"Well, how do things go? You are not suspected?"
"Not in the least," was the reply of the man, who had been an agent of
the Russian Secret Police, and who was now a spy living in Berlin under a
clerical guise.
"You have a letter for me, I believe, Father, from the Minister
Protopopoff, have you not?" he asked.
I unlocked the small attache case and from among a number of other
letters which we had brought from Russia was one in a plain envelope
addressed to the Pastor Wilhelm Schwass.
The spy tore it open, read it through carefully three times, and then
placed it in the fire and watched until it was consumed. What the
instructions were we knew not. They were evidently unwelcome, for the
man's face went grey, and scarcely uttering another word he turned and
left us.
After dinner, which we took together in our sitting-room, we went out for
a walk in the Linden. Rasputin was eager to go to one or other of the
variety entertainments, but I dissuaded him from such an action, he being
in clerical attire.
"If you go you may arouse the curiosity of some stupid policeman, and
inquiries might be made concerning us. No, while in Berlin it will be
necessary for you to remain very quiet," I urged. "Remember, the baron
and certain of his friends are watching us."
So we idled along to the Cafe Bauer, where we spent an hour watching the
gay crowd, among whom were a number of convalescent officers with those
in the capital on leave from Flanders. Berlin life seemed quite
unchanged, and the war had not by any means checked the spirit of gaiety
in its "night life." There had been a successful attack upon the British
that day, and the "victory" over the hated English was upon everyone's
lips.
For another hour we wandered, noting the merriment and confidence in
conquest on every hand.
"Truly," declared Rasputin, "these Germans spread reports of their own
distress for propaganda purposes. Ah, they are indeed a great people,
with a great leader!"
I differed from him, for I have never had a liking for Germans. At heart
Rasputin had, I knew, no great liking either. He admired them and
assisted them because he was a born adventurer, and as the tool of the
Kaiser was well paid for his services, while at the same time he had
succeeded in placing himself in the position of autocrat over the Tsar
himself.
After an expensive supper at a small place near the Rosenthal Thor, where
two scantily-clad girls danced while the patrons ate, we retraced our
steps to the Neustadische-strasse.
On re-entering the hotel the hall-porter gave me a message asking me to
ring up Herr Weghinger at No. 2862, Potsdam.
This I did from our sitting-room, asking for Herr Weghinger.
"Yes," came the voice. "Are you Herr Koster?"
I replied in the affirmative, recognising the voice of Baron von Hausen,
who said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account