But the Baron did not seem to think that that would necessarily follow. He argued that, on the contrary, if the Trades Unions played their proper part the scale of living in the more prosperous countries could be maintained and that of other countries gradually brought up to it; thereby eventually making life happier and more secure for mankind throughout the whole world.
As they talked on Freddie learned many things about Nazi Germany and was the more readily able to understand why such great numbers of the Germans were behind Hitler at all events, for the moment when he heard the Baron describe the drastic changes many for the better which the Socialist activities of the National Socialist Party had brought to the German masses. On his asking what proportion of the German people von Lutz thought was really whole heartedly with the ' Führer the Baron replied:
"I give you analysis 'of this question. Ten per cent of the people are very much pro Nazi and ten per cent of the people are very much anti Nazi. The other eighty per cent, they haf not he brain to think for the selves at all. They are led most times by the pro Nazi Press and believe that Chamberlain deliberately planned their country to encircle. Each time Hitler as a diplomatic triumph gained they haf shouted their heads off in applause. That eighty per cent was right through in favour of he Anschluss with Austria; also the annexation of Czechoslovak and the war with Poland. Now they wait only to cheer for Hitler again if he any spectacular military success over the Allies can make. Against that, they will make cheers for him as long as he makes successes and they get enough to eat; because they do not live happy under the Nazi regime and are called upon many comforts to sacrifice. If things go very bad in Germany during the next few months through the Blockade, or Hitler makes a Blitzkrieg which is no goot, that eighty percent will turn coats in a flash; perhaps set off only by sortie little thing; but instead of making cheers for him they will be yelling for his head."
At half past twelve Magda came out, bringing with her a Welcome hot lunch. Gregory had fallen into a troubled sleep so they did not disturb him but hoped that he would sleep on, as complete rest was what he needed. They ate the meal while she waited with them and when she had gone settled themselves to try to pass a little time by dozing where they sat. At three they roused up again and lit cigarettes.
It was soon afterwards that they distinctly heard two reports echo through the wood, and realized with quick apprehension that one of the sentries had sighted suspicious visitors. From 'fear that the smell or sight of the smoke might betray them if some of the Gestapo men, who were probably arriving, came out through the back of the house and began poking about on the fringe of the wood, they stubbed out their cigarettes; then couched down in the gully under cover of the brambles and waited in anxious silence.
For over an hour they remained there listening for the lightest footfalls but nothing stirred in the wood except the occasional flutter of a bird or the scampering of some small animal in the undergrowth. At last, as the shadows were beginning to fall they heard a rustling which gradually grew nearer and, peering through the bushes, von Lutz saw that it was the maid, Lenchen.
She was gathering sticks in her outspread apron and as he watched he saw that she was working her way towards them. Two minutes later, without looking at him, she stooped for some, sticks on the edge of the gully and whispered swiftly:
"Do not show yourself, Herr Oberst Baron. Two car loads of Black Guards arrived at ten past three; they ransacked the house, the barns and the outbuildings, but found nothing. They appeared to be satisfied after they had questioned us, as we all said that we had not seen you since the first week in October, and the cars have just driven off back to Brandenburg; but they have left two of the men behind who are to be billeted in the house in case you should suddenly arrive here. Fraulein Magda sent me to tell you this and to explain that she may not be able to bring your Abendessen at the usual hour in case they suspect and follow her; but one of us will manage to slip out with cold food for you some time during the evening."
As the girl talked she kept moving, and having delivered her message she began to work her way back to the house, gathering more firewood as she went.
"Teufel Nochmal!" exclaimed the Baron, when she had disappeared among the tree trunks. "This is bad worse than what I fear." And having explained to Freddie what had happened, he added: "I haf goot reason to expect they visit my house but after they find I am not at home I believe they get out; then we are safe to move ourselves and your friend in bed to put. But now that is not possible."
"It looks as though we'll have to spend another night in the woods, then," Freddie said miserably and, as that seemed the only thing they could do, they resigned themselves to a cold and dreary evening.
At ten o'clock Magda came out to them with a bundle of rugs in which were wrapped a bottle of hock, a thermos flask full of hot soup and some packets of cold meat, bread and Appfel kuchen. She said that the two Nazis who had billeted themselves in the manor were not unfriendly and appeared to have no suspicion that her father might already have arrived there or be in hiding in the neighbourhood. Nevertheless, they seemed confident that sooner or later he would make his way to his own home and had declared their intention of remaining there until he put in an appearance. They had also threatened all the servants with the direst penalties if at any time the Colonel Baron arrived by stealth and they warned him that Gestapo agents were waiting in the manor for him.
Gregory, who had been sleeping or dozing in a semi conscious state most of the day, roused up while they were talking and Magda examined his wound by the light of a torch. It showed no sign of improvement and he was still feverish. Now that any hope of getting him properly to bed in the warm house had had to be abandoned they were more anxious than ever about him, but there was little they could do, so having settled him as comfortably as possible Magda gave him some aspirins and, promising to come out again as early as she could the next morning, she left them.
After eating their supper, which to some degree restored their cheerfulness, the Baron and Freddie settled down under their rugs for the night; but it was long before they could get to sleep, as the cold was more bitter than ever and about midnight snow began to fall.
When Freddie woke it was still pitch dark and glancing at the luminous dial of his watch he saw that it was only a quarter to three. His movement roused von Lutz and for a little time they talked together in low voices. Snow was falling heavily and as Gregory's camp bed occupied the only sheltered space Beneath the bank it had begun to settle on their rugs and faces in a thick white powder.
At last they could bear the cold no longer so decided to walk about in an attempt to restore their circulation. The contents of Gregory's flask had already been used up, but van Lutz had another, which he shared with Freddie as they stumbled up and town a patch of ground that was fairly free from undergrowth.
Their misery and distress during the next four hours were almost indescribable. On two occasions they tried to sleep again but the warmth of their bodies melted the snow which had fallen on their garments so that these had become half sodden and they found it impossible to remain still for any length of time. In the early hours of the morning their difficulties were further increased by a bout of delirium which seized Gregory in its grip. he was completely off his head and 'fighting the battle in the Adlon' over and over again, shouting curses, threats and warnings interspersed with heart rending cries that he must save Erika because Grauber would "Torture her torture her torture her!"
In the silence of the snow carpeted wood his agonized shouts seemed so loud that von Lutz feared they might rouse the Gestapo men in the house half a mile away; so he and Charlton had to muffle the injured man's ravings by putting a handkerchief over his mouth and to frustrate his attempts to fling him self about, which would have caused his wound to start bleeding again, by holding him down.
When dawn came they were utterly exhausted. The Baron was grey faced and heavy eyed; Freddie had a splitting head and a horrible taste in his mouth;
both felt as though they had been up for a week and were so numb from the cold that they feared, frost bite. Gregory had lapsed into unconsciousness again but` his head looked like that of a corpse. His cheeks had fallen in and were leaden coloured under a three days' growth of beard the skin across his forehead was taut, with little beads of perspiration standing out upon it, and his mouth sagged open a though the muscles of his face had relaxed in death.
At seven o'clock, Magda arrived, bringing breakfast. The previous night her unwelcome guests had said that having nothing to do they did not wish to be called till eight o'clock and she had had food prepared early so that she could get it out of the house before they were about. With hands shaking from the cold her father and Charlton took the welcome bowl of hot stew which she had brought them and the big hunks of bread to dip into it, while she examined Gregory.
After a moment she turned and shrugged her shoulders. "He is much worse and there is nothing I can do. Another night like this and he will die here."
"That must not be allowed," said her father quickly.
She gave him a sullen look. "What does it matter? He is an Englishman."
As she was speaking in German Freddie could not understand what she said but he sensed the gist of her remarks and her hostility.
The Prussian aristocrat's voice was terrifyingly stern as he replied: "Speak only of what you understand, girl. This man risked his life in an attempt to bring about peace and enable us to create a free and better Germany. He is our guest and no effort must be spared or risk remain un run which will aid his recovery. Go now and send Hans Foldar to me immediately."
"Yes, Father." Magda murmured with sudden meekness, and wrapping her shawls about her she hurried away to do his bidding. "
For three quarters of an hour they waited then they heard footfalls crunching the newly fallen snow. Von Lutz peered out from his hiding place then stood up to greet a tall, broad shouldered man of about sixty wearing the top boots, leather jerkin and fur cap of a forester.
"You sent for me Herr Oberst Baron" the man inquired in a hoarse voice.
"Yes, Hans. You know the situation I am in and are loyally helping to protect me from the Gestapo. That would get you into serious trouble if it became known, but now I have an even greater service to ask of you; one which would certainly mean death for you if you were caught. If this weather continues and I fear it will we can't last long out here in the woods. If we don't die from cold we shall certainly lose our toes and fingers by frost bite. Moreover, one of these two friends of mine is wounded and may die unless we can get him into shelter. Are you willing to receive myself and these gentlemen in your cottage?"
"Certainly, Herr Oberst Baron. All that I have came from you and. Your family so it is yours to dispose of."
"Thank you, Hans. I felt certain that I could rely on you, but I should tell you that these two friends of mine are Englishmen; one is an officer of the British Air Force and the wounded than is a British Secret Service agent who is wanted by the Gestapo. They were in the plane which was shot down a few miles from here three nights ago."
"The Herr Oberst Baron knows best. If he thinks it right to protect them that is sufficient for me, too."
"Come, then; let's get the wounded man to your cottage as soon as possible. It's going to be a hard job to carry him all that way but we'll manage it somehow."
The Baron informed Charlton of the arrangement he had made and again using the camp bed as a stretcher the three of them set off through the woods with the unconscious Gregory. Von Lutz and Freddie carried the bed while Hans picked' the easiest way between the snow covered bushes. It was a two mile tramp but at last they reached the forester's cottage.
Hans Foldar went in first to prepare his wife. She accepted without argument his decision to shelter their master and his friends and at once they began to plan how best to conceal the fugitives. It was decided that the loft above the kitchen sitting room would be the best place and. Gregory having been carried in, after some difficulty they got him and the camp bed up there. Von Lutz then sent Hans to tell Magda to come to them with linen and bandages as soon as she could slip away from the house without being seen by the Nazis.
Frau Foldar, who was a buxom, middle aged woman, provided the refugees with a midday meal of vegetable stew and in the early afternoon Magda arrived with the things that her father had sent for. They were then able to undress Gregory., treat his wound with hot fermentations again and put him back in the camp bed after it had been properly made up with sheets and blankets. Meanwhile Hans brought in straw from his barn to make up two shake downs in the loft for his master and Charlton.
Gregory's temperature became still higher in the evening and it strained the nerves of those who were with him to listen to his monotonous ravings; but by nine o'clock he had dropped into unconsciousness again. His two companions were then able to relax and settle down to a much more comfortable night than they had known since the abortive Putsch on the previous Wednesday.
The next day, Sunday the t2th, proved the crisis in Gregory's illness but by evening his fever had worn itself out and although very weak he regained consciousness for the first time in many hours.
In the days that followed he gradually began to mend. The handsome, hard faced Magda managed to visit them each morning or afternoon, varying the times of her daily excursions so as not to arouse the suspicion of her unwelcome guests and always approaching the cottage by way of the woods in its rear. As well as treating Gregory’s wound she brought parcels of such luxuries as she could acquire locally to supplement the frugal fare which was all that the Foldars could provide. There was no actual shortage of food and, apart from lack of sugar, rationing did not worry them, as the country people evaded surrendering a considerable proportion of their produce to the authorities; but delicacies were rare and imported foods had entirely disappeared. Magda also brought them what news she could but little was coming through.
Six Nazis had been killed and sixty three injured by the Munich bomb explosion which, according to an announcement made by Himmler, had been plotted by the British Government the previous August and carried out by British Secret Service agents who had bribed a workman, employed on repairs in the Bierhaller, to place the bomb. No one believed this, as it was generally known that a most terrible purge was taking place throughout the length and breadth of Germany. Every effort was being made to suppress particulars of the military revolt in Berlin spreading to other parts of the Reich but many hundreds of officers, intellectuals and industrialists had been arrested while others had gone into hiding or escaped into neutral countries.
With the Nazis in the house Magda and her mother dared not listen to the foreign broadcasts, since the penalty for being caught was six months in a concentration camp for the first offence and death for the second, so for most of their news they had to rely on the German stations and such accounts of the war as appeared in the Nazi controlled Press.
The tension with Belgium and Holland had died down and a Foreign Office spokesman had declared that the Reich would respect the neutrality of both countries provided that Britain and France continued to do so.
The German Air Force had become much more active. Reconnaissance squadrons had photographed many British military areas, even in the estuary of the Thames, without opposition; successful raids had been carried out against British shipping and for the first time in the war German airmen had actually dropped bombs on British soil, in the Shetlands.
Time would have hung heavily on their hands had it not been for the magazines which Magda provided, out of which von Lutz read translations to Charlton, and also attempted to teach the young airman German.
Freddie was not a good linguist and he progressed slowly but by the time they had been in the cottage for a fortnight he could speak enough German to ask for anything he wanted and to carry on a halting conversation. Each night he and von Lutz got air and exercise by walking in the woods at the back of the cottage, since after the first few days it
became apparent that the Nazis who had been left at the house to await the appearance of the Baron still had no suspicion that he was in the neighbourhood and, after depleting his cellar, went to bed at a regular hour.
By Saturday, the 18th of 'November. Gregory had recovered sufficiently to be able to get up for the first time and by the following Tuesday he had his arm out of the sling. The wound was only a small one, and once the poison had been checked and the inflammation had gone down it had healed rapidly.
It was during this week end that they heard the first news of the Czech rebellion. The village schoolmaster had returned from his unit in Prague on special leave, to see his dying mother, and, according to his account, at least twelve, and possibly more, Czech students had been shot by the Gestapo for anti German demonstrations. Baron von Neurath, as Governor of the Protectorate had ordered the Universities to be closed for three years. Prague was in a state of open revolt when the schoolmaster left and he said that the anti German feeling was so strong that even before the revolt German soldiers had not been allowed out at night in the city in parties of less than six, for fear of assassination.
The account of conditions there as retailed by Magda reminded Gregory of the state of things in Ireland after the Great War and he recalled the stories that he had heard about British officers, stationed in Dublin, being sandbagged and thrown into the Liffey. That the extremist section of the Irish still bore Britain a bitter grudge was evidenced by the activities of the I.R.A.; out of which the German broadcasts made much capital. It had recently been reported that their fanatics had brought off four successful bomb outrages in the West End of London, and the Nazis were cock a hoop about it.
By Thursday, the fifteenth day after he had received his injury, Gregory was able to use his arm again without any danger of the wound's reopening. In himself he was now very fit and for some days he had been able to accompany von Lutz and Charlton on their nightly walk in the woods, which was the only exercise they dared to take and a great relief to them after laving been cooped up all day in the loft for fear of running into the two Nazis who were billeted in the manor house.
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