among those who one might classify as – high society. We modernized the Stieber concept of course. Our girls – and boys, we must concern ourselves with that particular one too – are all trained members of the SD, speaking two foreign languages, and each room is wired to the central listening system in the cellar.' He saw the look in the young officer's eyes. 'Oh, yes, every word, each groan, any perverse little desire is being recorded at this very moment beneath our feet.' He chuckled. 'What a treasure chest our records would be for a blackmailer, eh! Ciano, Ribbentrop, Goering - they have all been here, though the good Reich Marshal was not very effective, I can tell you. Yes, my dear Major, I really learned about life in the good Kitty's establishment - '
`But, sir,' von Dodenburg cut in, a little irritated by the smart young SD chief's loquacity. 'I can't really see what all this has got to do with me.'
`Of course, all that was by way of a preliminary. In short, what I wanted to say was, I have listened long enough. Now the time has come for action.'
`What kind of action?'
Schellenberg tapped the ends of his long, well-manicured fingers together. 'In essence, von Dodenburg, the problem is whether we can rely upon you to support Colonel Geier in his direction of the Wotan when the time is ripe.'
`Who is we and what is the time, sir?'
Schellenberg took a careful sip of his Moselle.
`Let me answer the second question first. We lawyers, von Dodenburg, are very fond of the oblique approach, I'm afraid. Well, in any period of internal crisis, we feel there ought to be certain troops like yours – elite formations, which can be relied upon to help to solve that crisis. In Berlin we have the Guards Battalion, for instance; In Poland the Greater Germany Division; in Italy your own Wotan – all units located in strategic places throughout the Reich and the occupied territories.'
`And the we, Group Leader?' von Dodenburg persisted.
`Ah, the we,' Schellenberg looked hard at von Dodenburg. `Well, I could tell you they are certain key officers of the Wehrmacht, the Armed SS and naturally my own service.'
`You're talking in circles, Group Leader,' von Dodenburg snapped, growing angry as well as apprehensive at Schellenberg's procrastination. 'You haven't answered my question.'
`Naturally,' Schellenberg said without offence. 'I'd risk my head if I did.' He paused momentarily. 'And that of your good father.'
` My father! ' von Dodenburg gasped.
`Yes, after all, he was one of the instigators of the whole affair. Now he is a key member of our organization in your native East Prussia.'
`To do what?'
`Well, in essence, we must take certain action if the Führer will not make peace before it is too late.'
`And that action?' von Dodenburg rapped.
` To overthrow Adolf Hitler! '
`Wagner!' Schellenberg shouted, finally breaking the shocked silence which greeted his announcement.
The big doors opened immediately to reveal Wagner stuffing back his pistol into its holster. He grinned at von Dodenburg's look.
`Just a precaution, Major, just a precaution.'
`Is General von Dodenburg on the line, Wagner?'
`Yessir and spitting blood too because I made him wait.' He looked at von Dodenburg. 'Your father is an exceedingly hot-tempered man. He threatened to come up to Berlin personally and whip my arse if I didn't hurry up.'
`Come,' Schellenberg ordered, 'the scrambler's in the other room.'
They passed into another ornate and vulgar room where a green telephone receiver lay on the table next to a painting of the sexual act, which looked as if it had been painted in the previous century.
`I am sure your father would have no objection to my listening to the conversation,' the SD man said. 'I'm sure you won't either.' He did not wait for confirmation but picked up the attachment.
`Certainly.'
Von Dodenburg picked up the phone.
`Is that you, Kuno?' his father's voice exploded in his ear; the old man could never get used to the
`But, sir,' von Dodenburg cut in, a little irritated by the smart young SD chief's loquacity. 'I can't really see what all this has got to do with me.'
`Of course, all that was by way of a preliminary. In short, what I wanted to say was, I have listened long enough. Now the time has come for action.'
`What kind of action?'
Schellenberg tapped the ends of his long, well-manicured fingers together. 'In essence, von Dodenburg, the problem is whether we can rely upon you to support Colonel Geier in his direction of the Wotan when the time is ripe.'
`Who is we and what is the time, sir?'
Schellenberg took a careful sip of his Moselle.
`Let me answer the second question first. We lawyers, von Dodenburg, are very fond of the oblique approach, I'm afraid. Well, in any period of internal crisis, we feel there ought to be certain troops like yours – elite formations, which can be relied upon to help to solve that crisis. In Berlin we have the Guards Battalion, for instance; In Poland the Greater Germany Division; in Italy your own Wotan – all units located in strategic places throughout the Reich and the occupied territories.'
`And the we, Group Leader?' von Dodenburg persisted.
`Ah, the we,' Schellenberg looked hard at von Dodenburg. `Well, I could tell you they are certain key officers of the Wehrmacht, the Armed SS and naturally my own service.'
`You're talking in circles, Group Leader,' von Dodenburg snapped, growing angry as well as apprehensive at Schellenberg's procrastination. 'You haven't answered my question.'
`Naturally,' Schellenberg said without offence. 'I'd risk my head if I did.' He paused momentarily. 'And that of your good father.'
` My father! ' von Dodenburg gasped.
`Yes, after all, he was one of the instigators of the whole affair. Now he is a key member of our organization in your native East Prussia.'
`To do what?'
`Well, in essence, we must take certain action if the Führer will not make peace before it is too late.'
`And that action?' von Dodenburg rapped.
` To overthrow Adolf Hitler! '
`Wagner!' Schellenberg shouted, finally breaking the shocked silence which greeted his announcement.
The big doors opened immediately to reveal Wagner stuffing back his pistol into its holster. He grinned at von Dodenburg's look.
`Just a precaution, Major, just a precaution.'
`Is General von Dodenburg on the line, Wagner?'
`Yessir and spitting blood too because I made him wait.' He looked at von Dodenburg. 'Your father is an exceedingly hot-tempered man. He threatened to come up to Berlin personally and whip my arse if I didn't hurry up.'
`Come,' Schellenberg ordered, 'the scrambler's in the other room.'
They passed into another ornate and vulgar room where a green telephone receiver lay on the table next to a painting of the sexual act, which looked as if it had been painted in the previous century.
`I am sure your father would have no objection to my listening to the conversation,' the SD man said. 'I'm sure you won't either.' He did not wait for confirmation but picked up the attachment.
`Certainly.'
Von Dodenburg picked up the phone.
`Is that you, Kuno?' his father's voice exploded in his ear; the old man could never get used to the
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