They Used Dark Forces Read Online Free PDF

was thinking of doing that myself,’ Gregory replied, ‘but, unfortunately, we can’t go together. It would never do for a German officer to be seen walking side by side with a private.’
    Kuporovitch’s smile broadened. ‘When I went downstairs again after my sleep I got into conversation with a young chambermaid. Her name is Mitzi, and as it is her evening off she has agreed to have a meal with me later and show me the gay life of Grimmen.’
    Gregory returned the smile. He had no need to warn his friend to be careful to say nothing which might lead the girl to suspect that he was not really a private soldier, but as Kuporovitch professed to adore his French wife, and had spent ten days’ leave with her before leaving England, he did remark:
    â€˜Stefan, you are incorrigible. It is barely twenty-four hours since you left Madeleine; and I know you far too well to suppose that you do not mean to seduce this Fräulein Mitzi if you get half a chance.’
    â€˜
Nom d’un nom
! Naturally I shall seduce her,’ Kuporovitch agreed amiably, ‘and it should not be difficult. Have we not seen in the intelligence reports Hitler’s announcement that it isthe duty of patriotic German women to give themselves to soldiers on leave from the front? So,
Heil Hitler!
’
    â€˜That is no excuse for seizing the first chance to be unfaithful to your charming wife.’
    â€˜Dear friend, you are talking nonsense. It is the Puritan streak in you with which all Englishmen have been cursed. Your morals are no better than those of the men of other nations, but you have always to provide an excuse for yourselves before going off the rails. As for my little Madeleine, since she is a French girl she has no illusions about men. And, even if she would not admit it, the last thing she would wish is that I should lose my virility through observing a monk-like chastity while away from her.’
    â€˜Lose your virility, indeed!’ Gregory laughed. ‘You’ve had little time to do that as yet.’
    â€˜Maybe, maybe. But one should never lose an opportunity to keep one’s hand in.’
    â€˜Good hunting, then. But don’t give Mitzi a little Russian if you can help it, or he’ll become one more German for us to have to kill off in the next war.’
    When Kuporovitch had gone, Gregory dressed and went out into the town. For the better part of an hour he strolled about the streets, noting with interest that at least one in ten of the people in them was a disabled soldier, evidently convalescing. Their numbers far exceeded those that would have been seen in an English market town, and were ample evidence of the enormous casualties sustained by the Germans in the terrible battles on the Russian front.
    He noted, too, with satisfaction the scarcity of goods in all the shops; but he had no difficulty in picking up a good rod and other second-hand fishing tackle that was essential to his cover. In the two suitcases they had been able to bring only necessities, as the greater part of one case was taken up by a wireless powerful enough to transmit messages to London; so he bought another case and, before returning to the hotel, half filled it by using some of the forged coupons he had brought to make a number of additions to the wardrobes of Kuporovitch and himself.
    When he got back he sat down outside the café that occupied the ground floor to one side of the hotel entrance, had a drink there,then dined not too badly off local-caught fish and stewed fruit. Afterwards he went early to bed with a copy of Thomas Mann’s
Buddenbrooks
, which he had bought while doing his shopping.
    Next morning Kuporovitch appeared at eight o’clock, in his role of batman, to collect his officer’s field boots, belt and tunic. When Gregory asked him how he had enjoyed the night life of Grimmen he replied:
    â€˜
Pas de Diable
! It was even more depressing than I had expected. A