The Man who Missed the War Read Online Free PDF Page A

murmured. ‘Just to think that this thing was played by a chap who actually saw the Flood—one of the Noahs who didn’t get away with it, eh! One who died in the mountain cave where he had sought refuge from the terror of the rising waters!’
    It was now close on midnight, and soon afterwards Philip reluctantly left the restful, book-lined room with which he was destined to become so familiar.
    Yet he was not to see his new friend again for some months. A week after his first visit to the Rectory he went up for his last term at Cambridge, and on coming down, as soon as the Christmas vacation was over, he went into a Southampton aircraft factory. There, the excitement of new work, new surroundings and new people kept him entirely absorbed for quite a number of weeks.
    It was on a blustery day in March that he ran into the Canon—a short tubby figure with his cassock billowing about him like a tent. He was crossing the road from the church to the Rectory, an incongruous form as he battled against the wind which blew his thin, dark hair in wisps about his bullet-shaped head. When they had exchanged greetings, he said:
    ‘I want to talk to you, Philip. Come and dine with me—come tonight.’ And, as Philip accepted, he added: ‘We can hear all each other’s news then.’
    That evening, before and during dinner, he encouraged Philip to describe his reactions to the type of people he was meeting in the factory, but immediately afterwards, when they had settled down, he asked:
    ‘Well, what do you think of the news?’
    ‘You mean, about Hitler marching into Austria two days ago?’
    ‘Yes.’
    Philip shrugged. ‘I suppose it was almost inevitable, since we took no steps to stop him reoccupying the Rhineland. Every time you give way to a people like the Germans it simply encourages them to demand something else.’
    ‘Where do you think his eyes’ll turn next?’
    ‘I don’t know enough about international politics to say, but I wouldn’t mind betting that he’ll grab quite a lot of territory before those old fossils at Westminster pluck up the courage to set a definite limit on his expansion. Still, sooner or later, they’ll have to.’
    ‘Have you any ideas when that is likely to be?’
    ‘Yes, I think it will be when Germany makes a formal demand for the return of her colonies. The Admiralty would not stand for that. To allow Hitler to establish air and submarine bases in the Cameroons and Tanganyika, South-West Africa and various other places, would virtually be to surrender the Empire without even a fight—and their Lordships know it. At that point, the Government will be forced to say “No” to Hitler, even at the risk of war.’
    ‘You still think that war is inevitable?’
    Philip gave a quick nod. ‘Every month Germany is growing more powerful. I know for certain now, from people in the works, that her Air Force already far exceeds ours. She may have a dress rehearsal with one of the smaller European Powers, just to gain actual experience in the new technique of co-operation between great air fleets and armoured spearheads on the ground. But it is the war of revenge which will bring about the downfall of Britain that every German is now living and longing for.’
    ‘And what progress have you made?’
    ‘Progress? I don’t quite get what you mean.’
    ‘Surely you’ve not forgotten Admiral Jolly’s challenge to you that night we all dined at your home last September?’
    ‘Oh that!’ Philip put up a hand and stroked his lean jaw thoughtfully. ‘As a matter of fact, I did put in quite a bit of time thinking about it; but when I got back to Cambridge I had to buckle down to my final exams, and since then I’ve been up to my eyes getting the hang of things at the works.’
    ‘How far did you get with your speculations?’
    ‘I had what might be the germ of an idea—that’s all. You see, the obvious answer to attacks by great numbers of U-boats on our shipping is more escorts and more