The Generals Read Free

Pigafetta
: I’ll do what I can.
    Major von Peters
: Adjourn the session now, Mateo.
    Colonel Orbal
: Of course, yes. The session is adjourned.

Second Day
    Lieutenant Brown
: Present: Colonel Orbal, Major von Peters, Colonel Pigafetta, Commander Kampenmann and Justice Tadeusz Haller.
    Major von Peters
: You’ve forgotten yourself.
    Lieutenant Brown
: Officer presenting the case, Lieutenant Brown.
    Colonel Orbal
: I still think it’s damned cold in here.
    Colonel Pigafetta
: As you know, domestic oil is rationed. And the central heating system doesn’t function well. We’ve had a lot of trouble with it.
    Colonel Orbal
: That’s odd.
    Colonel Pigafetta
: It was installed by army engineers. They come here every week and try to repair it.
    Colonel Orbal
: Oh, Christ.
    Major von Peters
: Stop that now, Mateo. Listen, Mr Haller, there’s one question you haven’t thought of and which, if I’ve got it right now, must be sorted out first of all.
    Tadeusz Haller
: What would that be?
    Major von Peters
: How the hell did this wretch ever become a soldier in the first place.
    Colonel Pigafetta
: That would undoubtedly seem to be a logical start.
    Colonel Orbal
: Of course. Agreed.
    Major von Peters
: Brown, call the Prosecuting Officer.
    Major von Peters
: It is the court’s view that we must unravel this skein from the right end, that is, with the question: How could that swine become a soldier and be appointed a Senior Guard?
    Captain Schmidt
: That question is gone into at great length in the preliminary investigation material.
    Major von Peters
: My dear Schmidt, you don’t really mean that the members of this court should sit down and read right through that enormous tome, do you?
    Tadeusz Haller
: Otherwise I don’t see what use the presidium can find for the documents and records of proceedings.
    Major von Peters
: This is a court martial, not a reading circle. What we have to decide about will be said within these four walls, and it will be said clearly and concisely and in a loud clear voice. Anyhow, I’m not going to waste my time sitting here reading all that rubbish.
    Tadeusz Haller
: With all due respect to this court, it is perhaps not quite in keeping to call the results of three years’ investigation rubbish.
    Colonel Orbal
: Now, now.
    Tadeusz Haller
: I must repeat that the Chief of State demands all possible care in this investigation. We may not avoid any truths or facts. Neither must we forget that Velder as a phenomenon is unique. He is now the only living person who has survived all the phases in our national development from anarchy to model state. He is also the only living person who was close to those three people who at the time were referred to as ‘The Three Generals’.
    Major von Peters
: I never expected to hear that filthy expression coming from your mouth.
    Tadeusz Haller
: I beg your pardon.
    Colonel Pigafetta
: The idea of reading all that stuff doesn’t really appeal to me either.
    Colonel Orbal
: No, God forbid.
    Major von Peters
: So that’s that. Anyhow, Schmidt, it is also our view that you must do something about the tone of this case. We won’t tolerate any form of meekness towards that filthy swine. I noticed even yesterday that you show certain tendencies to be much too kindly disposed.
    Captain Schmidt
: Really?
    Major von Peters
: Yes. Now let’s start.
    Colonel Orbal
: Bring in the accused.
    Major von Peters
: Why isn’t Bratianu here today?
    Lieutenant Brown
: According to court martial regulations, only one of the Prosecuting Officers need be present. Captain Schmidthimself decides whether he requires his assistant.
    Major von Peters
: Oh.
    Captain Schmidt
: I should now like to draw the presidium’s attention to the complex of charges which comprises Velder’s criminal activities during the time when he was enrolled as what is called a Senior Guard in the militia. That is for us more than a decade ago, in fact at the moment of birth of the republic as an