`Not at all. I think, then, we may regard you as good as cleared. But there remains the Ratu. After what you have told me I am sorry for the young man, but even your ingenuity will, I fear, prove insufficient to save him from a heavy prison sentence.'
For a moment Gregory was silent, then he said, `Mon General, you will recall that in the note I sent you I mentioned that, during our absence from Noumea, James and I had chanced upon certain information of value that I wished to discuss with you.'
Ribaud's arched eyebrows lifted, wrinkling his forehead.
`I took that only as a pretext to secure this private conversation with me.'
`By no means. I have not yet disclosed to anyone the name of the island on which the launch was wrecked it was Yuloga.'
In the silence that followed one could have heard a pin drop. The General remained poker faced, but a hard note
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had crept into his voice when, at length, he said, `I see. Well, what of it? `
`Only that previously I had been under the impression that it belonged to France.'
`It does it is a dependency of New Caledonia, and comes under my jurisdiction.'
`How strange, then, that it should now be garrisoned by Russian troops.'
The General frowned. `In that you are mistaken. There are, of course, a number of Russians there technicians who, under an agreement made by General de Gaulle in Moscow, are assisting us with the development of our nuclear weapons:
Gregory shook his head. 'Mon cher General, it is clear to me that you have been misinformed. Ratu James and myself spent two months illegally detained as prisoners on the island. The story of how we, with two Australians and two Melanesian natives, succeeded in escaping is quite an entertaining one. I must tell it to you some time, over a good dinner. But preparing our escape took many nights. During that time we explored a good part of the island. We discovered that the native population had been evacuated no doubt for security reasons that there were at the least a thousand Russian troops stationed there and er I did see one French Captain. Most interesting of all, one night I looked down into a valley where several I.C.B.M.s had already been set up, ready for launching and they were guarded by Russian sentries.'
Ribaud's frown had become a threatening scowl as he demanded, `What are you trying to tell me?'
`Only that I have formed the impression that, in exchange for valuable information about the construction of nuclear weapons, General de Gaulle has, in effect, made over the island of Yuloga to the Russians, so the Soviet Union now has a base of incalculable value in the South Pacific.'
`That is not so,' the General declared stoutly. `You can have seen only a part of the island. I have ample troops there and it is still under French control. General de Gaulle would never surrender French territory to a foreign Power, and the warheads to those rockets are in French hands.'
Matters were not going quite as Gregory had hoped. His private belief was that Ribaud was lying, but he replied suavely, `Naturally, mon ami, I accept your word for that, but you must forgive me if I incline to doubt whether others would do so.'
`You intend to inform others, then, of what you saw while on Yuloga?'
`I admit to having considered doing so'
`Such a disclosure, if wrongly interpreted, could prove highly embarrassing to France. I may feel it my duty to take certain steps.' '
`I appreciate that. But however high you rate the security of this tie up with the Russians, I hardly think you would go to the length of having me shot.'
`No; no! God forbid! But` as you have obtained knowledge of a military secret of the first importance, I could treat you as a spy and have you clapped into a fortress,'
`You could,' Gregory smiled, `but for how long could you keep me there? You know well that I make no idle boast when I say that I have escaped from captivity a dozen times. If you did put me to such inconvenience you may be certain that I would blow the gaff immediately I got out Where as…'
`Whereas what?'
`Well, I have given much thought to the situation Were I in the employ of the British Government it would obvious be my duty to report what I know. But, as a private citizen, it is a matter between myself and my conscience. Having weighed the pros and cons, I have come to the conclusion that the Russians possessing a base in the South Pacific or perhaps I should say being established in one with intercontinental ballistic missiles, is no danger to Britain. of they wished they could menace Britain from much nearer home:;. Of course, it brings them within easy range of Australia and New Zealand; but Australia has her own rocket range, so could give as good or probably better than she got. However, the salient point is that there is little likelihood of the Soviet Union and the British Commonwealth going to war in the foreseeable future.'
`I concur in that,' said the General, looking slightly less antagonistic. `And, that being the case, the information you have obtained would not cause great resentment in London.'
`No, probably not. But it would in Washington. The Americans still regard Russia as very much a potential enemy. At the idea of France's having given the Russians a rocket base I am sorry, I meant receiving visiting troops in the South Pacific, the roof would blow straight off the White House. And the United States being Britain’s ally, I have to consider whether I can really justify keeping this information to myself.'
Ribaud glared, then grunted. `What's your price?'
' Cher ami!' Gregory raised his eyebrows in pretended surprise. `I fail to understand you. We are simply discussing the dictates of my conscience. As I was about to say, when I had the pleasure of dining with you some nine weeks ago I expressed the opinion that the Power really to be dreaded by the Western world was China, and that our only hope of definitely containing this huge and dangerous Asiatic people lay in an alliance between the United States, Europe and the Soviet Union.
`Should this come about and a war with China be forced on the Western Allies, what could be more fortunate than that the Soviet Union should not only have rocket bases in Manchuria, to the north of China, but also to the south in the Southern Pacific. In the past the State Department in Washington has not distinguished itself by its foresight. Clinging to the doctrines of the French Revolution, which were so acceptable in the United States when they were born, they are still obsessed by the idea that every people is entitled to self rule. So blind are they that men like Foster Dulles did their utmost to undermine the power of their most reliable ally, the British Empire. During the years following the war Britain, financially, stood naked in the breeze. Without the support of the almighty dollar we could not have carried on. Dulles, and others of his kind, used that to force us to give independence to many of our subject peoples who were totally incapable of governing themselves. Only now, when it is too late, are they regretting their stupidity. Since the Americans were incapable of foreseeing that their policy would lead to the loss of a million lives in India alone, and to anarchy, or the setting up of police States, in Africa, I cannot believe that they will appreciate the possible long term value of the Russians being given facilities in the South Pacific. But you and I, mon ami, come of older nations more experienced in states craft. It is on these_ grounds that I have decided that it would be a great mistake to let the Americans know anything about what goes on in Yuloga.'
Ribaud mopped his forehead with a handkerchief. `I follow your reasoning, and it is sound, but I'm damned if I know what you are driving at.!
'Surely it is obvious that, having squared matters with my conscience, my wish is to assist you in maintaining security concerning this operation?'
`I appreciate that. And by agreeing not to disseminate this information you take a great load off my shoulders. I am most grateful to you.'