Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie
understand. My fellow scientists in all probability would
not understand either. And no politicians would ever understand.
And so, you see, it's too big a risk to be taken. At any
rate one would have to think for a long time."
' "But," I said, "you could bring people out of it again,
just like laughing gas, couldn't you? I mean, you could
make people benevolent just for a short time, and then
they'd get all right again--or all wrong again--it depends
which way you look at it, I should have thought." And he
said, "No. This will be, you see, permanent. Quite permanent
because it affects the--" and then he went into
jargon again. You know, long words and numbers. Formulas,
or molecular changes--something like that. I expect really
it must be something like what they do to cretins. You
know, to make them stop being cretins, like giving them
thyroid or taking it away from them. I forget which it is.
Something like that. Well, I expect there's some nice little
gland somewhere and if you take it away or smoke it out,
or do something drastic to it--but then, the people are
permanently--'
'Permanently benevolent? You're sure that's the right word?
Benevolence?'
'Yes, because that's why he nicknamed it Benvo.'
'But what did his colleagues think, I wonder, about his
backing out?'
'I don't think he had many who knew. Lisa what's-hername,
the Austrian girl; she'd worked on it with him. And
there was one young man called Leadenthal or some name
like that, but he died of tuberculosis. And he rather spoke
as though the other people who worked with him were merely assistants who didn't know exactly what he was doing
?r trying for. I see what you're getting at,' said Matilda
suddenly. "I don't think he ever told anybody, really. I mean,
think he destroyed his formulas or notes or whatever they vere and gave up the whole idea. And then he had his stroke
171
and got ill, and now, poor dear, he can't speak very well. He's
paralysed one side. He can hear fairly well. He listen" to
music. That's his whole life now.'
'His life's work's ended, you think?'
'He doesn't even see friends. I think it's painful to urn
to see them. He always /ma.kes some excuse.'
'But he's alive,' said Admiral Blunt. 'He's alive still. Got
his address?'
'It's in my address book somewhere. He's still in the s -ine
place. North Scotland somewhere. But--oh, do understa:, ;--
he was such a wonderful man once. He isn't now. He's ji almost
dead. For all intents and purposes.'
There's always hope,' said Admiral Blunt. 'And belief;' he
added. 'Faith.'
'And benevolence, I suppose,' said Lady Matilda..
Chapter 21
PROJECT BENVO
Professor John Gottlieb sat in his chair looking very steadfastly
at the handsome young woman sitting opposite him.
He scratched his ear with a rather monkey-like gesture which
was characteristic of him. He looked rather like a monkey
anyway. A prognathous jaw, a high mathematical head which
make a slight contrast in terms, and a small wizened frame.
'It's not every day,' said Professor Gottlieb, 'that a young
lady brings me a letter from the President of the Ur'ted
States. However,' he said cheerfully, 'Presidents don't always
know exactly what they're doing. What's this all abou I
gather you're vouched for on the highest authority.'
'I've come to ask you what you know or what you an
tell me about something called Project Benvo.'
'Are you really Countess Renata Zerkowski?'
'Technically, possibly, I am. I'm more often knowr as
Mary Arm.'
'Yes, that's what they wrote me under separate c; er.
And you want to know about Project Benvo. Well, t "rs was such a thing. Now it's dead and buried and the luan
who thought of it also, I expect.'
'You mean Professor Shoreham.'
That's right. Robert Shoreham. One of the greatest geniuses
of our age. Einstein, Niels Bohr and some others. But
172
Robert Shoreham didn't last as long as he should. A great
loss to science--what is it Shakespeare says of Lady Macbeth:
"She should have died hereafter."'
'He's not dead,' said Mary Arm.
'Oh. Sure of that? Nothing's been heard of him for a
long time.'
'He's an invalid. He lives in the north of Scotland. He is
paralysed, can't speak very well, can't walk very well. He
sits most of the time listening to music.'
'Yes, I can imagine that. Well, I'm glad about that. If
he can do that he won't be too unhappy. Otherwise it's a
pretty fair hell for a brilliant man who isn't brilliant any
more. Who's, as it were, dead in an invalid chair,'
'There was such a thing as Project Benvo?'
'Yes, he was very keen about it.'
'He talked to you about it?'
'He talked to some of us about it in the early days. You're not a scientist yourself, young woman, I suppose?'
'No, I'm--'
'You're just an agent, I suppose. I hope you're on the
right side. We still have to hope for miracles these days, but
I don't think you'll get anything out of Project Benvo.'
"Why not? You said he worked on it. It would have been
a very great invention, wouldn't it?-Or discovery, or whatever
you call these things?'
'Yes, it would have been one of the greatest discoveries
of the age. I don't know just what went wrong. It's happened
before now. A thing goes along all right but in the
last stages somehow, it doesn't click. Breaks down. Doesn't
do what's expected of it and you give up in despair. Or
else you do what Shoreham did.'
'What was that?'
'He destroyed it. Every damn bit of it. He told me so
himself. Burnt all the formulas, all the papers concerning
it, all the data. Three weeks later he had his stroke. I'm
sorry. You see, I can't help you. I never knew any details
about it, nothing but its main idea. I don't even remember
that now, except for one thing. Benvo stood for Benevolence.'
173
Chapter 22 JUANITA
Lord Altamount was dictating.
The voice that "had once been ringing and dominant w; s
now reduced to a gentleness that had still an unexpected;
special appeal. It seemed to come gently out of the shadov ?
of the past, but to be emotionally moving in a way that ;.
more dominant tone would not have been.
James Kleek was taking down the words as they came,
pausing every now and then when a moment of hesitation
came, allowing for it and waiting gently himself.
'Idealism,' said Lord Altamount, 'can arise and indeed
usually does so when moved by a natural antagonism to
injustice. That is a natural revulsion from crass materia -
ism. The natural idealism of youth is fed more and more by
a desire to destroy those two phases of modem life, injustice
and crass materialism. That desire to destroy what
is evil, sometimes leads to a love of destruction for
its own
sake. It can lead to a pleasure in violence and in the infliction
of pain. All this can be fostered and strengthened
from outside by those who are gifted by a natural power of
leadership. This original idealism arises in a non-adult stage.
It should and could lead on to a desire for a new world. It
should lead also towards a love of all human beings, ai "
of goodwill towards them. But those who have once lear
to love violence for its own sake will never become adu'?.
They will be fixed in their own retarded development ai i
will so remain for their lifetime.'
The buzzer went. Lord Altamount gestured and Jams
Kleek lifted it up and listened.
'Mr Robinson is here.'
'Ah yes. Bring him in. We can go on with mis later'
James Kleek rose, laying aside his notebook and pe;'c
Mr Robinson came in. James Kleek set a chair for hii'ii
one sufficiently widely proportioned to receive his form wiii1out
discomfort. Mr Robinson smiled his thanks and arr^ngi i himself by Lord Altamount's side.
'Well,' said Lord Altamount. 'Got anything new fc<- us?
Diagrams? Circles? Bubbles?'
He seemed faintly amused.
'Not exactly,' said Mr Robinson imperturbably, 'it's "ore
like plotting the course of a river--'
174
'River?' said Lord AItamount. 'What sort of a river?'
'A river of money,' said Mr Robinson, in the slightly
apologetic voice he was wont to use when referring to his
speciality. 'It's really .just like a river, money is--coming
from somewhere and definitely going to somewhere. Really
very interesting--that is, if you are interested in these things--
It tells its own story, you see--'
James Kleek looked as though he didn't sec, but AItamount
said, 'I understand. Go on.'
'It's flowing from Scandinavia--from Bavaria--from the
USA--from South-east Asia--fed by lesser tributaries on the
way--'
'And going--where?'
'Mainly to South America--meeting die demands of the
now securely established Headquarters of Militant Youth--'
'And representing four of the five intertwined Circles you
showed us--Armaments, Drugs, Scientific and Chemical Warfare
Missiles as well as Finance?'
'Yes--we think we know now fairly accurately who controls
these various groups--'
'What about Circle J--Juanita?' asked James Kleefc*
'As yet we cannot be sure.'
'James has certain ideas as to that,' said Lord AItamount. 'I hope he may be wrong--yes, I hope so. The initial J is
interesting. What does it stand for--Justice? Judgment?'
'A dedicated killer,' said James Kleek. The female of the
species is more deadly than the male.'
"There are historical precedents,' admitted AItamount. 'Jael
setting butter in a lordly dish before Sisera--and afterwards
driving the nail through his head. Judith executing Holofemes,
and applauded for it by her countrymen. Yes, you may have
something there.'
'So you think you know who Juanita is, do you?' said
Mr Robinson. That's interesting.'
'Well, perhaps I'm wrong, sir, but there have been things
that made me think--' ?
'Yes,' said Mr Robinson, 'WE have all had to think, haven't
we? Better say who you think it is, James.'
The Countess Renata Zerkowski.'
'What makes you pitch upon her?'
The places she's been, the people she's been in contact ^th. There's been too much coincidence about the way ^e has been turning up in different places, and all that. "he's been in Bavaria. She's been visiting Big Charlotte --? 175
there. What's more, s
i that's significant--'
'You think they're
'I wouldn't like to
him, but . . .' He pai
Yes,' said Lord Al
him. He was suspect
'By Henry Horshai ' 'Henry Horsham fo
sure, I imagine. He's b
it too. He's not a foe
'Another of them,' s
ilii ary, how we can bre<
our secrets, let them t
"If there's one person i ] or Burgess, or Philby,
h'B Nye.'
'Stafford Nye, indoc
| Mr Robinson. . There was that ct
said Kleek, 'and theri 11 Nye, I gather, has sii As for she herself--di
'I dare say Mr R
I 'Do you, Mr Robinsoc I 'She's in the Unitet [ with friends in Washi
then in California ani
a top-flight scientist. 1
I'1 'What's she doing t
'One would presun
' | voice, 'that she is try
I 'What information?' 1: Mr Robinson sighed
That is what one
it is the same inform ; and that she is doing ]
--it may be for the o
He turned to look i
Tonight, I understa
I that right?'
I 'Quite right*
1 don't think he c
I! turned an anxious fac
so weU lately, sir. It'1
way you go. Air or train. Can't you leave it to Munro and
Hor:;nam?'
'At my age it's a waste of time to take care,' said Lord
a Altamount. 'If I can be useful I would like to die in harness,
-2 as the saying goes.'
He smiled at Mr Robinson.
'You'd better come with us, Robinson.'
Chapter 23
JOURNEY TO SCOTLAND
The Squadron Leader wondered a little what it was all
about. He was accustomed to being left only partly in the
picture. That was Security's doing, he supposed. Taking
no chances. He'd done this sort of thing before more than
once. Flying a plane of people out to an unlikely spot, with
unlikely passengers, being careful to ask no questions except
such as were of an entirely factual nature. He knew some of
his passengers on this flight but not all of them. Lord Altamount
he recognized. An ill man, a very sick man, he thought, a man who, he judged, kept himself alive by sheer willpower.
The keen hawk-faced man with him was his special
guard dog, presumably. Seeing not so much to his safety as
to his welfare. A faithful dog who never left his side. He
would have with him restoratives, stimulants, all the medical
box of tricks. The Squadron Leader wondered why there
wasn't a doctor also in attendance. It would have been an
extra precaution. Like a death's head, the old man looked.
A noble death's head. Something made of marble in a museum.
Henry Horsham the Squadron Leader knew quite well. He
knew several of the Security lot. And Colonel Munro, looking
slightly less fierce than usual, rather more worried. Not very
happy on the whole. There was also a large, yellow-faced man. Foreigner, he might be. Asiatic? What was he doing,
flying in a plane to the North of Scotland? The Squadron
Leader said deferentially to Colonel Munro:
'Everything laid on, sir? The car is here waiting.'
'How far exactly is the distance?'
'Se snteen miles, sir, roughish road but not too bad. There ^e extra rugs in the car.'
'Yc'i have your orders? Repeat, please, if you will. Squadron ^der Andrews.'
177
The Squadron Leader rep
&nb
sp; satisfaction. As the car fir
Leader looked after it, won<
those particular people wen
lonely moor to a venerable
lived as a recluse without fr
run of things. Horsham kne^ know a lot of strange things.
to tell him anything.
The car was well and ca
last over a gravel driveway
porch. It was a turreted b hung at either side of the bi
, before there was any need t(
| tance.
I An old Scottish woman o
] face, stood in the doorway. ' 1 pants out.
I James Kleek and Horshai
"I alight and supported him u
|| woman stood aside and drop
| She said:
S 'Good evening, y'r lordship
|| He knows you're arriving,
fires for you in all of them.'
i|| Another figure had arrivec
(| woman between fifty and s
I handsome. Her black hair ^
II had a high forehead, an aqi
II 'Here's Miss Neumann to h
||| I woman.
| Thank you, Janet,' said M:
j| are kept up in the bedrooms 'I will that.'
Illl Lord Altamount shook hanc
'Good evening. Miss Neun
'Good evening. Lord Altan
III | tired by your journey.'
|| 'We had a very good flight
Neumann. This is Mr Robin
Horsham, of the Security De 'I remember Mr Horsham if:
'I hadn't forgotten,' said H
| Leveson Foundation. You w< Shoreham's secretary at that 1 : ' 1
'I was first his assistant in the laboratory, and afterwards his secretary. I am still, as far as he needs one, his secretary.
He also has to have a hospital nurse living here more or
less permanently. There have to be changes from time to
time--Miss Ellis who is here now took over from Miss Bude
only two days ago. I have suggested that she should stay
near at hand to the room in which we ourselves shall be. I
thought you would prefer privacy, but that she ought not to
be out of call in case she was needed.'
'Is he in very bad health?' asked Colonel Munro.
'He doesn't actually suffer,' said Miss Neumann, 'but
you must prepare yourself, if you have not seen him, that
is, for a long time. He is only what is left of a man.'
'Just one moment before you take us to him. His mental
processes are not too badly depleted? He can understand
what one says to him?'
'Oh, yes, he can understand perfectly, but as he is semiparalysed,
he is unable to speak with much clarity, though
that varies, and is unable to walk without help. His brain,
'i in my opinion, is as good as ever it was. The only difference
is that he tires very easily now. Now, would you like some
refreshment first?'
'No,' said Lord Altamount. 'No, I don't want to wait. This is a rather urgent matter on which we have come, so if you will take us to him now--he expects us, I understand?'
'He expects you, yes,' said Lisa Neumann.
She led the way up some stairs, along a corridor and
opened a room of medium size. It had tapestries on the
wall, the heads of stags looked down on them, the place
had been a one-time shooting-box. It had been little changed
in its furnishing or arrangements. There was a big recordplayer
on one side of the room.
The tall man sat in a chair by the fire. His head trembled
a little, so did his left hand. The skin of his face was pulled
down one side. Without beating about the bush, one could
only describe him one way, as a wreck of a man. A man
who had once been tall, sturdy, strong. He had a fine forehead,
deep-set eyes, and a rugged, determined-looking chin.
The eyes, below the heavy eyebrows, were intelligent. He ^d something. His voice was not weak, it made fairly clear
sounds but not always recognizable ones. The faculty of speech
had only partly gone from him, he was still understandable.
Lisa Neumann went to stand by him, watching his lips, ^o that she could interpret what he said if necessary.
I 179
'Professor Shoreham welcomes you. He is very pleased
see you here. Lord Altamount, Colonel Munuro, Sir James
Kleek, Mr Robinson and Mr Horsham. He would like me to
tell you that his hearing is reasonably good. Anything you say
to him he will be able to hear. If there is any difficulty I
can assist. What he wants to say to you he will be able to
transmit through me. If he gets too tired to articulate, I can lip-read and we also converse in a perfected sign language if
there is any difficulty.'
'I shall try,' said Colonel Munro, 'not to waste your time
and to tire you as little as possible. Professor Shoreham.'
The man in the chair bent his head in recognition of the
words.
'Some questions I can ask of Miss Neumann.*
Shoreham's hand went out in a faint gesture towards the
woman standing by his side. Sounds came from his lips,
again not quite recognizable to them, but she translated
not understand either. And no politicians would ever understand.
And so, you see, it's too big a risk to be taken. At any
rate one would have to think for a long time."
' "But," I said, "you could bring people out of it again,
just like laughing gas, couldn't you? I mean, you could
make people benevolent just for a short time, and then
they'd get all right again--or all wrong again--it depends
which way you look at it, I should have thought." And he
said, "No. This will be, you see, permanent. Quite permanent
because it affects the--" and then he went into
jargon again. You know, long words and numbers. Formulas,
or molecular changes--something like that. I expect really
it must be something like what they do to cretins. You
know, to make them stop being cretins, like giving them
thyroid or taking it away from them. I forget which it is.
Something like that. Well, I expect there's some nice little
gland somewhere and if you take it away or smoke it out,
or do something drastic to it--but then, the people are
permanently--'
'Permanently benevolent? You're sure that's the right word?
Benevolence?'
'Yes, because that's why he nicknamed it Benvo.'
'But what did his colleagues think, I wonder, about his
backing out?'
'I don't think he had many who knew. Lisa what's-hername,
the Austrian girl; she'd worked on it with him. And
there was one young man called Leadenthal or some name
like that, but he died of tuberculosis. And he rather spoke
as though the other people who worked with him were merely assistants who didn't know exactly what he was doing
?r trying for. I see what you're getting at,' said Matilda
suddenly. "I don't think he ever told anybody, really. I mean,
think he destroyed his formulas or notes or whatever they vere and gave up the whole idea. And then he had his stroke
171
and got ill, and now, poor dear, he can't speak very well. He's
paralysed one side. He can hear fairly well. He listen" to
music. That's his whole life now.'
'His life's work's ended, you think?'
'He doesn't even see friends. I think it's painful to urn
to see them. He always /ma.kes some excuse.'
'But he's alive,' said Admiral Blunt. 'He's alive still. Got
his address?'
'It's in my address book somewhere. He's still in the s -ine
place. North Scotland somewhere. But--oh, do understa:, ;--
he was such a wonderful man once. He isn't now. He's ji almost
dead. For all intents and purposes.'
There's always hope,' said Admiral Blunt. 'And belief;' he
added. 'Faith.'
'And benevolence, I suppose,' said Lady Matilda..
Chapter 21
PROJECT BENVO
Professor John Gottlieb sat in his chair looking very steadfastly
at the handsome young woman sitting opposite him.
He scratched his ear with a rather monkey-like gesture which
was characteristic of him. He looked rather like a monkey
anyway. A prognathous jaw, a high mathematical head which
make a slight contrast in terms, and a small wizened frame.
'It's not every day,' said Professor Gottlieb, 'that a young
lady brings me a letter from the President of the Ur'ted
States. However,' he said cheerfully, 'Presidents don't always
know exactly what they're doing. What's this all abou I
gather you're vouched for on the highest authority.'
'I've come to ask you what you know or what you an
tell me about something called Project Benvo.'
'Are you really Countess Renata Zerkowski?'
'Technically, possibly, I am. I'm more often knowr as
Mary Arm.'
'Yes, that's what they wrote me under separate c; er.
And you want to know about Project Benvo. Well, t "rs was such a thing. Now it's dead and buried and the luan
who thought of it also, I expect.'
'You mean Professor Shoreham.'
That's right. Robert Shoreham. One of the greatest geniuses
of our age. Einstein, Niels Bohr and some others. But
172
Robert Shoreham didn't last as long as he should. A great
loss to science--what is it Shakespeare says of Lady Macbeth:
"She should have died hereafter."'
'He's not dead,' said Mary Arm.
'Oh. Sure of that? Nothing's been heard of him for a
long time.'
'He's an invalid. He lives in the north of Scotland. He is
paralysed, can't speak very well, can't walk very well. He
sits most of the time listening to music.'
'Yes, I can imagine that. Well, I'm glad about that. If
he can do that he won't be too unhappy. Otherwise it's a
pretty fair hell for a brilliant man who isn't brilliant any
more. Who's, as it were, dead in an invalid chair,'
'There was such a thing as Project Benvo?'
'Yes, he was very keen about it.'
'He talked to you about it?'
'He talked to some of us about it in the early days. You're not a scientist yourself, young woman, I suppose?'
'No, I'm--'
'You're just an agent, I suppose. I hope you're on the
right side. We still have to hope for miracles these days, but
I don't think you'll get anything out of Project Benvo.'
"Why not? You said he worked on it. It would have been
a very great invention, wouldn't it?-Or discovery, or whatever
you call these things?'
'Yes, it would have been one of the greatest discoveries
of the age. I don't know just what went wrong. It's happened
before now. A thing goes along all right but in the
last stages somehow, it doesn't click. Breaks down. Doesn't
do what's expected of it and you give up in despair. Or
else you do what Shoreham did.'
'What was that?'
'He destroyed it. Every damn bit of it. He told me so
himself. Burnt all the formulas, all the papers concerning
it, all the data. Three weeks later he had his stroke. I'm
sorry. You see, I can't help you. I never knew any details
about it, nothing but its main idea. I don't even remember
that now, except for one thing. Benvo stood for Benevolence.'
173
Chapter 22 JUANITA
Lord Altamount was dictating.
The voice that "had once been ringing and dominant w; s
now reduced to a gentleness that had still an unexpected;
special appeal. It seemed to come gently out of the shadov ?
of the past, but to be emotionally moving in a way that ;.
more dominant tone would not have been.
James Kleek was taking down the words as they came,
pausing every now and then when a moment of hesitation
came, allowing for it and waiting gently himself.
'Idealism,' said Lord Altamount, 'can arise and indeed
usually does so when moved by a natural antagonism to
injustice. That is a natural revulsion from crass materia -
ism. The natural idealism of youth is fed more and more by
a desire to destroy those two phases of modem life, injustice
and crass materialism. That desire to destroy what
is evil, sometimes leads to a love of destruction for
sake. It can lead to a pleasure in violence and in the infliction
of pain. All this can be fostered and strengthened
from outside by those who are gifted by a natural power of
leadership. This original idealism arises in a non-adult stage.
It should and could lead on to a desire for a new world. It
should lead also towards a love of all human beings, ai "
of goodwill towards them. But those who have once lear
to love violence for its own sake will never become adu'?.
They will be fixed in their own retarded development ai i
will so remain for their lifetime.'
The buzzer went. Lord Altamount gestured and Jams
Kleek lifted it up and listened.
'Mr Robinson is here.'
'Ah yes. Bring him in. We can go on with mis later'
James Kleek rose, laying aside his notebook and pe;'c
Mr Robinson came in. James Kleek set a chair for hii'ii
one sufficiently widely proportioned to receive his form wiii1out
discomfort. Mr Robinson smiled his thanks and arr^ngi i himself by Lord Altamount's side.
'Well,' said Lord Altamount. 'Got anything new fc<- us?
Diagrams? Circles? Bubbles?'
He seemed faintly amused.
'Not exactly,' said Mr Robinson imperturbably, 'it's "ore
like plotting the course of a river--'
174
'River?' said Lord AItamount. 'What sort of a river?'
'A river of money,' said Mr Robinson, in the slightly
apologetic voice he was wont to use when referring to his
speciality. 'It's really .just like a river, money is--coming
from somewhere and definitely going to somewhere. Really
very interesting--that is, if you are interested in these things--
It tells its own story, you see--'
James Kleek looked as though he didn't sec, but AItamount
said, 'I understand. Go on.'
'It's flowing from Scandinavia--from Bavaria--from the
USA--from South-east Asia--fed by lesser tributaries on the
way--'
'And going--where?'
'Mainly to South America--meeting die demands of the
now securely established Headquarters of Militant Youth--'
'And representing four of the five intertwined Circles you
showed us--Armaments, Drugs, Scientific and Chemical Warfare
Missiles as well as Finance?'
'Yes--we think we know now fairly accurately who controls
these various groups--'
'What about Circle J--Juanita?' asked James Kleefc*
'As yet we cannot be sure.'
'James has certain ideas as to that,' said Lord AItamount. 'I hope he may be wrong--yes, I hope so. The initial J is
interesting. What does it stand for--Justice? Judgment?'
'A dedicated killer,' said James Kleek. The female of the
species is more deadly than the male.'
"There are historical precedents,' admitted AItamount. 'Jael
setting butter in a lordly dish before Sisera--and afterwards
driving the nail through his head. Judith executing Holofemes,
and applauded for it by her countrymen. Yes, you may have
something there.'
'So you think you know who Juanita is, do you?' said
Mr Robinson. That's interesting.'
'Well, perhaps I'm wrong, sir, but there have been things
that made me think--' ?
'Yes,' said Mr Robinson, 'WE have all had to think, haven't
we? Better say who you think it is, James.'
The Countess Renata Zerkowski.'
'What makes you pitch upon her?'
The places she's been, the people she's been in contact ^th. There's been too much coincidence about the way ^e has been turning up in different places, and all that. "he's been in Bavaria. She's been visiting Big Charlotte --? 175
there. What's more, s
i that's significant--'
'You think they're
'I wouldn't like to
him, but . . .' He pai
Yes,' said Lord Al
him. He was suspect
'By Henry Horshai ' 'Henry Horsham fo
sure, I imagine. He's b
it too. He's not a foe
'Another of them,' s
ilii ary, how we can bre<
our secrets, let them t
"If there's one person i ] or Burgess, or Philby,
h'B Nye.'
'Stafford Nye, indoc
| Mr Robinson. . There was that ct
said Kleek, 'and theri 11 Nye, I gather, has sii As for she herself--di
'I dare say Mr R
I 'Do you, Mr Robinsoc I 'She's in the Unitet [ with friends in Washi
then in California ani
a top-flight scientist. 1
I'1 'What's she doing t
'One would presun
' | voice, 'that she is try
I 'What information?' 1: Mr Robinson sighed
That is what one
it is the same inform ; and that she is doing ]
--it may be for the o
He turned to look i
Tonight, I understa
I that right?'
I 'Quite right*
1 don't think he c
I! turned an anxious fac
so weU lately, sir. It'1
way you go. Air or train. Can't you leave it to Munro and
Hor:;nam?'
'At my age it's a waste of time to take care,' said Lord
a Altamount. 'If I can be useful I would like to die in harness,
-2 as the saying goes.'
He smiled at Mr Robinson.
'You'd better come with us, Robinson.'
Chapter 23
JOURNEY TO SCOTLAND
The Squadron Leader wondered a little what it was all
about. He was accustomed to being left only partly in the
picture. That was Security's doing, he supposed. Taking
no chances. He'd done this sort of thing before more than
once. Flying a plane of people out to an unlikely spot, with
unlikely passengers, being careful to ask no questions except
such as were of an entirely factual nature. He knew some of
his passengers on this flight but not all of them. Lord Altamount
he recognized. An ill man, a very sick man, he thought, a man who, he judged, kept himself alive by sheer willpower.
The keen hawk-faced man with him was his special
guard dog, presumably. Seeing not so much to his safety as
to his welfare. A faithful dog who never left his side. He
would have with him restoratives, stimulants, all the medical
box of tricks. The Squadron Leader wondered why there
wasn't a doctor also in attendance. It would have been an
extra precaution. Like a death's head, the old man looked.
A noble death's head. Something made of marble in a museum.
Henry Horsham the Squadron Leader knew quite well. He
knew several of the Security lot. And Colonel Munro, looking
slightly less fierce than usual, rather more worried. Not very
happy on the whole. There was also a large, yellow-faced man. Foreigner, he might be. Asiatic? What was he doing,
flying in a plane to the North of Scotland? The Squadron
Leader said deferentially to Colonel Munro:
'Everything laid on, sir? The car is here waiting.'
'How far exactly is the distance?'
'Se snteen miles, sir, roughish road but not too bad. There ^e extra rugs in the car.'
'Yc'i have your orders? Repeat, please, if you will. Squadron ^der Andrews.'
177
The Squadron Leader rep
&nb
Leader looked after it, won<
those particular people wen
lonely moor to a venerable
lived as a recluse without fr
run of things. Horsham kne^ know a lot of strange things.
to tell him anything.
The car was well and ca
last over a gravel driveway
porch. It was a turreted b hung at either side of the bi
, before there was any need t(
| tance.
I An old Scottish woman o
] face, stood in the doorway. ' 1 pants out.
I James Kleek and Horshai
"I alight and supported him u
|| woman stood aside and drop
| She said:
S 'Good evening, y'r lordship
|| He knows you're arriving,
fires for you in all of them.'
i|| Another figure had arrivec
(| woman between fifty and s
I handsome. Her black hair ^
II had a high forehead, an aqi
II 'Here's Miss Neumann to h
||| I woman.
| Thank you, Janet,' said M:
j| are kept up in the bedrooms 'I will that.'
Illl Lord Altamount shook hanc
'Good evening. Miss Neun
'Good evening. Lord Altan
III | tired by your journey.'
|| 'We had a very good flight
Neumann. This is Mr Robin
Horsham, of the Security De 'I remember Mr Horsham if:
'I hadn't forgotten,' said H
| Leveson Foundation. You w< Shoreham's secretary at that 1 : ' 1
'I was first his assistant in the laboratory, and afterwards his secretary. I am still, as far as he needs one, his secretary.
He also has to have a hospital nurse living here more or
less permanently. There have to be changes from time to
time--Miss Ellis who is here now took over from Miss Bude
only two days ago. I have suggested that she should stay
near at hand to the room in which we ourselves shall be. I
thought you would prefer privacy, but that she ought not to
be out of call in case she was needed.'
'Is he in very bad health?' asked Colonel Munro.
'He doesn't actually suffer,' said Miss Neumann, 'but
you must prepare yourself, if you have not seen him, that
is, for a long time. He is only what is left of a man.'
'Just one moment before you take us to him. His mental
processes are not too badly depleted? He can understand
what one says to him?'
'Oh, yes, he can understand perfectly, but as he is semiparalysed,
he is unable to speak with much clarity, though
that varies, and is unable to walk without help. His brain,
'i in my opinion, is as good as ever it was. The only difference
is that he tires very easily now. Now, would you like some
refreshment first?'
'No,' said Lord Altamount. 'No, I don't want to wait. This is a rather urgent matter on which we have come, so if you will take us to him now--he expects us, I understand?'
'He expects you, yes,' said Lisa Neumann.
She led the way up some stairs, along a corridor and
opened a room of medium size. It had tapestries on the
wall, the heads of stags looked down on them, the place
had been a one-time shooting-box. It had been little changed
in its furnishing or arrangements. There was a big recordplayer
on one side of the room.
The tall man sat in a chair by the fire. His head trembled
a little, so did his left hand. The skin of his face was pulled
down one side. Without beating about the bush, one could
only describe him one way, as a wreck of a man. A man
who had once been tall, sturdy, strong. He had a fine forehead,
deep-set eyes, and a rugged, determined-looking chin.
The eyes, below the heavy eyebrows, were intelligent. He ^d something. His voice was not weak, it made fairly clear
sounds but not always recognizable ones. The faculty of speech
had only partly gone from him, he was still understandable.
Lisa Neumann went to stand by him, watching his lips, ^o that she could interpret what he said if necessary.
I 179
'Professor Shoreham welcomes you. He is very pleased
see you here. Lord Altamount, Colonel Munuro, Sir James
Kleek, Mr Robinson and Mr Horsham. He would like me to
tell you that his hearing is reasonably good. Anything you say
to him he will be able to hear. If there is any difficulty I
can assist. What he wants to say to you he will be able to
transmit through me. If he gets too tired to articulate, I can lip-read and we also converse in a perfected sign language if
there is any difficulty.'
'I shall try,' said Colonel Munro, 'not to waste your time
and to tire you as little as possible. Professor Shoreham.'
The man in the chair bent his head in recognition of the
words.
'Some questions I can ask of Miss Neumann.*
Shoreham's hand went out in a faint gesture towards the
woman standing by his side. Sounds came from his lips,
again not quite recognizable to them, but she translated