Henri Castang 06 Wolfnight by Nicolas Freeling

Author:Nicolas Freeling [Freeling, Nicolas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The giggling, like three children on New Year’s Eve, was due to the knowledge that if one tiny detail of this kindergarten performance went wrong, was even seriously challenged (Staff Captain Ailleret might be a careful man, not content with a real police identity card presented upside-down) it was next stop Paraguay: three jobs as male nurses in Doctor Mengele’s clinic.

It was just another police-judiciaire operation. Legality didn’t enter much into consideration. You have, let’s say, a group of bandits. You know—you have even proof—that they are planning a hold-up. But this is unsatisfactory. Under law you can only charge them with conspiracy, association of malfeasors. The penalties are piddling; a year or two in jug. Catching them flagrante delicto is another matter. If there is ‘commencement of execution’ that will fetch ten or twelve years and you haven’t wasted your time. So you make a stake-out, and you wait (in circumstances generally of great discomfort since the bandits know about this trick as well as you do) for the fun to begin. A dangerous business; one in which lives get lost.

It was carried off by Richard with such aplomb that they never doubted it would work. Not even Fausta, who knew him better than anyone in the office, had guessed Richard would be so good an actor. Just getting out of the car ... a mincing, important little walk. The phrases turned with protocolaire elegance that Staff-Captain Ailleret, though far from dense, never even thought of querying.

“Now these are suspect personages. And an incident upon German soil, you understand ... Under the peace treaty this is military terrain and the Property of tiie Republic. But has that diplomatic status?—like an embassy? Has it ever been challenged in a court? No, and we don’t want it to be. As for any incident involving the Military Government—I think you’ll agree: not even the General should be told of this: it would worry him unnecessarily. I rely upon you. And I think I can promise you that my report, which goes to the Minister-President in person, will show up well on your confidential records.”

Laid on far too thick, thought Castang anxiously, before realising with stupefaction that the more brazen, vulgar and impertinent mendacity becomes ... will people swallow anything? Why not? We are living in a world, he thought bemusedly, where staggering quantities of information are stored in a silicon chip, instantly retrievable to every Jones or Schmitt who troubles to breathe on the button. The Secretary of State picking his nose there in Japan is beamed within a microsecond by satellite to the admiring gaze of Nuala O’Kennedy in Lisdoonvarna, while the ignorance and credulity of the world is unchanged since the day—1240 or thereabout—of Pope Innocent IV—splendid name for Christendom’s most egregious crook. He choked slightly, seeing Orthez’ expression when sat down to dinner in the servants’ hall and faced with a generous helping of curry ...

Upstairs they weren’t eating curry. Highly elegant spread, judging by the smells drifting in

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