had been lucky to escape execution but his father's influence would have helped and after all, he and his men were war heroes. Bad for morale to have to shoot a holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. And Operation Swordfish, in the Channel Islands, was just as certain in the long run for all of them. A stroke of genius on somebody's part.
Rossman sprawled in the chair opposite, apparently asleep, the black slouch hat tipped over his eyes, but when the light at the door flashed, he was on his feet. He went straight in without knocking and was back in a moment.
'He wants you.'
The Reichsfuhrer was still seated behind the desk He now had the ordnance survey map spread out in front of him. He looked up 'And what did you make of friend Steiner's little escapade in Warsaw?'
'A remarkable story,' Radl said carefully 'An - an unusual man.'
'I would say one of the bravest you are ever likely to encounter,' Himmler said calmly 'Gifted with high intelligence, courageous ruthless, a brilliant soldier - and a romantic fool I can only imagine that to be the American half of him.' The Reichsfuhrer shook his head. The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves After that Russian affair the Fuhrer had asked to meet him personally. And what does he do? Throws it all away, career, future, everything, for the sake of a little Jewish bitch he'd never clapped eyes on in his life before.'
He looked up at Radl as if waiting for a reply and Radl said lamely, 'Extraordinary, Herr Reichsfuhrer.'
Himmler nodded and then, as if dismissing the subject completely, rubbed his hands together and leaned over the map 'The Grey woman's reports are really quite brilliant. An outstanding agent.' He leaned down, eyes very close to the map 'Will it work?'
'I think so,' Radl replied without hesitation
'And the Admiral?' What does the Admiral think?'
Radl's mind raced as he tried to frame a suitable reply. 'That's a difficult question to answer.'
Himmler sat back, hands folded. For a wild moment Radl felt as if he were back in short trousers and in front of his old village schoolmaster.
'You don't need to tell me, I think I can guess I admire loyalty but in this case you would do well to remember that loyalty to Germany, to your Fuhrer, comes first.'
'Naturally, Herr Reichsfuhrer,' Radl said hastily
'Unfortunately there are those who would not agree,' Himmler went on 'Subversive elements at every level in our society Even amongst the generals of the High Command itself. Does that surprise you?'
Radl, genuinely astonished, said, 'But Herr Reichsfuhrer, I can hardly believe...'
'That men who have taken an oath of personal loyalty to the Fuhrer can behave in such a dastardly fashion?' He shook his head almost sadly. 'I have every reason to believe that in March of this year, high ranking officers of the Wehrmacht placed a bomb on the Fuhrer's plane, set to explode during its flight from Smolensk to Rastenburg.'
'God in heaven,' Radl said.
The bomb failed to explode and was removed by the individuals concerned later Of course it makes one realize more strongly than ever that we cannot fail, that ultimate victory must be ours. That the Fuhrer was saved by some divine intervention seems obvious That doesn't surprise me of course I have always believed that some higher being is behind nature, don't you agree?'
'Of course, Herr Reichsfuhrer,' Radl said.
'Yes, if we refused to recognize that we would be no better than Marxists I insist that all members of the SS believe in God.' He removed his pince-nez for a moment and stroked the bridge of his nose gently with one finger. 'So, traitors everywhere In the Army and in the Navy, too, at the highest level.'
He replaced his pince-nez and looked up at Radl 'So you see, Radl,' Himmler went on, 'I have the very best of reasons for being sure that Admiral Canaris must have
Rossman sprawled in the chair opposite, apparently asleep, the black slouch hat tipped over his eyes, but when the light at the door flashed, he was on his feet. He went straight in without knocking and was back in a moment.
'He wants you.'
The Reichsfuhrer was still seated behind the desk He now had the ordnance survey map spread out in front of him. He looked up 'And what did you make of friend Steiner's little escapade in Warsaw?'
'A remarkable story,' Radl said carefully 'An - an unusual man.'
'I would say one of the bravest you are ever likely to encounter,' Himmler said calmly 'Gifted with high intelligence, courageous ruthless, a brilliant soldier - and a romantic fool I can only imagine that to be the American half of him.' The Reichsfuhrer shook his head. The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves After that Russian affair the Fuhrer had asked to meet him personally. And what does he do? Throws it all away, career, future, everything, for the sake of a little Jewish bitch he'd never clapped eyes on in his life before.'
He looked up at Radl as if waiting for a reply and Radl said lamely, 'Extraordinary, Herr Reichsfuhrer.'
Himmler nodded and then, as if dismissing the subject completely, rubbed his hands together and leaned over the map 'The Grey woman's reports are really quite brilliant. An outstanding agent.' He leaned down, eyes very close to the map 'Will it work?'
'I think so,' Radl replied without hesitation
'And the Admiral?' What does the Admiral think?'
Radl's mind raced as he tried to frame a suitable reply. 'That's a difficult question to answer.'
Himmler sat back, hands folded. For a wild moment Radl felt as if he were back in short trousers and in front of his old village schoolmaster.
'You don't need to tell me, I think I can guess I admire loyalty but in this case you would do well to remember that loyalty to Germany, to your Fuhrer, comes first.'
'Naturally, Herr Reichsfuhrer,' Radl said hastily
'Unfortunately there are those who would not agree,' Himmler went on 'Subversive elements at every level in our society Even amongst the generals of the High Command itself. Does that surprise you?'
Radl, genuinely astonished, said, 'But Herr Reichsfuhrer, I can hardly believe...'
'That men who have taken an oath of personal loyalty to the Fuhrer can behave in such a dastardly fashion?' He shook his head almost sadly. 'I have every reason to believe that in March of this year, high ranking officers of the Wehrmacht placed a bomb on the Fuhrer's plane, set to explode during its flight from Smolensk to Rastenburg.'
'God in heaven,' Radl said.
The bomb failed to explode and was removed by the individuals concerned later Of course it makes one realize more strongly than ever that we cannot fail, that ultimate victory must be ours. That the Fuhrer was saved by some divine intervention seems obvious That doesn't surprise me of course I have always believed that some higher being is behind nature, don't you agree?'
'Of course, Herr Reichsfuhrer,' Radl said.
'Yes, if we refused to recognize that we would be no better than Marxists I insist that all members of the SS believe in God.' He removed his pince-nez for a moment and stroked the bridge of his nose gently with one finger. 'So, traitors everywhere In the Army and in the Navy, too, at the highest level.'
He replaced his pince-nez and looked up at Radl 'So you see, Radl,' Himmler went on, 'I have the very best of reasons for being sure that Admiral Canaris must have
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