’s study. With a silent prayer of thanksgiving Gregory realised that this must have been one of Hitler’s good days for, although his face was shrunken and blotchy, he looked calmer and more normal than the first time Gregory had seen him.
The moment Gregory had pronounced his ‘Heil Hitler!’ he went straight on, ‘Mein Führer, permit me to present my servant Ibrim Malacou. His home is in Istanbul but so convinced was he that you had been sent to regenerate the world that he left it voluntarily to fight for the great cause.’
Having got out his statement, Gregory waited for a moment that seemed an eternity. Hitler was just finishing a cup of tea and a cream bun. Still chewing the last mouthful he smiled, shook hands with them both and said to Malacou, ‘Germany has always been the friend of Turkey and it is good to meet Turks who are our friends. You are very welcome, Herr Malacou.’ Then he told them to sit down and to proceed.
Like all the rooms in the bunker, except those that had been made by dividing its broad central passage, Hitler’s study was not more than twelve feet square, so they were decidedly cramped. Malacou moved a chair so that he could sit in it with his back to the door, Bormann sat near but sideways on to him, and Gregory remained standing at the side of the Führer’s desk so that he faced them both. He then made his usual passes at Malacou.
They were by now so used to their act that they slid into it easily and, in anticipation of this critical moment, they had gone with great care into the question of what Hitler was to be told. As Malacou’s duties while at the Air Ministry had been very light, he had continued to spend the greater part of his time checking and improving the results of the astrological calculations he had made at Karinhall, and they had qualified these by the information about personalities and events that Gregory had obtained from day to day.
For a few minutes after Malacou had closed his eyes he remained silent, then he began to mutter and gradually his mutterings became intelligible to anyone who could understand Turkish. His voice took on a high shrill note and Gregory started to interpret his utterances, which were mostly brief and at times were punctuated by spells of silence.
As previously arranged, some of the things he said had no bearing at all on the situation but appeared to be communings with the spirits about friends of his who were dead and soon to be born again in a new incarnation; but Hitler showed no impatience because these were skilfully interspersed with predictions about the course of the war.
During the three-quarters of an hour that the séance lasted Malacou’s forecasts of general interest were: That between five and seven days hence General Montgomery’s army would cross the Rhine in force and there would follow several weeks of desperate fighting in the West. German losses would be extremely heavy and some ground would have to be given up to the British and the Americans; but on the Northern front there would be an improvement in the situation. Within a few days the Russian onslaught would be checked and for at least three weeks they would make no further advance of importance. The coming day would be a very trying one for the Führer. He would receive two communications. One would be the request of one of his most trusted Army Commanders to be relieved of his command; the other a letter from one of the pillars of the Nazi regime stating that he had lost faith in victory; but the Führer was advised not to take the letter too seriously, because the writer had a great affection for him and would remain loyal to him to the end. It also appeared that within a week the Führer would decide to make an important change in the High Command of the Army by dismissing one of his Generals. Lastly, in mid-April there would come to him from an unexpected source great consolation for the trials with which he was being afflicted and support in his struggle, but whence this would spring it was not yet possible to divine.
Deliberately, in order to win Hitler’s confidence, Gregory had made the general tone of this first occult communication as optimistic as possible, by suppressing several of Malacou’s bleaker predictions. At the mention of the two communications he was to receive the following day Hitler had temporarily gone off the deep end and raved about the betrayals of which he was constantly the victim; but after ten minutes he had subsided, and at the end of the session he was obviously pleased by what he had been told. Turning to Gregory, he said:
‘Herr Malacou several times mentioned dead people he has known who are shortly to be born again. Do you also believe in reincarnation?’
‘Most firmly, mein Führer,’ Gregory replied promptly; which was the truth, for he had frequently discussed it with Erika and had become fully convinced. Moreover, it was with a definite intention that he had told Malacou to mention the subject several times in his ramblings. Keeping his eye on Bormann in case he indicated disapproval Gregory added, ‘To anyone who accepts the survival of the ego after death, which I regard as beyond doubt, reincarnation is the only logical belief, and the wise men of all nations have taken it as a guide for their actions.’
Hitler nodded. ‘Several people have told me that they hold that opinion, Herr Major, and the subject is a most interesting one. Sometime we must talk of it together.’ With a friendly wave of thanks he then dismissed them.
When they reached the conference room Bormann signed to Malacou to go through to the far side of the partition, then turned to Gregory. ‘This Army Commander who is asking to be relieved. I saw your hesitation when you spoke of it. You held back something. You know who he is. Tell me.’
There had been other occasions on which Malacou, when uttering on a subject, had suddenly been inspired to add particulars of which he had not previously been aware. That had happened in this case, and it had given Gregory a very nasty moment.
‘You are right, Herr Parteiführer,’ he replied. ‘It is Herr Himmler; but I thought it more tactful not to name him.’
Bormann glowered. ‘It’s as well for you that you did not. Are you sure of this?’
Gregory shrugged. ‘How can I be? I can only say that I have confidence in the Turk’s predictions.’
‘I see. Well, this must be stopped. At the moment, if Himmler were free to come frequently to Berlin he would exert a bad influence on the Führer.’
As Goering had told Gregory that Bormann was scheming to replace him as Hitler’s successor and that Bormann, regarding Himmler as his most serious rival, had got him out of the way by securing for him the command of an Army Group, Gregory knew what was really in Bormann’s mind. But he simply bowed and said, ‘Herr Parteiführer, you may rely on me to accept your guidance at all times.’
The following afternoon the storm broke. Guderian, the Chief of the General Staff, arrived with a letter from Himmler in which he asked to be relieved of his command on the grounds of ill health. A conference was called and those on the far side of the partition heard a battle royal take place, with shouts and screams, between the Führer and his General.
Later, Gregory learned that Guderian had defied Hitler and told him that Himmler had proved such a disaster as an Army Group Commander that he had forced him to offer his resignation, then insisted that it be accepted. Keitel and Jodl had, as usual, played for safety by saying the Führer was the best judge, while Bormann had insinuated that this was another plot to weaken the Führer’s control of the armed forces. After hours of wrangling Hitler, near collapse, had got up from the table and, mumbling that he would ‘think it over’, staggered off to his room.
On the following day Gregory heard about the other letter. It had been from Albert Speer. In it he had stated his conviction that Germany’s situation was now hopeless, so an armistice should be asked for in order to save Germany’s cities from further bombing and conserve as much industrial plant as possible to aid in Germany’s recovery. The letter invoked another outburst of self-pity in the Führer and vituperation against the young Minister who had made his dreams of magnificent buildings and splendid autobahns come true. But he took no action.
Malacou had told Gregory that it was his belief that Speer was now actively plotting to put an end to Hitler and as that, above all things, was what they desired they had at the séance done their best to protect him. One thing was certain. He was the only decent and honest man in the whole of Hitler’s court.
On March 22nd Hitler suddenly made up his mind about Himmler and, despite Bormann’s endeavours to prevent him, accepted his resignation.
Gregory immediately took alarm; for that could lead to Himmler visiting the bunker and it was possible that he might bring Grauber with him. He endeavoured to calm his fears by the thought that at least for some days that was unlikely. But, with Koller’s consent, he used the private line from the Air Ministry to Karinhall to telephone Goering and also, with apparent casualness, took the first opportunity that offered to discuss the results of Himmler’s resignation with his representative at Führer H.Q., the horrid little ex-jockey, Obergruppenführer Fegelein.
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