go.”
“I doubt the monks will offer you a bed in Monte Cassino;
but apart from that, fine! We go together.”
“Good!” said Lotte with a grin.
“Then come to bed, Herr Professor. It’s the safest place in Rome!”
In principle, it was an excellent idea; but before they could put it into practice the maid knocked on the door to tell him that Georg Rainer was on the line from the bureau of Die Welt. Rainer’s approach was good humoured but crisp and businesslike.
“You’re a celebrity now, Carl. I need an interview for my paper.”
“When?”
“Right now, on the telephone. I have a deadline to meet.”
“Go ahead.”
“Not so fast, Carl. We’re friends of a friend, so I’ll give you the ground rules, once only. You can decline to answer;
but don’t tell me anything off the record. Whatever you give me I print. Clear?”
“Clear.”
“This conversation is being recorded with your consent.
Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“We’re running. Professor Mendelius, your prompt action yesterday saved the life of Senator Malagordo. How does it feel to be an international celebrity?”
“Uncomfortable.”
“There have been some rather provocative headlines about your act of mercy. One calls you the “Hero of the Corso’.
How do you feel about that?”
“Embarrassed. I did nothing heroic. I simply applied elementary first aid.”
“What about this one: “Ex-Jesuit chief witness against terrorist brigades’?”
“An exaggeration. I witnessed the crime. I described it to the police. I presume they have taken testimony from many others.”
“You also gave them a description of the girl who fired the shots.”
“Yes.”
“Was it accurate and detailed?”
“Yes.”
“Did you not feel that you were taking a big risk by giving that evidence?”
“I should have taken a much bigger one by remaining silent.”
“Why?”
“Because violence can only flourish when men are afraid to speak and act against it.”
“Are you afraid of reprisals, Professor?”
“Afraid, no. Prepared, yes.”
“How are you prepared?”
“No comment.”
“Are you armed? Do you have police protection, a private bodyguard?”
“No comment.”
“Any comment on the fact that you are German and the man whose life you saved is a Jew?”
“Our Lord Jesus Christ was a Jew. I am happy to have served one of His people.”
“On another matter, Herr Professor, I understand you gave a very dramatic lecture at the German Academy this morning.”
“It was well received. I shouldn’t have called it dramatic.”
“Our report runs as follows and I quote: “Asked by one questioner whether he believed that the end of the world as foretold in the Bible was a real and possible event, Professor Mendelius replied that he considered it not only a possibility but an imminent one.”” “How the hell did you get that?”
“We have good sources, Professor. Is the report true or false?”
“It’s true,” said Mendelius.
“But I wish to God you wouldn’t print it.”
“I told you the ground rules, my friend; but if you’d like to amplify the statement I’ll be happy to report you verbatim.”
“I can’t, Georg. At least not at this time.”
“And what’s that mean, Herr Professor? Did you really take yourself so seriously?”
“In this case, yes.”
“All the more reason then to print the report.”
“How good a journalist are you, Georg?”
“I’m doing all right so far, aren’t I?” Rainer’s laugh crackled over the wire.
“I’m offering you a deal, Georg.”
“I never make them well, hardly ever. What do you have in mind?”
“Kill the end of the world story and I’ll give you a much bigger one.”
“On the same subject?”
“No comment.”
“When?”
“A week from today.”
“That’s a Friday. What do you expect to give me the date of the Second Coming?”
“You get lunch at Ernesto’s.”
“And the story exclusive?”
“That’s a promise.”
“You have your
“I doubt the monks will offer you a bed in Monte Cassino;
but apart from that, fine! We go together.”
“Good!” said Lotte with a grin.
“Then come to bed, Herr Professor. It’s the safest place in Rome!”
In principle, it was an excellent idea; but before they could put it into practice the maid knocked on the door to tell him that Georg Rainer was on the line from the bureau of Die Welt. Rainer’s approach was good humoured but crisp and businesslike.
“You’re a celebrity now, Carl. I need an interview for my paper.”
“When?”
“Right now, on the telephone. I have a deadline to meet.”
“Go ahead.”
“Not so fast, Carl. We’re friends of a friend, so I’ll give you the ground rules, once only. You can decline to answer;
but don’t tell me anything off the record. Whatever you give me I print. Clear?”
“Clear.”
“This conversation is being recorded with your consent.
Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“We’re running. Professor Mendelius, your prompt action yesterday saved the life of Senator Malagordo. How does it feel to be an international celebrity?”
“Uncomfortable.”
“There have been some rather provocative headlines about your act of mercy. One calls you the “Hero of the Corso’.
How do you feel about that?”
“Embarrassed. I did nothing heroic. I simply applied elementary first aid.”
“What about this one: “Ex-Jesuit chief witness against terrorist brigades’?”
“An exaggeration. I witnessed the crime. I described it to the police. I presume they have taken testimony from many others.”
“You also gave them a description of the girl who fired the shots.”
“Yes.”
“Was it accurate and detailed?”
“Yes.”
“Did you not feel that you were taking a big risk by giving that evidence?”
“I should have taken a much bigger one by remaining silent.”
“Why?”
“Because violence can only flourish when men are afraid to speak and act against it.”
“Are you afraid of reprisals, Professor?”
“Afraid, no. Prepared, yes.”
“How are you prepared?”
“No comment.”
“Are you armed? Do you have police protection, a private bodyguard?”
“No comment.”
“Any comment on the fact that you are German and the man whose life you saved is a Jew?”
“Our Lord Jesus Christ was a Jew. I am happy to have served one of His people.”
“On another matter, Herr Professor, I understand you gave a very dramatic lecture at the German Academy this morning.”
“It was well received. I shouldn’t have called it dramatic.”
“Our report runs as follows and I quote: “Asked by one questioner whether he believed that the end of the world as foretold in the Bible was a real and possible event, Professor Mendelius replied that he considered it not only a possibility but an imminent one.”” “How the hell did you get that?”
“We have good sources, Professor. Is the report true or false?”
“It’s true,” said Mendelius.
“But I wish to God you wouldn’t print it.”
“I told you the ground rules, my friend; but if you’d like to amplify the statement I’ll be happy to report you verbatim.”
“I can’t, Georg. At least not at this time.”
“And what’s that mean, Herr Professor? Did you really take yourself so seriously?”
“In this case, yes.”
“All the more reason then to print the report.”
“How good a journalist are you, Georg?”
“I’m doing all right so far, aren’t I?” Rainer’s laugh crackled over the wire.
“I’m offering you a deal, Georg.”
“I never make them well, hardly ever. What do you have in mind?”
“Kill the end of the world story and I’ll give you a much bigger one.”
“On the same subject?”
“No comment.”
“When?”
“A week from today.”
“That’s a Friday. What do you expect to give me the date of the Second Coming?”
“You get lunch at Ernesto’s.”
“And the story exclusive?”
“That’s a promise.”
“You have your
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