Brandenburg by Henry Porter Page B

overnight? It evaporated. Is that a fair statement?’
    ‘Yes, I suppose so.’
    ‘Then how do you account for the sentiments that she expressed in her letter to you this summer? They were somewhat passionate, were they not?’
    ‘She told me she had written more than one letter. If I had been able to see the others I might have understood her motives better. But now, having talked to her, I realize that the time we spent together all those years ago meant a lot to her . . . and in retrospect, to me also.’
    ‘How did she know where to contact you? You’re an obscure art historian, not the conductor of a famous orchestra or a film star. How did she know where to write?’
    He coughed. ‘This is difficult.’
    ‘Go on,’ said the voice, patiently encouraging Rosenharte to ensnare himself.
    ‘Five or six years ago I sent her a couple of notes. They were posted abroad by a friend who is now dead. I told her what I was doing and said that I would give her a tour of the collection of old masters in Dresden if she came to the city. It was a light-hearted message, I suppose. To my surprise, she replied by the same means - she got someone to post the letter in the GDR. I don’t know who that was. She told me that she was going to marry and leave Europe, but her tone was affectionate and, well, wistful.’
    ‘You have the letter now?’
    ‘I’ve got it somewhere, I’m sure.’
    ‘Why did you not say you’d been in communication with Annalise Schering before we took you to Trieste?’
    ‘I didn’t want to admit that I had been in touch with a foreign national, which I well appreciate could be interpreted as a crime. The other reason is that I didn’t want to be involved. I thought if you knew that we had corresponded it would encourage you to send me. And I had my doubts - doubts about the project and doubts about my feelings for her. A lot of water had passed under the bridge.’
    There was silence behind the lights. The voice was taking its time. Rosenharte coughed again and wished he could have a cigarette. He peered beyond the glare and made out the shapes of at least four people.
    ‘So you say that Schering was familiar with the techniques of posting a letter in our country so as to avoid the vigilance of the state security?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Rosenharte, seeing the trap but unable to avoid it.
    ‘Then why did she not arrange for the letters she wrote you this summer to be mailed from within the GDR?’
    ‘I don’t know. She didn’t say. Perhaps she didn’t have someone she could trust to do it for her.’
    ‘Or perhaps she knew that this correspondence would not escape the notice of Department M, the postal control services. In other words, she knew that her letters from abroad would be opened. She was making the offer to us, not you.’
    ‘That has occurred to me, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that she is trying to deceive you.’
    ‘You have heard the phrase, “beware of Greeks bearing gifts”?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘And you have considered the possibility that the gift she proposes to make the GDR could damage state security.’
    ‘That possibility is implicit,’ said Rosenharte. ‘I myself pointed this out when you first proposed it to me. All along I have said she could be used by the Western intelligence service.’
    ‘So now we must decide on the nature of the person who is making this gift.’
    ‘Yes, I suppose—’
    ‘And we have reached the conclusion that this person is remarkably inconsistent. In some circumstances, she demonstrates prudence and foresight, for instance when she got rid of you in favour of a more reliable means of communicating with us. Indeed, all through the years of dealing with her she showed detachment and good judgement - a model agent. But there’s another Schering, who can also be hotheaded, given to emotional outbursts and to excessive drinking. When she left you in the restaurant in Trieste, that was most unlike the woman we knew.’ The voice stopped.