Anthony Powell - The Military Philosophers

‘Szymanski?’

‘Why do you ask about things when you know the whole story already? Are you from MI5? An agent provocateur, just trying to see what you can get out of me, then shop me for bad security? That’s what it sounds like.’

‘Was Szymanski with Templer or Stevens?’

‘So far as I know, on his own. Not sure it was even ourselves who sent him in. Might have been his own people, whoever they were. He went there in the first instance to knock off someone — the head of the Gestapo or a local traitor. I don’t know. It was all lined up, then a signal came down from the top — from the Old Man himself, they say — that war wasn’t waged in that manner in his opinion. All that trouble for nothing — but I understand they got Szymanski out. A chap in the Cairo racket told me all this. He was fed up with the way that particular party was run. It came out I’d been Peter’s brother-in-law in days gone by, so I suppose he thought, as a former relation, I’d a right to know why he’d kicked the bucket.’

‘And you really think Pamela Flitton caused this?’

‘I only stuffed her once,’ said Duport. ‘Against a shed in the back parts of Cairo airport, but even then I could see she might drive you round the bend, if she really decided to. I’ll tell you something amusing. You remember that bugger Widmerpool, who’d got me into such a jam about chromite when we last met?’

‘He’s a full colonel now.’

‘He was in Cairo at one moment and took Miss Pamela to a nightclub.’

‘Rumours of that even reached England.’

‘That girl gets a hold on people,’ said Duport. ‘Sad about Peter, but there it is. The great thing is he didn’t fall into the hands of the Gestapo, as another friend of mine did. Pity you’re going back tomorrow. We might have gone to the Opera together.’

‘Didn’t know music was one of your things.’

‘Always liked it. One of the reasons my former wife and I never really hit it off was because Jean only knew God Save the King because everyone stood up. I was always sneaking off to concerts. They put on La Muette de Portici here to celebrate the liberation. Not very polite to the Dutch, as when it was first performed, the Belgians were so excited by it, they kicked the Hollanders out. I’m not all that keen on Auber myself, as it happens, but I’ve met a lot of dumb girls, so I’ve been to hear it several times to remind myself of them.’

This revelation of Duport’s musical leanings showed how, as ever, people can always produce something unexpected about themselves. In the opposite direction, Kernével was equally unforeseen, on my return, in the lack of interest he showed in Cabourg and its associations with Proust. He knew the name of the novelist, but it aroused no curiosity whatever.

‘Doesn’t he always write about society people?’ was Kernével’s chilly comment.

I told Pennistone about Prasad, Asbjornsen and the bath.

‘Prasad merely turned the taps on at the hour of prayer. It was perfectly right that he should have the bathroom. Finn should have arranged that through you in the first instance.’

‘I see.’

‘Thank God Finn’s back, and I shall no longer have to deal directly with that spotty Brigadier who always wants to alter what is brought to him to sign. I have had to point out on three occasions that his emendations contradict himself in a higher unity.’

A day or two after our return, Kucherman telephoned early. It was a Friday.

‘Can you come round here at once?’

‘Of course. I thought you were still in Brussels.’

‘I flew in last night.’

When I reached Eaton Square, Kucherman, unusual for him, was looking a little worried.

‘This question I am going to put is rather important,’ he said.

‘Yes?’

‘My Government has come to a decision about the army of the Resistance. As you know, the problem has posed itself since the expulsion of the Germans.’

‘So I understand.’

‘Were you told what the Field-Marshal threatened to Gauthier de Graef?’

‘I was standing beside him when the words were said.’

‘They are good young men, but they require something to do.’

‘Naturally.’

‘The proposal is that they should be brought to this country.’

That was an unexpected proposition.

‘You mean to train?’

‘Otherwise we shall have trouble. It is certain. These excellent young men have most of them grown up under German occupation, with no means of expressing their hatred for it — the feeling that for years they have not been able to breathe. They must have an outlet of some sort. They want action. A change of scene will to some extent accomplish that.’

‘What sort of numbers?’

‘Say thirty thousand.’

‘A couple of Divisions?’

‘But without the equivalent in weapons and services.’

‘When do you want them to come?’

‘At once.’

‘So we’ve got to move quickly.’

‘That is the point.’

I thought about the interminable procedures required to get a project of this sort under way. Blackhead, like a huge bat, seemed already flapping his wings about Eaton Square, bumping blindly against the windows of the room.

‘Arrangements for two Divisions will take some time. Are they already cadred?’

‘Sufficiently to bring them across.’

‘I’ll go straight back to Colonel Finn. We’ll get a minute out to be signed by the General and go at once to the highest level. There will be all sorts of problems in addition to the actual physical accommodation of two extra Divisions in this country. The Finance people, for one thing. It will take a week or two to get that side fixed.’

‘You think so?’

‘I know them.’

‘Speed is essential.’

‘It’s no good pretending we’re going to get an answer by Monday.’

‘You mean it may take quite a long time?’

‘You are familiar with ministerial machinery.’

Kucherman got up from his chair.

‘What are we going to do?’

‘I thought I’d better say all this.’

‘I know it already.’

‘It’s a fact, I’m afraid.’

‘But we must do something. What you say is true, I know. How are we going to get round it? I want to speak frankly. This could be a question of avoiding civil war.’

There was a pause. I knew there was only one way out — to cut the Gordian Knot — but could not immediately see how to attain that. Then, perhaps hypnotized by Kucherman’s intense need for an answer, I thought of something.

‘You said you knew Sir Magnus Donners.’

‘Of course.’

‘But you have not seen much of him since you’ve been over here?’

‘I have spoken to him a couple of times at official parties. He was very friendly.’

‘Ring him up and say you want to see him at once — this very morning.’

‘You think so?’

‘Tell him what you’ve just told me.’

‘And then —’

‘Sir Magnus can tell the Head Man.’

Kucherman thought for a moment.

‘I insist you are right,’ he said.

‘It’s worth trying.’

‘This is between ourselves.’

‘Of course.’

‘Not even Colonel Finn.’

‘Least of all.’

‘Meanwhile you will start things off in the normal manner through les voies hiérarchiques .’

‘As soon as I get back.’

‘So I will get to work,’ said Kucherman. ‘I am grateful for the suggestion. The next time we meet, I hope I shall have had a word with Sir Magnus.’

I returned to Finn. He listened to the proposal to bring the Belgian Resistance Army to this country.

‘It’s pretty urgent?’

‘Vital, sir.’

‘We’ll try and move quickly, but I foresee difficulties. Good notion to train those boys over here. Get out a draft right away. Meanwhile I’ll consult the Brigadier about the best way of handling the matter. You’d better have a word with Staff Duties. It’s not going to be as easy to settle as Kucherman hopes.’