`Mr. Sallust, I owe you an apology. Your accent and performance as an officer are so impeccable that my daughter was completely convinced that you were a German. I, too, am fallible in such matters until I have had an opportunity to make use of my special arts and believed you to be one. It seemed so improbable that the Allies would trust a German with such an
important mission, we naturally jumped to the conclusion that the Gestapo had become aware that we had sent information about Peenemьnde out of the country, and had planned to plant you on us. May the Lord be thanked that neither you or Mr. Sabinov resisted when I held you up, for I certainly should have shot you if you had. I fear, though, that by having caused you to believe yourselves trapped I must have given both of you a most unpleasant quarter of an hour. Please accept my sincere regrets at having subjected you to such an ordeal.' '
An ordeal it had most certainly been, for Gregory had rarely seen inflicted with blacker thoughts about his probable future than during those minutes while Khurrem had been taking their weapons from himself and Kuporovitch. Even while the doctor was making his apology his prisoners could scarcely realize that their fears had been groundless, but now they both felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
As the realization of the true situation came home to Gregory, he felt that he must be losing his grip to have allowed himself to be scared needlessly almost out of his wits twice within a few hours. Yet on consideration he decided that in both cases he had had ample grounds for his fears.
Coming to his feet, he said with a faint smile, `Your mistake vas understandable, Herr Doktor. When I'm posing as a German officer I always endeavour to live in that role and I've had quite a lot of practice at it. Thank God, though, that your methods of finding out the truth about people are so unorthodox and painless. I have often heard of thought transference, but never expected to witness such an extraordinary demonstration of that gift.'
Malacou shook his head. `It is not a gift. Anyone can develop such powers, but, of course, training a medium like Khurrem here to look into other people's minds is a long and arduous business. Direct thought transference is a much ampler matter. It was by telepathy that I told Khurrem when I vas ready to receive you here tonight, and by it I can transmit orders to my servant. Be silent now for one moment.'
While they remained still he closed his eyes, but only for a Few seconds. Then he resumed, `I am fortunate in having a cellar here containing many fine wines. To cement our friendship we will drink a bottle of one of the great 1920 hocks. I have just ordered my servant to bring it.'
After a moment Gregory asked, `Am I right in supposing that you could assist us in our mission by using your occult powers?'
Malacou nodded. `Yes; and without such help I think it almost certain that you would fail. The security precautions at Peenemunde are quite exceptional. Since Khurrem learned about these rockets from Herman Hauff she has cautiously sounded out every one of her acquaintances in Grimmen, Greifswald and Wolgast, hoping to secure further information, but in every case she has drawn a blank. It is, too, her impression that they know nothing, other than the fact that the number of men working at Peenemunde has greatly increased in recent months.'
`There is no lead that you can give us, then; apart from Herr Hauff?'
`None. And with him you must use great caution. He is both shrewd and dangerous. I fear the only way in which you can hope to succeed is for one of you to get into the experimental station.'
`It was that I had in mind,' Gregory replied. `But Sassen is a long way from Peenemunde. It must be the better part of thirty miles. I had been hoping that Frau von Altern would be able to pass us on to someone who could provide us with a safe base nearer to Usedom, from which during several nights it would be possible to reconnoitre ways of getting across to the island.'
At that moment the door opened and the hunchback came in with a dust-covered hock bottle and glasses. Gregory could now see that he had a bald head, large, limpid brown eyes and a black moustache, the ends of which turned down. As he placed the tray on a side-table his master spoke to him in a foreign tongue that Gregory took to be Turkish. The man replied in the same language, then left the room.
Malacou blew the dust off the label and showed it to Gregory. It was a Rauenthaler Steirchausen Kabinett Edelbeeren Auslese 1920 but, in view of what had gone before, he felt no surprise at this further manifestation of an unusual power,
While pouring the wine the doctor remarked blandly, `I owe you both another apology. Tarik had orders to go over to the house, as soon as he had let you in here, and search your bags. He has just reported to me that they contain nothing that might give you away except for a wireless transmitter. He brought it back with him and I am sure you will have no objection to my looking after it for as long as you remain here:
`Do you suspect, then,' Gregory asked, `that someone at the Manor might also take an interest in our belongings?
'No; no- one will spy on you there. But if you used your wireless-for example to report to London that you had reached Sassen safely and made contacts here who had promised to aid you that could bring us all into considerable [anger. Our enemies have listening stations. If they picked up a strange code they would swiftly get a fix, and in no time truckloads of them would be arriving to search the neighborhood. The fact that you are a stranger here would draw their attention to you, and if there were the least thing suspicious about your papers that would lead to disaster for all concerned.'
Gregory felt that he could hardly blame his host for making suite certain that he made no use of his wireless while at Sassen; so as he took the glass of hock that Malacou handed um, he nodded his agreement. Then they all drank to the success of the mission.
After the first mouthful Kuporovitch smacked his lips and exclaimed, 'Herr Doktor, this is magnificent! What a treat you are giving us.'
Holding his glass up to the light, Gregory admired the wine's deep golden colour and added, `It's nectar for the gods. I've not tasted a hock so fine since I dined with Hermann Goering’
Malacou raised his dark eyebrows. `To have done that must have been a most interesting experience. You must tell me about it some time. And Goering's cellar is world-famous, so: thank you for the compliment. You are right, though, that it s something exceptional. Many of the 1921s were superb and it was a much bigger vintage, but the great wines of 1920 had more lasting power.'
After a moment, Gregory said, `Since you cannot place us with a fair degree of safety nearer to Peenemunde, in what way; can you help us?'
`By seeking for you the protection of the stars,' Malacou replied promptly. `Every one of us has his lucky and unlucky days. Many people who regard themselves as intelligent sneer at astrology and look on the daily forecasts that appear in the most widely read papers in all countries as no more than pandering to the superstition of the ignorant. Such forecasts can be no more than generalizations and so frequently liable to mislead a large number of their readers. But astrology is the most ancient of all sciences and an infallible guide to those who by prolonged study have learned how to make use of it. Naturally, to predict with accuracy the most favorable days on which to marry, or to commit a murder and get away with it, can be ascertained only by considering the case of the individual concerned. It is that which I propose to do for each of you.'