Storm Force from Navarone. Sam Llewellyn

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СКАЧАТЬ are demoralised, some of these Germans in the mountains here. And of course the résistants too; some of them are no more than bandits. The German was to kill you. Then he was to give them the money and collect a medal, I guess.’ Her teeth gleamed in the pale reflection from the snow outside. ‘I saw them come back to warn the officer. I knew where they had come from. So I got on my bicycle, and fell off in the right place. And it didn’t work out for those pigs.’

      ‘Thank God,’ said Hugues, fervently.

      Mallory found he was smiling. ‘Thank you,’ he said. He got up, his weary knees protesting. It looked as if there was a new addition to the party. A brave addition, but a slow one. He hoped that Hugues would get his ardour under control, and start acting human again. He said, ‘We’re moving out.’

      An hour and a half later Jaime led them down a snowy path and into the trees above the village. There was another barn-like building in the trees.

      Jaime opened the door and said, ‘Wait in here.’

      Mallory said, ‘Where are you going?’

      ‘To find some friends.’ There was a fireplace. Jaime struck a match, lit the piled kindling, and threw on an armful of logs. ‘Be comfortable. Dry yourselves.’ His eyes were invisible in the shadows under his heavy eyebrows.

      Mallory’s eyes met Andrea’s. He did not like it. Nor, he could tell, did Andrea. But there was nothing he could do.

      Jaime disappeared into the night. Lisette sank down in front of the fire and began to pull her boots off.

      ‘Outside,’ said Mallory.

      She looked at him as if he was mad.

      ‘What if Jaime comes back with a German patrol?’

      ‘Mais non,’ said Thierry.

      ‘Jaime?’ said Lisette. ‘Never. He hates Germans.’

      Hugues’ face was pink and nervous. ‘How do you know?’ he said. ‘How does anyone know? The Germans arrived at the drop site within half an hour. Someone betrayed us-’

      ‘I told you what happened,’ said Lisette. ‘Now for God’s sake -’

      ‘Outside,’ said Hugues.

      Something happened to Lisette’s face. ‘Non,’ she said. ‘Non, non, non, non. I am staying.’

      ‘And I also,’ said Thierry, his big face the colour of lard under the straw hat.

      ‘Women,’ said Hugues.

      ‘I am not women! snapped Lisette. ‘I am someone who knows Jaime. And trusts him.’

      ‘Ah, ça!’ said Hugues. ‘Well-’

      ‘But perhaps you trust your friends more,’ said Lisette.

      And when Hugues looked round, he saw that where Mallory, Miller and Andrea had been standing were only wet footprints.

      Out in the woods Miller lay and shivered in a pile of sodden pine needles, and thought longingly of the warm firelight in the barn. He had watched Hugues storm out, heard the slam of the door. Then nothing, except the icy drip of rainwater on his neck, and the mouldy smell of pine needles under his nose.

      After half an hour, the rain stopped. There was silence, with dripping. And behind the dripping, the wheeze and clatter of an engine. Some sort of truck came round the corner, no lights. Miller sighted his Schmeisser on its cab. Three men got out. As far as Miller could see, the truck was small, and not German.

      A voice said, ‘L’Amiral Beaufort!’

      Another voice said, ‘Vive la France!’

      The barn door opened and closed.

      Mallory saw Hugues come out of the bush in which he had been hiding, and walk across to the barn. Hugues knew these men, it appeared. That was Hugues’ area of speciality. So Mallory got up himself, and went in.

      The men Jaime had brought wore sweeping moustaches and huge berets that flopped down over their eyes. They carried shotguns. Two of them were talking to Hugues in rapid French. Mallory thought they looked a damned sight too pleased with themselves.

      ‘There are no Germans in the village,’ said Jaime. ‘But there is a small problem. It seems that Jules has had an accident. A fatal accident, they tell me. He was shot at Jonzère, last night.’

      Mallory stared at him. ‘How?’ he said.

      ‘A matter of too much enthusiasm,’ said Jaime.

      Hugues ceased his conversation and turned to Mallory. He said, ‘Or to tell the truth, a mess.’

      Jaime shrugged. He said, The résistants heard we had landed. There was an idea that we were a regiment, maybe more, because there were only two survivors from the German patrol in the gorge. So Jules heard all this and went to Jonzère to stop these hotheads getting themselves killed. But he was too late. They were firing on the Germans, and the Germans were firing back, and they got themselves killed, all right. And Jules got himself killed with them.’

      Hugues blew air, expressing scorn. ‘It is not as it is in the north. These mountain people have too many feelings and too few brains.’

      It was Jules who had known the man who knew where the Werwolf pack were being repaired. Without Jules, the chain was broken.

      Mallory said, with a mildness he did not feel, ‘So how are we to continue with the operation?’

      ‘Ah,’ said Jaime. ‘Marcel has a surprise for you, in Colbis.’ He did not look as if he approved of surprises.

      ‘Marcel the baker?’ said Hugues.

      ‘That’s the one.’

      Hugues nodded approvingly. ‘A good man,’ he said.

      Mallory had the feeling that he was sitting in on gossip about people he did not know. He said, ‘I need information about the Werwolf pack, not bread.’

      ‘Voilà,’ said Jaime. ‘Marcel proposes breakfast in the … in his café. Then he will provide you with transport to where it is you wish to go. He has another Englishman there, you will be glad to hear, who may have information.’

      May, thought Mallory. Only may. He took a deep, resigned breath.

      ‘Oh, good,’ said Miller, edging towards the fire. ‘And the dancing girls?’

      ‘You may find some dancing girls.’

      ‘Breakfast would be fine,’ said Miller.

      Mallory beckoned Jaime over. The men with the berets followed him as if glued to his side. ‘Why are there no Germans in the village?’

      One of the men with the berets grinned, and spoke quickly. Jaime translated. ‘Because they are all in Jonzère. First, fighting. Now, trying to catch some bandits before they arrive in Spain.’ СКАЧАТЬ