按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I shot a quick glance at him。 Forrester wasn't as simple as he pretended to be。 〃I guess so；〃 I answered。 〃You see； I transferred the money just the day before Roosevelt slapped on his restriction。〃
〃You knew the restriction was about to be placed； didn't you？ You could have saved yourself the money by just waiting one day。〃
〃I couldn't afford to wait；〃 I said。 〃The money had to be in Germany； that was all there was to it。〃
〃Why？ Why did you send them the money when obviously you realize they're our potential enemy？〃
〃It was ransom for a Jew；〃 I said。
〃Some of my best friends are Jews；〃 Forrester answered。 〃But I can't imagine shelling out a million dollars for one of them。〃
I stared at him for a moment； then refilled my paper cup。 〃This one was worth it。〃
His name was Otto Strassmer and he started out in life as a quality…control engineer in one of the many Bavarian china works。 From ceramics he had turned to plastics and it was he who had invented the high…speed injection mold I'd bought and sold to a bine of American manufacturers。 Our original deal had been on a royalty basis but after it had been in effect for several years Strassmer wanted to change it。 That was in 1933； shortly after Hitler came to power。
He'd e into my hotel room in Berlin； where I'd been on my annual visit to Europe； and explained what he wanted。 He was willing to relinquish all future share in royalties for a flat payment of one million dollars； to be held in escrow for him in the United States。 This was agreeable to me； of course。 His share of the royalties would amount to much more than that over the licensing period。 But I didn't understand why。 So I asked him。
He got up out of his chair and walked over to the window； 〃You ask me why； Herr Cord？〃 he asked in his peculiarly accented English。 His hand pointed out the window。 〃That's why。〃
I walked over to the window and looked down。 There in the street in front of the Adlon； a group of brown…shirted young men； scarcely more than boys； were tormenting an old frock…coated man。 Twice while we were watching； they knocked the old man into the gutter。 We could see him lying on the edge of the sidewalk； his head in the gutter； blood streaming from his nose。 The boys stood there for a moment watching him； then walked away after kicking him several times contemptuously。
I turned to Strassmer questioningly。
〃That was a Jew； Herr Cord；〃 he said quietly。
〃So what？ Why didn't he call the police？〃
Strassmer pointed across the street。 Two policemen stood on the opposite corner。 〃They saw everything that happened。〃
〃Why didn't they stop them？〃
〃They are under instructions not to；〃 he answered。 〃Hitler claims that Jews have no right under German law。〃
〃What has this got to do with you？〃
〃I am a Jew；〃 he said simply。
I was silent for a moment。 I took out a cigarette and lit it。 〃What do you want me to do with the money？〃
〃Keep it until you hear from me。〃 He smiled。 〃My wife and daughter are already in America。 I would be grateful if you'd let them know I'm all right。〃
〃Why don't you join them？〃 I asked。
〃Perhaps I will … in time。 But I am German；〃 he said。 〃And I still hope this madness will one day pass。〃
But Herr Strassmer's hopes were not to be realized。 This I found out less than a year later； as I sat in the office of the Reichsmarschall。 〃The Jews of the world are doomed； as are the Jews of Germany；〃 he said in his polite voice。 〃We of the New Order recognize this and wele our friends and allies from across the sea who wish to join our crusade。〃
I was silent； waiting for him to speak again。
〃We men of the air understand each other；〃 he said。
I nodded。 〃Yes； Excellency。〃
〃Good；〃 he said； smiling。 〃Then we do not have to waste time。〃 He threw some papers on the desk。 〃Under the new laws； the Reich has confiscated the properties of a certain Otto Strassmer。 We understand there are certain monies due him which you are hereby instructed to pay over into the Reichsbank。〃
I didn't like the word 〃instructed。〃 〃I have been trying to get in touch with Herr Strassmer；〃 I said。
G？ring smiled again。 〃Strassmer had a severe breakdown and is presently confined to a hospital。〃
〃I see；〃 I said。 I got to my feet。
〃The Third Reich will not forget its friends；〃 the Reichsmarschall said。 He pressed a button on his desk。
A young German lieutenant appeared in the doorway。 〃Heil Hitler！〃 he said； his arm upraised in the Nazi salute。
〃Heil Hitler！〃 G？ring replied negligently。 He turned to me。 〃Lieutenant Mueller will escort you to the Messerschmitt plant。 I look forward to seeing you again at dinner； Herr Cord。〃
The Messerschmitt plant opened my eyes。 There was nothing like it building airplanes in the United States。 The only things parable were the automobile production lines in Detroit。 And when I saw some of the sketches of the ME…109 that adorned Messerschmitt's office； I didn't have to look twice。 It was all over but the shouting unless we got up off our collective asses。
That night at dinner； the Reichsmarschall got me to a corner。 〃What did you think of our factory？〃
〃I'm impressed；〃 I said。
He nodded； pleased。 〃It is modeled after your own plant in California；〃 he said。 〃But much larger； of course。〃
〃Of course；〃 I agreed； wondering how they got in there。 Then I realized it was no secret。 Up to now； we'd never got any government work； all we'd built were mercial airlines。
He laughed pleasantly； then turned to move away。 A moment later； he came back to me。 〃By the way；〃 he whispered。 〃The Führer was very pleased about your co…operation。 When may I inform him that we will receive the money？〃
I stared at him。 〃On the day Herr Strassmer walks into my office in New York。〃
He stared back in surprise。 〃The Führer won't like this；〃 he said。 〃I told him you were our friend。〃
〃I'm also Herr Strassmer's friend。〃
He stared at me for another moment。 〃Now I don't know what to tell the Führer。 He will be very disappointed when he learns we shall not receive the money。〃
〃In that case；〃 I said； 〃why disappoint him？ One Jew more or less can't matter to Germany。〃
He nodded slowly。 〃Perhaps that is the best way。〃
Exactly a month later； the little German engineer walked into my office in New York。
〃What are you going to do now？〃 I asked。
〃First； I'm going to join my family in Colorado and rest for a while；〃 he said。 〃Then I must look for work。 I'm no longer a rich man。〃
I smiled at him。 〃e to work for me。 I'll consider the million dollars an advance against your royalties。〃
When he left the office； I gave Morrissey the O。K。 to go ahead on the CA…4。 If my hunch was right； there wasn't enough time left for any of us。 But it was another story to make the U。S。 Army believe that。
I looked across the desk at Forrester。
〃I'll get back to town and make a few calls to Washington。 I still have a few friends down there；〃 he said。 〃I'll stop by and talk to the General。 Maybe I can persuade him to listen。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。 I looked at my watch。 It was almost twelve thirty。 The stockholders' meeting ought to be over by now。 McAllister and Pierce should be back in the hotel with Norman tucked safely away in their back pockets。
〃I have a one…o'clock appointment at the Waldorf；〃 I said。 〃Can I drop you off？〃
〃Thanks；〃 Forrester said gratefully。 〃I have a luncheon date that I'd hate to miss。〃
He came into the Waldorf with me and cut off toward Peacock Alley as I walked over to the elevators。 As I stood there waiting； I saw a woman rise to meet him。 It was the same one I had seen him with out at the field。 I wondered vaguely why she hadn't waited for him out there。
Idly I watched Rico； the ma？tre d'； lead them around the corner to a hidden table。 I walked over to the entrance and stood there until he came back。
〃Ah； Monsieur Cord。〃 He smiled。 〃Dining alone？〃
〃Not dining； Rico；〃 I said； pressing a bill into his ever ready hand。 〃A question。 The lady with Colonel Forrester … who is she？〃
Rico smiled knowingly。 He kissed his fingers。 〃Ah； most charmante；〃 he said。 〃She is Madame Gaddis； the wife of the General。〃
I looked around the lobby as I walked back to the elevators。 The General should