Stranger at the Gates by Evelyn Anthony

Author:Evelyn Anthony
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media

It was late afternoon when Jean de Bernard came back to the Château. Louise and the children were at the front door to meet him; Paul, whose ears were tuned for engines, heard the car first. Jean kissed them both. Louise tried to question him with her eyes, unable to speak before the children, but he only shook his head. Louise watched him playing with them for half an hour, listening to their tales of what they had done at school, one balanced on each knee. He looked from one to the other, smiling and calm, the Papa that they expected to find when they came home. ‘We saw a lot of soldiers,’ Paul informed him. ‘They were in black, with skull and crossbones on their caps. We waved to them but they didn’t wave back. Why are there so many of them?’

‘I don’t know,’ Jean said. ‘Perhaps they’re going on manœuvres.’

‘I wish I could watch them,’ Paul said. ‘I’m going to be a soldier and have a skeleton on my cap.’

When they had gone upstairs to see their grandfather, Jean de Bernard sank back in the chair; he looked old and exhausted.

‘The Death’s Head Battalion, that’s what they’ve brought in here,’ he said. ‘The execution squads. Louise, would you get me a drink, please? I waited three hours in the Mairie to see the officer in charge. I’m very tired.’

She got up immediately and brought him some of Minden’s cognac. ‘Drink it down,’ she said. ‘Oh my God, Jean, what’s going to happen, what did you find out?’

‘Nothing. When he did see me, he just took down my name and told me the whole area was under curfew and S.S. authority. I asked him what had happened—what was the reason for it. He just looked at me. Then he shouted, “Sabotage and murder. Assisting enemy agents. You’ll learn what it means to touch German lives and property. You’ll pay for it round here, I can promise you that!”’

‘He didn’t question you?’

‘No. He was in charge of the military operation. The questioning will be done by others; professionals. That cognac was good. Thank you. You know it was curious today. I watched those swine taking over the village, I saw the people’s faces, white with fear; Camier gibbering like an old woman, and I thought this is what I tried to stop. This is what I’ve been afraid would happen for four years, and now it has. And I helped to bring it about. I brought the Gestapo here in the end. Ironic, isn’t it?’

‘I brought them,’ Louise said slowly. ‘It’s not your fault. What do you think they’ll do?’

‘Try to find the saboteur. They were already searching the houses when I left. Then they’ll make arrests. Hundreds of men, I imagine. And then they’ll shoot them unless the agent is denounced to them. That’s what they usually do.’

There was silence between them; he held his hand over his eyes, shielding them and Louise didn’t move. When she did speak her voice trembled.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.